Music: A Ch'ti orchestra at the European Brass Band Championship

They've crossed Europe with their instruments in their cases. In the streets of Stavanger, Norway, 35 musicians from northern France are preparing to give the concert of their lives. They'll attempt to win the title of European Brass Band Champion, a type of orchestra composed of brass and percussion instruments. Not a single false note is an option. Backstage and onstage, the competition is fierce: they're pitting themselves against the 15 best orchestras in Europe, in front of 3,000 spectators.

Before playing in the prestigious venue, the Hauts-de-France Brass Band rehearsed for months near Lille (North), under the uncompromising baton of Flemish conductor Luc Vertommen. "I try to have a very cohesive group, with people who are more or less of the same level, and certainly the same spirit," he says. The ensemble has already won several French championship titles.

It is no coincidence that it is based in the North: brass bands were originally miners' orchestras from England.

Watch the full report in the video above