The competition started in 1978 and was for a long time dominated by the English colliery brass bands (who doesn’t remember the film Brassed Off?). The famous Black Dyke Mills Band under Major Peter Parkes won seven of the first 10 competitions.

Eventually, bands from the continent began to go the distance. Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag from Norway struck knock-out blows in 1988 and 1989, and Flanders’ own Brass Band Willebroek won in 1993 and more recently in 2006 and 2007 under the baton of Frans Violet.

The defending champion, though, is The Cory Band from Wales, led by Dr Robert Childs: “We had been runners-up a number of times, so to win the European Championships was a wonderful achievement,” says Childs. “It led to numerous invitations to play at prestigious concerts.”

The Cory Band is ready to stamp its authority in the ring once more, although Childs recognises there is an element of luck involved: “The draw is important; no-one wants to play first,” he divulges. “And it’s not like switching on a CD; some players can have an off-day or get nervous. But if you ask the other bands who they fear the most, The Cory Band would be in their top three.”

That’s fighting talk, but this year’s Belgian representative – Festival Brass Band from Heist-op-den-Berg – is not afraid to lock horns. Formed in 1999 and under the leadership of Manu Mellaerts for the past three years, they have already taken the Belgian brass band scene by storm. In some quarters, the shock they caused at the Belgian championships last November when they became national champions still hasn’t sunk in. Could they cause a further upset in Oostende?

“We have some excellent young musicians, so anything is possible,” says Mellaerts. But “we lack the experience of playing in major competitions,” he admits. “However, winning isn’t everything. We are going to enjoy ourselves in Oostende, play as well as we can and hopefully make Belgium proud of us.”

The competition is divided into two energy-sapping rounds. On 1 May all the bands perform the set-piece “From Ancient Times” by Jan Van der Roost. The following day, they play their own choice plus and a second set-piece – “Catedrales” by Bert Appermont.

In the evening it’s the Grand Gala and awards ceremony. While the adjudicators tot up the points, music is provided by two top bands from Flanders: Cosy Brass Quartet, made up of players from Brass Band Willebroek, and Belgian Brass, an 11-piece professional ensemble. They will be followed by defending champions The Cory Band, who are joined on stage by Stef Pillaert from Melle – European Soloist 2008 – with his euphonium.

Finally, the winning band will be announced, the crowd will go wild and drinks all around.

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