Sharing a July 19, 2026 article from L1 Nieuws By Peter Beeker Translation and screenshots by Diana D. Le Bittersweet farewell for conductor Marcel Falize of Edelweiss Heerlen after 36 years Marcel Falize quits as conductor at the Jachthoorn- en Trompetterkorps Edelweiss Heerlen (Hunting Horn and Trumpet Corps Edelweiss). The competition at the World Music Contest (WMC) in Kerkrade is his final performance as a conductor. “After 36 years, it's okay.” For Marcel Falize (60), saying goodbye is bittersweet. "This is a good time. Everything at Edelweiss is in order—much better than when I first started. I sense that the younger generation wants to go in a different direction. I’m still very passionate, but I don’t want to force my views on them." Michael Jackson From the dug-out in the Parkstad Limburg Stadium, he looks at his musicians. Black Beauty is the last march Marcel Falize has composed for Edelweiss Heerlen. "It's not easy to make a piece of music with six notes. You can’t play anything from Michael Jackson.” The marching band from Heerlen is one of the last of its kind. The hunting horn, bugle, and bass trumpet are quietly disappearing from the scene. These are valveless instruments. They were used in the military. You can only play a few notes on them. Ideal for signaling troop movements and, of course, for sounding the retreat. Jars of pickles He can't quite put his finger on it, but Marcel Falize knows his time has come. He's noticed that younger members have different motivations. "They want a lot, and often in a different way than I do. So it's good to make way for them. It's not easy to keep everything in balance, because older members are actually jaded because they've already been through so much." There’s a lot of pressure and expectations are always high in the world of wind music and marching competitions. Edelweiss has come a long way. It all started with drumming on empty pickle jars—that was all that was available in the early 1960s in the Heksenberg neighborhood of Heerlen. Many years later, the list of achievements is long: twelve appearances at the WMC, a tour with André Rieu, military performances at Ahoy Rotterdam, and music competitions abroad. André Rieu Marcel Falize has also been playing percussion in André Rieu’s Johann Strauss Orchestra for 36 years. “I had to fight to claim my place in the music world. That was already the case during my training at the conservatory. Sometimes people say I’ve turned my hobby into my profession. I wouldn’t put it that way, because making music isn’t just a casual pursuit for me. On the other hand, this profession has never once made me feel like I had to work.”

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July 18, 2026 Hunting horn and Trumpet Corps Edelweiss on Facebook. Good afternoon - 84.750 points!! A gold medal!! Today we had the opportunity to participate in the WMC marching competitions in the Championship Division with the musical piece Black Beauty, composed by Marcel Falize. We enjoyed every moment on the festival grounds and are incredibly proud that our performance was rewarded with 84,750 points! A result we look back on with a smile and it feels like a reward for everything we worked so hard for together during this unique journey! Behind these few minutes lies a long road of preparations, countless rehearsals, extra practice weekends, the WMC camp, endless fine-tuning, and constantly pushing ourselves to go the extra mile. We have laughed, pushed boundaries, experienced moments of tension, and found support in each when necessary. It is precisely that shared resemblance that has brought us even closer together as an association and ensured that we stood on the competition stage today as an entire block. We are proud of everyone who contributed to this: members, the instruction team, supporters, family, friends and everyone who stands behind Edelweiss! Together, we form a special club with diverse ages, personalities, and backgrounds. And perhaps the most beautiful thing of all? That we, as Hunting horn and Trumpet Corps perform at the very highest level with natural instruments, among the absolute top of the marching world. Today, we were able to show what Edelweiss stands for: passion, togetherness, and love of music. A memory to cherish together forever.