PRESIDENT
Chris JEANS (UK)
Chris JEANS (UK) starts his career in his hometown Yeovil. He quickly knows the success and plays with the greatest British Brass: Sunlife, Desford Colliery, Grimethorpe, Rigid Containers, Ransome, YBS, John Foster and Sons, Black Dyke Mills Band … He plays as a soloist (trombone) at Carnegie Hall New York at the Royal Albert Hall in London. He records several albums as a soloist and as a conductor. Chief of Brass Band Junior Youth Brass 2000, he is 1 ° trombone of the Gus Band. Chris won the UK Trombone Champion title.
Mr. Chris Jeans has just been appointed President of the Jury for the 2017 Open de France in Amboise, following in the footsteps of our prestigious former Presidents, Stuart Broadbent, David Horsfield and Dennis Wilby. Chris has participated in this competition since 1995, when he was created, as a Jury. He is regularly invited to speak at the Sion Music Festival (CH), Brass in Concert (UK), Man Music Festival (Isle of Man) and many festivals across Europe. Brass Computer at the School of Music Leicester’s music, he is also a Trombone teacher and adviser to the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. He has just been nominated “Teacher of the Year” at the Classic FM Music Teacher, and “conductor of the Year 2016” at the 4Bars Rest awards. .
Laurent DOUVRE (F)
Laurent Douvre began his musical career with choral singing and percussion at the Conservatoire de Mâcon, his native city. He continued his training by studying the trumpet, analysis and writing at the Conservatory of Chalon-sur-Saône, from which he graduated several times. After graduating with a literary baccalaureate specialising in music, he went on to study at the University of Lyon II. Passionate about conducting, in 2012 he founded the Ensemble de Cuivres Rhône-Alpes, with which he won a first prize at the national competition in Cournon d’Auvergne. It was in 2011 that he joined the Band of the Republican Guard and his arrival in Paris allowed him to intensify his conducting activities.
Since November 2013, he has been conducting the Orchestre d’Harmonie Brassage and continues the presentation of a rich repertoire, and the accession in 2017 to the Honor category of the Confédération Musicale de France. It was in June 2019 that the orchestra obtained the best record of the year in the highest division among French bands. From 2016 to 2020, he directed the Brassage Brass Band and continued the development of this orchestra recognized as one of the five best formations in France.
He developed a policy of recording and film recordings with these groups, and took part in numerous concerts, festivals and competitions, which were regularly awarded prizes. Developing his taste for transmission, he is also in charge of orchestras at the Bagneux Conservatory.Laurent Douvre joined the Band of “Gardiens de la Paix” Peacekeepers in December 2018 as a Drum Major. Currently Deputy Head of Air and Space Music, he took over the direction of the Paris Brassband in 2020 and that of the Air Force Brass Band in 2021.
Peter COLLINS (UK)
Peter started playing the horn at the age of 7 and quickly joined many youth orchestras, including the famous “Youthbrass 2000”, in which he was named the main horn. He has won honors as a soloist in national and European competitions. He later became Musical Director of this ensemble that has appeared in many places around the world, not to mention the Royal Albert Hall in London. He studied politics, philosophy and law at the University and also won a scholarship at the Royal College of Music in London where he earned a distinction in solo trumpet performance. Peter was principal horn with the “Ransome Brass band” and the “Virtuosi GUS” and also performed with “Brighouse & Rastrick”, “Grimethorpe” and “Black Dyke”. Parallel to his position of soloist he dedicated himself to the teaching, that he carried out at the highest level. Now, Peter continues to promote excellence in music.
THE JURY OF THE MUSIC MARCH COMPETITION
Peter Collins:
Peter Collins, behind a screen preventing him from seeing the competitors, will rate the performances of each one and the respect of the works, in order to elect the best ensembles performing their marching music.
THE PUBLIC PRIZE JURY
Chris JEANS and Laurent DOUVRES They will note the audience reaction the presentation of the sets that includes the performance, as well as the content of the program not only on a musical level but also on the festive and exciting side for the spectators, to give this public prize.