English Trio Heading to Montreux

This weekend will see a trio of young English brass and percussion musicians heading off to Switzerland to take part in the 2019 European Youth Brass Band (EYBB) as part of the European Brass Band Championships.

The event will take place in the Montreux Music and Conference Centre, on the banks of Lake Geneva, where Jack Hoof (cornet), Bethany Littlewood (tenor horn) and Charlie Saunders (percussion) will represent England as part of the EYBB, led this year by Swiss conductor Bertrand Moren.

The three young musicians’ travel expenses have been funded directly by Brass Bands England (BBE), and the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer Kenny Crookston told A4B: “We are delighted to be able to support Jack, Bethany and Charlie’s trip to Montreux as our representatives in the EYBB. We are well aware of the positive impact that previous EYBB courses have made on those participating and we wish all three a musically fulfilling and personally memorable experience during their week in Montreux.”

Kenny Crookston added: “Previous European Championships held in Switzerland have been brilliantly organised and musically very thrilling, and we are sure that the 2019 version will be no exception to that. England will be represented by Brighouse and Rastrick in the main event and by Youth Brass 2000, Lions Youth Brass, Wardle Academy Youth and Elland Silver Youth in Sunday’s European Youth Brass Band Contest. The EYBB will also be giving a number of performances during the week in Montreux and anyone unable to be there in person will be able to catch all the action via the livestream being hosted this year by 4barsrest and World of Brass. It promises to be absolutely thrilling so tune in and support our representatives at international banding’s biggest event of the year!”