The Avenches Tattoo is now taking place in the magnificent setting of the Swiss National Stud, an important part of Switzerland's cultural heritage, which will host the festival throughout the renovation of the Roman arena.
The Swiss National Stud farm was founded in 1899 and has been managed since 2000 as a competence center for the keeping and breeding of horses and also serves to support and promote the Freibergerpferde (Swiss breed of horse of light draft type. It originates in the Canton of Jura in north-western Switzerland, and is named for the Freiberge or Franches-Montagnes District in the south of that canton), education and training and research.
Every year, between mid-January and mid-March, more than 100 white storks return to their nests on the Agroscope Swiss National Stud Farm site. The only nesting place in French-speaking Switzerland, Avenches welcomes every year nearly 30 couples of storks who come to raise their young.
Ideally situated on the migratory route of these magnificent waders, Avenches and the Swiss National Stud Farm site see its stork population increase every year and resound with the characteristic clapping of their beaks. In 2017, the National Stud had 28 nests, whether on specially constructed platforms, on rooftops or in trees, and the town of Avenches one nest. After a month's incubation, the young hatch at the end of April and take their first flight two months later. Easily observable at the Swiss National Stud, it is not uncommon to come across these slender waders in groups looking for food in the surrounding fields.
We enjoyed refreshments in the VIP area before the performance.
Boarded the train at Interlaken West. When we arrive in Bern, we will switch trains to Avenches.
It is another hazy, extremely hot, and terribly humid day.
Lake Thun is calm. I only see two sailboats out on the lake, and they don't look like they are moving. Many people out sunbathing. Large number of fishing boats along the shoreline. Wonder if the fish are biting?
Before attending the tattoo, we decided to stop in Murten to have lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, the Restaurant Anatolia. Of course, we had the usual: fresh perch from the lake.
Salad with pomegranate dressing.
Eyup's dad owns the Anatolia while Eyup owns the Restaurant Jäger right next door. Both restaurants were extremely busy today. Eyup waved when he spotted me and then came over saying, "You're in the wrong restaurant." He sent over a delicious appetizer. I don't know exactly what it was, but I would guess it was an eggplant dish. The spices just made the dish. So delicious!
Eyup's sister was nice to send over dessert: baklava with whipped cream, ice cream, and honey.
The 18th edition of the Avenches Tattoo international music festival will mark the 25th anniversary silver edition of this unique event in French-speaking Switzerland. This anniversary edition will take audiences from North to South, with prestigious bands from Finland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and New Zealand. The Avenches Tattoo lasts approximately 2 hours and features the following bands:
New Zealand Army Band
Swiss Armed Forces Central Band
Notice they formed the Swiss red cross
The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defense Forces
Musique des Transmissions de Rennes- France
DVS Katwijk Netherlands
Massed Pipes and Drums- United Kingdom
Black Diamond's - Switzerland
During each edition of the Avenches Tattoo, the festival brings together close to 500 military and civilian musicians from all over the world. Since the Tattoo’s inception, over seventy high level marching band formations have been on parade in the Avenches arenas.
"This international music festival has been clearly ranked the 2nd largest event of its kind in Switzerland. It is the only Tattoo that takes place in French speaking Switzerland. The invited high quality musical and choreographic marching bands put on spectacular shows that make the arenas pulsate with incredible sound and arouse the audience’s enthusiasm."
New Zealand Army Band
"The New Zealand Army Band is a brass band that primarily provides musical support for the New Zealand Army at all state and ceremonial occasions. It was founded in 1964 by Captain (later Major) James Donald Carson (1934–2008) of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment."
"It is based out of Burnham Camp, which is the largest army base on the South Island. Presently, the New Zealand Army Band and the Officer Cadet School are the only units of the New Zealand Army that employ scarlet tunics as part of their full dress uniforms. The Campaign hat is also used as headgear for the band. 35-members strong, it includes a parade band, a concert band as well as rhythm sections and a vocalist."
"The band was founded in 1964 by Captain (later Major) James Donald Carson (1934–2008) of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. At the time of its establishment, the number of army bands was reduced to seven, with the intention being that New Zealand Army Band would compensate that with a central band to represent the branch at all events. Its conception was based around the fact that it was the first professional band in the New Zealand Military Forces. From 1965–1988, members of the Army Band were posted on a two-year cycle with the Band of the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, based originally at Terendak Camp in Malaysia. These biannual postings continued until December 1988, when the regimental band was disestablished and members returned to the New Zealand Army Band. In 2012, it was one of three bands spared in the government cutback on military bands."
"Noted military tattoos has had the band traveling to Bremen, Germany; Basel, Switzerland; Nanchang, China Wonju, South Korea and Edinburgh, Scotland. During its visit to Scottland in 2018 for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the band was presented with the Pooley Sword after it was considered to be the greatest act of that year's show by other bands and the audience."
Swiss Armed Forces Central Band
The Swiss Army Central Band is a military band that is part of the Swiss Army and the representative band of theSwiss Armed Forces. It is part of the Military Music Competence Center (Kompetenzzentrum Militärmusik). It is based on mostly German and French, but also modern British influences. It consists of 80 musicians who every year send a delegation abroad to introduce Swiss Military Music to the world. In recent years, the band visited military tattoos in Argentina, Brazil, Greece, China, Finland, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand and the United States. Events around the world have included the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo, the Norwegian Military Tattoo and the Virginia International Tattoo. The band is the primary host and participant of the Basel Tattoo.
It is currently under the direction of Major Aldo Werlen and Drum Major Staff Adjutant Philipp Rütsche. Swiss international euphonium soloist Thomas Rüedi was a soloist in the band from 1996 to 2003. The band performs in its distinctive red uniform."
The Swiss National Anthem
The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defense Forces
"The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defense Forces represents the Defense Forces both at home and abroad. It is formed each year from about 90 of the most skilled musicians in the age group entering military service.
The Conscript Band’s annual concert calendar includes more than 100 events ranging from international tattoo events, traditional parades and the summer tour to massive self-produced concert tours.
The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defense Forces was founded in Hamina in 1990. At the beginning of 2015, the Conscript Band began operations in a new unit at the Hattula Armoured Brigade as its previous home, the Häme Regiment, was discontinued due to the national defense reform.
Conscript musicians are accepted on the basis of auditions. About 300 men and women apply every year, out of which are chosen roughly a hundred gifted young players of wind, string and percussion as well as band musicians who specialize in popular music. Media and communications experts as well as sound and light technicians also serve in the Conscript Band.
The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defense Forces is a special force intended for music amateurs and professionals. The core of the Conscript Band consists of a symphonic wind orchestra, the main function of which is performing in concerts and figure marching. The Conscript Band can also metamorphose itself into an entertainment band, string orchestra or showband. Showband of the Conscript Band is a regular guest on the Finnish Defense Forces' Summer Tour. Parade Band has previously performed in international Military Tattoo Festivals in Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Russia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia, Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, and Italy. The Conscript Band and Drill Team performed at The Norwegian Military Tattoo in 1998 and 2008.
Currently, the band has better operating capabilities than ever before – the new diverse premises and internationally esteemed staff ensure excellent performances for the coming years and decades."
Musique des Transmissions de Rennes- France
"The music of the Transmissions is a military music of the French Army based in Rennes. Composed of 53 musicians, it is one of six musics of the Army (excluding music of regiments and military schools)."
"Entertained in large orchestras during numerous concerts, the instrumentalists express themselves in various ensembles such as the wind quintet, the brass quintet, the big band jazz, the variety set and the Celtic ensemble. The missions entrusted to this orchestra are based on three pillars:
Ceremonial: by participating in the influence of the Army during military and patriotic ceremonies.
The citizen pillar: by participating in various musical actions in partnership with the civil world in order to consolidate the link between the army and the nation.
The artistic and cultural pillar: the only professional harmony orchestra of the West area, the Music of Transmissions aims to enhance and make discover composers and the great works of this repertoire, whether they are yesterday or today."
"The Music of the Transmissions of Rennes is heir to the Music of the 41st Infantry Regiment created in the 1900s.
In the 1920s, it was housed in the camp of the Lande d'Oué near Rennes.
From 1946, administered by the 41st RP, it took the name of Music of the 3rd Military Region. During this post-war period, the Music was stationed in Rennes in the camps of Verdun and Mac-Mahon.
Appreciated and recognized by the people of Rennes, its fame extends to the northwestern region. She took the successive names of Music of the Military Defense Constituency (CMD) in 1991, then Musique de la région Nord-Ouest (RTNO) in 1999 and Musique de l'Artillerie in 2011. Located in the Lyautey district of St-Jacques-de-la-Lande, its support corps is the 16th artillery group.
In 2015, the two versailian musics, the Principal Music of the Army and the Music of Transmissions (followed by the Music of the 8th Signal Regiment) merged to become the Music of the Marine Troupes. As a result of this restructuring, several military musics changed their names.
The Music of the Artillery of Rennes then became in 2016 Music of Transmissions. Today, a small group of ringers and talabardeurs (bombing players) allow the Music of Transmissions to preserve its Breton identity by this Celtic color."
DVS Katwijk Netherlands
"The Marching Band is one of the absolute top in the amateur music world and has grown over the years into the musical calling card of Katwijk.
The Marching Band is famous for its unique sound, which is created by the balance between the individual timbres, which merge into a unity of sound. The broad march and polka repertoire, the strict marching order and spectacular shows make the Marching Band a welcome guest at tattoos and parades at home and abroad. In addition to performances in its own country, the Marching Band has performed in Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Canada, Germany and England.
Many golden successes have been achieved at the World Music Contest (WMC) in Kerkrade, with the highlight being winning the title of WMC champion in the marching section in the highest division in 2009 and 2022. In 2022, the Marching Band finished second in the final rankings at the show competitions.
The uniforms of the Dutch Armed Forces in general and in particular the uniform of the Limburg Hunters have served as a model for the uniform of the Marching Band. The choice of a green uniform earned the corps the nickname De Groene Jagers. A name that is still worn with pride."
"On the initiative of a few young people from the ranks of the Christian Young Men's Association (CJMV), the Christian drum and pipe corps Door Vriendschap Sterk, abbreviated as DVS, was founded during a meeting on November 14, 1953. An amount was reserved from the CJMV's funds for the purchase of the necessary instruments.
In January 1955 DVS presents itself to the public during a performance. Four months later on Liberation Day DVS performs. Katwijk has an additional music corps. The performance is an unprecedented success which results in a large increase in the number of members. Many musical successes are achieved.
Even though DVS was founded as a boys' and men's association, after a while it was decided to also include girls as members of the association. When this news became known, 60 girls spontaneously registered, which increased the number of members to 120. An unprecedented luxury at that time. After a period in which the number of members dropped to a minimum and the continued existence of the association was at risk, DVS made a successful restart after a year with a changed instrumentation and line-up. The corps, just like at the time of its foundation, now consists only of men."
Massed Pipes and Drums- United Kingdom
The Massed Pipes & Drums is a Massed Band comprised of individual Pipers, Drummers, Dancers, and Drum Majors from all over the world! The pipe major is the leading musician of a pipe band, whether military or civilian. Like the appointment of drum major, the position is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term sergeant piper was used instead. The pipe major is often assisted by a pipe sergeant, who has similar duties in the band and leads the band in the absence of the pipe major. In a civilian band, the pipe major is generally the leader of the band both musically and administratively
“The Massed Pipes and Drums led by William Jordan and Bryon Brotherton is the most famous Royal military tattoo in Edinburgh with the formation of bagpipers from three Scottish and Irish ensembles.
Alec Brown Memorial Pipe Band
This ensemble is the most seen musical ensemble in all of Great Britain.
It is led by Alexander Brown who is the former pipe major for the Avenches tattoo.
People’s Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band
This ensemble was founded in 1972 in Edinburgh and is known as the crem de la crem. They are extremely successful in competitions and concerts.
The Pitlochry & Blair Atholl Pipe Band
The ensemble was founded in 2004 with the aim of presenting the tradition of Keitian music in the broadest sense.
The musicians have already performed at many international festivals, including in Brittany.”
Black Diamond's - Switzerland
In 2023, the World Hip Hop Dance Championships were held in Phoenix, Arizona. This group was 10th in the World.
The history of the Black Diamonds
"Black Diamond's have traveled around Europe and the rest of the world for 10 years now. Their first appearance was in 2012 on the show "My Village has talent season 2" aired on RTS. The group was invited to represent the village of Avenches. It was in the following year that for the first time, the adult group of comics participated in the Swiss Hip-hop International and won the 2014 Swiss Championship in the Crew. A victory that allowed them to fly to America for the first time to represent Switzerland at the HHI World Championship in Las Vegas during that summer."
"In 2015, the BlaCk DiaMonD's defended their title and retained the Swiss Championship as well as a victory of the teenage group, BD's Ny'Ration, who also left for the HHi World Championship that same year. The BD's SofreSh group, aged 9 to 12, won the Swiss Championship in 2015 at the 2015 IDO Championship. The various crews also moved to Spain, Portugal and Denmark to win several international titles.
In the same year, BD's was contacted by the production of the show "La Suisse has an incredible talent" to participate in the casting. A few weeks later, the group received a positive return to appear before the jury. The BlaCk DiaMonD's won their place in the semi-finals in April 2015. An unforgettable adventure and magical moments that they will never forget.
Years pass and the Swiss Championship is won for 7 consecutive years. The group surpassed itself and decided to represent Switzerland at the World Championship every summer. In 2017, they were again semi-finalists of the show "GOT TALENT" in Portugal but this time by winning the famous Golden Buzzer. Adventures rich in emotions and will not stop there."
They all get together for the finale.
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