Malaga musicians are runners up in European brass band competition

The group, made up of people from, or trained in, Malaga, is the only one in Spain that uses the British brass band style

Regina Sotorrío

MALAGA.

Friday, 12 May 2023, 12:55

"It has been incredible and unexpected." This was the first thing Víctor Eloy López said over the telephone, while still trying to take in the news, which five years ago seemed impossible.

Malaga Brass Band, which he founded in 2015 and still directs, was runner-up in the European Brass Band Championship in Mälmo (Sweden) last weekend.

Never before had a Spanish band got so far in the competition and it's only the second time Spain has been represented. 2019 was the last time and again it was the Malaga Brass Band.

The group, made up of people from, or trained in, Malaga, is the only one in Spain that uses the British brass band style, which is very different from the usual brass ensemble studied in Spain's music schools.

For this reason the jury was surprised that it was "Spaniards" who had interpreted 'Terra Australis' by English composer Martin Ellerby with such precision.

But it is expensive to compete and the band uses money earned from performances to pay for competitions. The 3,500 euros won in Mälmo has helped but López said, "Next year the competition is in Lithuania, but we don't know if we'll be able to afford to go."

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