- French
Champéry's Écho de la Montagne brass band is proud to be hosting this year's 'Fanfare' extravaganza, featuring the 23 bands that make up our Federation.
On Friday, as per tradition, the organising group will receive their neighbouring groups – in this case, Val-d’Illiez, Troistorrents, and Morgins – kicking off the festivities by taking turns on stage. This will be followed by a special production from the Monthey Dance Center, a local dance school that has won ten Swiss championships in showdance training, not to mention countless solo, duo, and group titles. This promises to be a spectacular, showstopping evening where theatricality, choreography, dance, music, and song overlap and celebrate jazz, rock, and French variety music.
Saturday is the day we dedicate to encouraging young musicians, a vitally important part of this festival. Join us for a competition featuring some 150 young talents, all ready to blow your socks off and become the next virtuoso.
In the evening, we will rock you!! After an opening concert with rock, pop, reggae, and funk covers by Champéry’s much loved local group Les Zurchettes & Ze Band, we proudly welcome Long Live the Queen – the ultimate Queen tribute show! Having played to sold-out audiences all over Europe, this is arguably the best and most faithful Queen tribute around, with a classical line-up, a stunning light show, modern special effects, Queen’s famously extravagant costumes, and many more exciting surprises.
Sunday, the official day of the Lower Valais Music Festival, is a joyous cacophony of pomp and circumstance and pageantry. From daybreak, the hills will come alive to the sounds of brass, woodwind, percussion, and drums. Some 1,000 musicians from the 22 companies present will perform an ensemble piece, before returning to their respective companies to perform in front of a jury. The day will also include outdoor concerts and a magnificent parade through the streets of Champéry for the marching band competition.
Schedule
Friday, May 26th, 2023
• Petit Giron de la Vallée d’Illiez with neighbouring music companies
• Performance by the Monthey Dance Center
• Dancing, featuring the group Magic Men
Saturday May 27th, 2023
• Lower Valais Music Federation young soloists’ competition
• Opening concert with Les Zurchettes & Ze Band
• Long Live the Queen tribute show
• DJ Zurch
Sunday, May 28th, 2023
• Company productions for the jury and on-stage concerts
• Reception of companies (arrival of the 24 banners, reception, ensemble pieces, …)
• Marching band contest for the 22 participating music companies
• Proclamation of the results and presentation of cantonal and federal distinctions
• Dancing, featuring the group Magic Men
Opening hours
For programme details, go to festival2023.ch .