A musician from Switzerland had a role, and a cornet, to play in the city’s Remembrance Day parade on Sunday.
Hervé Parisod, from Lausanne, plays with the City of Chester Band as part of his visit to Chester to improve his English.
He joined the band in August played a leading part with the band when it performed in the NW Brass Bands Association Championships, held in Rochdale in October.
Back home, Hervé plays cornet with La Fanfare de Crissier, a British-style brass band playing in the second tier of competing brass bands in Switzerland.
Hervé, 25, who has a degree in electronics engineering, has been playing cornet for 11 years.
His grandfather played brass instruments, too, and brother plays percussion, also in the Crissier band.
Chester’s language college was Hervé’s choice as he preferred to live in a small, quiet city close to the north of England which he wanted to see more of.
During his stay Hervé has paid visits to Snowdonia, the Lake District and the Peak District.
Cities visited include Liverpool, Manchester, York and Edinburgh.
Also during his stay in Chester Hervé has developed an appreciation of local and regional real ales.
For two senior members of Chester’s band, Philip Mottershead and Les Platt, there is a link with Lausanne for they were part of the City of Chester Band when it toured Switzerland in 1982.
A memorable concert was given in the gardens of the casino in Lausanne against the backdrop of Lake Geneva and the French Alps.
Hervé will return to Switzerland in December.
