The Gala Concert “Legacy of a New Era” marked a festive highlight of the European Brass Band Championships 2026 on Saturday evening at the Brucknerhaus Linz. Featuring Brass Band Oberösterreich (conducted by Günther Reisegger) the European Youth Brass Band (conducted by Karl Geroldinger) and Diatonische Expeditionen (Katharina Baschinger, Theresa Lehner, Alexander Maurer), the concert combined outstanding performances with two world premieres and top-level soloists.

Following the concert, the official Awards Ceremony took place, honouring the results of the Challenge Section and Championship Section.

The programme ranged from Alexander Maurer’s “Willkommen”, featuring the composer himself as soloist on the Styrian harmonica, to works by John Mackey and Anton Bruckner, as well as Thomas Doss’s “Brass Fire”. Highlights included the world premieres of Doss’s “Shamadan Dance” (featuring Felix Geroldinger, baritone) and Markus Ridderbusch’s “Legacy of a New Era”. Further solo performances were given by Christoph Kaindlstorfer (trumpet) and the winner of the 10th European Soloist Competition, Simon Gabriel (cornet, Switzerland).

Congratulations to this year’s winners of the European Brass Band Championships (Champion & Challenge Section):

Challenge Section:
Brass Band Wipptal, Italy