Treize Etoiles are Stars of the Open
Congratulations to Brass Band Treize Etoiles on an outstanding victory at the 170th British Open this weekend. Under the superb direction of Frederic Theodoloz, the Swiss National Champions and European Champions produced a breath-taking performance of ‘The Lost Circle’ by Jan Van der Roost. The adjudicators Dr Stephen Cobb, Anne Crookston and Dr Luc Vertommen were unanimous in their praise and decision to award the band the 2024 British Open title. As added icing on the cake Principal Cornet Mathilde Roh was also awarded the Stanley Wainwright Best Soloist prize for her remarkable contribution to the winning performance.
The Flowers Band from the West of England are this year’s runners-up and as the higest placed English band have also won qualification for the 2026 European Brass Band Championships in Linz. Playing from an early draw the band laid down the gauntlet with a blistering performance under the guidance of Paul Holland, with soprano player Paul Richards also being judged as the day’s Best Soprano. The current National Champions, Black Dyke completed the podium spots, and was also spoken about in glowing terms by the panel of adjudicators, who stated that the top three were a cut above the rest on the day. Whilst the band and MD Prof Nicholas Childs will be no doubt disappointed with missing out on the top spot, they can certainly be proud of the very fine performance they delivered, particularly Adam Bokaris, winner of the Geoffrey Whitham Best Euphonium prize.
Congratulations to all 18 bands who took part. The full results are below and a full review of the event will appear in the next issue of BBW.
Results
1. Brass Band Treize Etoiles (Frederic Theodoloz)
2. Flowers (Paul Holland)*
3. Black Dyke (Prof Nicholas Childs)
4. Grimethorpe (Michael Bach)
5. Foden's (Russell Gray)
6. KNDS Fairey (Philip Chalk)
7. Tredegar (Ian Porthouse)
8. the cooperation band (Glenn Van Looy)
9. Leyland (Daniel Brooks)
10. Carlton Main Frickley Main (Allan Withington)
11. Cory (Philip Harper)
12. Brighouse & Rastrick (Prof David King)
13. Hammonds (Morgan Griffiths)
14. Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)**
15. Aldbourne (Ivan Meylemans)
16. Northop Silver (Erik van de Kolk)**
17. Whitburn (Michael Fowles)
18. Oldham Band (Lees) (John Collins)
Stanley Wainwright Memorial Trophy: Mathilde Roh — cornet: (Brass Band Treize Etoiles)
Brian Evans Memorial Trophy for Best Soprano: Paul Richards (Flowers)
The Geoffrey Whitham Memorial Trophy for Best Euphonium: Adam Bokaris (Black Dyke)
* Flowers Band will receive an invitation from Brass Bands England to represent England at the 2026 European Championships in Linz, Austria.
** Northop Silver and Hepworth are relegated to the Grand Shield
.gif)
