Competitors 2022

Division Championship

Pièce imposée / test-piece : DYNASTY (Peter GRAHAM )

PARIS BRASS BAND (F)   (See page Gala concert 2022)

Paris Brass Band – Conductor Laurent Douvre

EXO BRASS (F) Conductor: Mathias CHARTON

Exobrass – Conductor Mathias Charton

 Under the leadership of musicians and teachers of Touraine, EXOBRASS formed in 2005, with the ambition of making radiate the classes of brass and percussion of the region Centre-Val de Loire. For 10 years now, these 35 musicians ply routes of their region and disseminate the repertoire for Brass Band. Run from 2012 to 2016 by Dylan Corlay, the Brass hosts since 2017 a new music director: Reynald Berton. After having occurred many times in the Centre region and obtained a first prize at the international competition of Amboise in 2007 and 2008, our ensemble offers a very varied repertoire: classical transcriptions, original pieces for Brass Band, standard jazz, movies music, Celtic music… and since 2017 original arrangements with choirs. This repertoire can only be magnified by the warm and shiny sounds of brass. Our Brass offers a musical option for the accompaniment of choral choeurs. The brass band, by his instrumental playing at a professional level, sound specificity, fits perfectly to the voice. Three albums were recorded; in 2009 (EXO Brass), 2012 (Libretto) and 2016, the latter was recorded live at a concert, 18 December 2015 to the “Espace Ligeria” of Montlouis-sur-Loire. EXO Brass offers master classes in music schools, allowing enriching meetings between high level professional musicians and amateurs musicians of all backgrounds.

PREMIERE SECTION / 1ST SECTION

Pièce imposée/test-piece: THE LAND OF THE WHITE CLOUD (Philip SPARKE)

BRASS BAND AMERSFOORT (NL) Conductor:  Vincent VERHAEGE

Brass Band Amersfoort – Conductor: Vincent Verhaege

Brassband Amersfoort hails from a beautiful old city in the centre of the Netherlands. 

In recent years, Brassband Amersfoort has become a well-known ensemble in the dutch brass band scene. The band participates at the national championships each year which helps to grow and mature as a band. Brassband Amersfoort participated in the French Open in 2012, 2014 and 2016 in the 2nd section. Brassband Amersfoort promoted to the first section in 2018, and is delighted to return to Amboise again this year and compete in this section. 

Apart from the national championships, and other competitions such as the Dutch Open Brassband Championships (winner first section 2019), we focus on entertainment in the spring- and summertime, and started a new tradition in organising a beautiful Christmas concert show in winter. 

The band has been formed in 1975 and has since then aimed to combine high level of brass band playing with good fellowship. The French Open Brassband Championship is the last big event before our summer break and all band members cannot wait to come and enjoy the great atmosphere in beautiful Amboise.

The band is under the direction of the young and inspiring musical director Vincent Verhage.

BRASS BAND ATOUT VENT (F) Conductor: William Houssoy

Brass Band Atout Vent – Conductor: William Houssoy

 Power and roundness, brilliance and warmth, the Brass Band ATOUT VENT immediately poses this sound paste emblematic of the quest for Anglo-Saxon sound. ATOUT VENT exudes the conviviality and cohesion of women and men united in a common breath. The thirty musicians are amateurs in the noblest sense: they cultivate their art for their pleasure ….. and yours. 

With its 40 members, the association law 1901 is currently chaired by Pascal Lhonneux.

Directed by its founder, William Houssoy, soprano cornet of the Brass Band Nord Pas de Calais and director of the music schools of Oignies and Libercourt, this ensemble carries high the colors of the mining basin in France and abroad. 

In addition, the Brass Band ATOUT VENT has distinguished itself several times during competitions in France but also abroad, especially in England or Belgium.  

During the France championship held in Lille in 2016, the Brass Band ranked first in its category (1st division) by winning a first prize mention very well.

TROISIEME SECTION / 3rd SECTION

Pièce imposée/test-piece : NAPOLEON ON THE ALPS (Philip HARPER)

BRASS BERRY (F) Conductor Olivier BOUGAIN

Brass Berry – Conductor: Olivier BOUGAIN

BrassBerry was born in October 2012 under the direction of its current director, Olivier BOUGAIN. Its purpose is to promote the amateur practice of musical instruments of the brass family. It is based in Bourges (18) where it brings together musicians from the region, confirmed amateurs and enthusiasts. Like its Anglo-Saxon counterparts, and due to the very precise nomenclature of this type of training, BrassBerry has a limited number of musicians, whose diligence, investment and motivation are essential to its progression, because our goal is to advance the orchestra and its members by sharing our pleasure with the public. It actively participates in the musical animation of the Berruyère agglomeration and introduces the richness of its sound to an increasingly enthusiastic audience. Our repertoire is original and eclectic: some transcriptions of classical pieces, film music, jazz and varieties… not to mention of course the directory specially written for this type of training! BrassBerry is gradually expanding the geographical circle of its performances to allow its performers to meet other musicians and listen to other ensembles. As such, after 2016 and 2018, we will participate in June 2022 for the third time in the French Open brass band in Amboise, and we have already performed twice at the festival « Brass Band en pays Bourgueillois » alongside the prestigious Brass Band. We have also had the chance to accompany international soloists such as Anthony GALINIER or Phil LAWRENCE on several occasions. This year 2022 will mark the tenth anniversary of the BrassBerry, and we will take the opportunity to invite other bands to celebrate it as it should be. This will be an opportunity for our Berruyer audience to discover other brass bands and enjoy throughout the year the warmth and richness of the sound of brass and percussion, for our greatest pleasure!

 BRASS BAND DE LA VIENNE (F) Conductor: Mathias CHARTON

Brass Band de la Vienne – Conductor: Mathias Charton

Created in 2015, under the aegis of the CMF86 Fédération de la Vienne and the impetus of Mathias Currit, the Brass Band de la Vienne brings together musicians, confirmed amateurs and professionals, to form this great ensemble of brass and percussion. The BBV browses the repertoire dedicated to this original formation. The only ensemble of its kind in the Vienne department, the BBV has worked for the first three years to crisscross the department in order to introduce the public to warm music full of power and finesse. In the summer of 2018, Mathias Currit, then artistic director, chose to reorient his career. The baguette is then entrusted to Mathias Charton who agrees to take the direction of the Brass band of the Vienne as soon as the school year starts. Holder of a master’s degree in musicology and analysis, the aggregation of music and the state diploma in the conducting of instrumental ensembles, Mathias Charton became very early a committed player in the world of music pedagogy and choral conducting.

CADENCES BRASS (F) Conductor: Nicolas BIGET

Cadence Brass – Conductor: Nicolas Biget

The Cadences Brass was born in Blois in 2019 at the joint initiative of the tubist Nicolas Biget and Mickael Boisset, coordinator of the Cadences Network (music schools of Blois Agglopolys). Nicolas Biget is a professor of euphonium and tuba art at the CRD in Blois. He began playing the trumpet in Jean-Paul Leroy’s class as he staged the very first French Brass Band in Orleans; he did « his classes » at the cone desk and then continued to the bass and double bass saxhorns in the Brass Band Val de Loire for 25 years. Very attached to the unifying role of his mission on the agglomeration, he seeks to bring together in a common project the living forces of the brass and percussion musicians of the territory. The Brass band is in every way responding to this mission of developing local music action, bringing together teachers from the network, graduate students from the conservatory and amateur or professional musicians from the department. Very respectful of the British tradition, all the musicians of The Brass Cadences volunteer to participate in this magnificent musical adventure. The artistic project and the pedagogical will of this ensemble feed on the richness of the Brass band repertoire, mixing original works and transcriptions, classical and traditional pieces. The Cadences Brass has performed at music school auditions, in concerts in partnership with the department’s great harmonies, in both large and large venues in the region and this year had the pleasure and honour of accompanying the renowned soloist Anthony Galinier.ois Agglopolys).

QUATRIEME SECTION / 4th SECTION

Pièce imposée/test-piece : SAINT SAENS VARIATIONS  (Philip SPARKE)

BRASS BAND OCEANE (F) Conductor: Pascal PIEDFER

Brass Band Oceane – Conductor: Pascal Piedfer

The Brass Band Océane is a large brass and percussion orchestra of 35 musicians, all from the brass classes (trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion) of the Arthur Honegger Conservatory of Le Havre.  Under the direction of Pascal PIEDEFER its creator. It respects the exact nomenclature of the English Brass Band, at the origin of this type of orchestra.Created in September 2009, it brings together musicians of all ages from 9 to 70 years old who work once a week, a rather classical repertoire ranging from original pieces for Brass Band and also variety, not to mention pieces for soloists.In addition to being a valuable educational tool for brass classes, this orchestra aims to animate the city of Le Havre (Christmas markets, retirement homes, and charity concerts with partners from Le Havre), and the surrounding area while participating in brass festivals such as Cergy Pontoise where it was the guest of honor of the Vexin brass in May 2013.Champion of the Amboise Open 2016 in the 3rd division and French Champion of the 3rd division at the CMF National Championship of Yvetôt in 2014, he worked in master-class with Mathias Charton, Bruce Fraser and Eric Brisse, and regularly accompanies soloists: Florent Lambert, Pierre Grimopont, etc.

LONDON CITY BRASS (UK) Conductor: Andrew BRITTIN

London City Brass – Conductor: Andrew Brittin

« London City Brass is an enthusiastic brass band rehearsing and performing across the capital. The band is made up of amateur players from a variety of backgrounds ranging from bankers to healthcare workers who come together once a week to have fun and improve the standard of our playing. We are a diverse bunch, with ages ranging from 20 up to retired, but our common aim is to promote brass band music locally and get out and perform to the public as often as we are able. Last year saw us play on the bandstands at Victoria Park, Hampstead Heath and Regent’s Park, as well as perform concerts to raise money for charities. London City Brass are based at St. Margaret Pattens, a historic church right at the heart of the City, and our Musical Director is Andrew Brittin. We enter the contest for the third time this year but under a new name, having competed as North London Brass in 2018 and 2019. `