Post contest reflection

There were doubts to whether taking the European Championships Palanga would be a success, but despite the low ticket sales for the competition events (the concerts were very well supported), the quality shone through in everything that was presented.

The local organisation was superb — nothing too much trouble, the performances, excellent, the music making engaging, absorbing and occasionally contentious — just as it should be.

The investment made here is very much for the future — and there was a reminder of the early years of Norwegian and Swiss banding their outlook and determination to succeed.

Lithuanian banding has come such a long way in such a short space of time. There remain challenges — such as the appeal of contesting to the general public — but they are not alone in that.

Their commitment to being a vibrant part of the future though is tangible.

When was the last time any brass band event in the UK or wider afield has attracted the proactive support of regional government (the Mayor of the Palanga Municipality above with EBBA President Ulf Rosenberg) to the extent shown here, or has seen the Prime Minister of the country come along to endorse it in person?

Palanga will be well worth a contesting visit again in the years to come.

Iwan Fox

Results:

2024 Champions: Smoras Skolemusikk

Runner up: Ytrebygda Skolekorps

Third place: Brass Band Aukstyn

Best Soloist: Liudas Grincevicius of Brass Band Aukstyn

EYBBC Development Section:

1. Smoras Skolemusikk (Magnus Brandseth): 96
2. Ytrebygda Skolekorps (Thor-Arne Pedersen): 94
3. Brass Band Aukstyn (Remigijus Vilys and Piet Visser): 93
4. Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans): 92

Best Soloist: Liudas Grincevicius (cornet/flugel) — Brass Band Aukstyn

2024 Champion: Brass Band Sklepucini

Runner up: University of Chichester

Third place: Seindorf Ieuenctid Beaumaris

Best Soloist: Bernadus Butkus of Brass Band Sklepucini

EYBBC Premier Section:

1. Brass Band Sklepucini (Vilmantas Vapsva): 94
2. The University of Chichester Brass Band (Emma Button): 92
3. Seindorf Ieuenctid Beaumaris (Peter Cowlishaw): 91
4. Brass Band del Conservatorio di Musica 'N. Piccinni' BARI (Antonio Legrottaglie): 89

Best Soloist: Bernadus Butkus (euphonium) — Brass Band Sklepucini

Premier Section:

4. The University of Chichester Brass Band (Emma Button) — England

The Baltic Way (Jan de Haan)
Prismatic Light (Alan Fernie)
Gaelforce (Peter Graham)

What a great start with the Alan Fernie piece — played with drive and energy. The band also has a great depth of sound and technique. This had a real sparkle.

A solid performance also on 'The Baltic Way' saw then show all their skills again — led by a super principal cornet and percussion section. Bravo MD — the music came out of the score — right off the page.

'Gaelforce' to close — and played just how it should be. So much drive and fun. Again the main players all shine aided by great percussion.

An all round wonderful performance! Congratulations!

Patricio Cosentino

Premier Section:

3. Seindorf Ieuenctid Beaumaris (Peter Cowlishaw) — Wales

Fanfare of Daffodils (Gareth Wood)
Men of Harlech (trad. arr Gordon Langford)
The Carnival of Venice (Paganini arr. Alan Catherall)
Soloist: Osian Maloney (cornet)
The Baltic Way (Jan de Haan)
Starburst (Dan Price)

Wonderful ensemble precision is shown from the band at the beginning their performance — a bold fanfare with a superb sound in all the instrument registers.

What a brilliant demonstration of technique from their principal cornet in 'Carnival of Venice'. What a talented performer — controlled and so well polished.

'The Baltic Way' put some challenges in front of the band in terms of ensemble and technique, but they sorted them all out with style and musicality.

A nice showcase of energy and excitement of a well prepared piece with 'Stardust' where the band showed its depth of sound aided by a great percussion team

A wonderful all round performance! Congratulations!

Patricio Cosentino

Premier Section:

2. Brass Band del Conservatorio di Musica 'N. Piccinni' BARI (Antonio Legrottaglie) — Italy

Festmusik der Stadt Wien (Richard Strauss)
Share My Yoke (Joy Webb arr. Ivor Bosanko)
Soloist: Nicolo Soccio (cornet)
The Baltic Way (Jan de Haan)
Malaguena (Lecuona arr. Freeh)

So great to see an Italian youth band at the EBBA! And what a journey to get here.

The was a nice symphonic balance on the Strauss that showed a real understanding of its style. The sound concept is quite different than what is more traditional in the brass band scene, but it has a vibrancy that is very engaging and transparent in balance.

The were some intonation challenges for the band but they offered beautiful moments of musicality in the second movement of 'The Baltic Way'. So well directed this from the MD — flowing and very cultured.

Bravo soloists on 'Share my Yoke' — this was played with understanding and passion,

I can't not mention the effort this band had made to be here today after traveling three days by bus, so to round off their performance with such energy in 'Malaguena' was very special and great fun.

Is very gratifying to see the brass band movement in Italy growing with such talented players and the inspirational help of the MD and the great Lito Fontana.

I hope to see more Italian brass bands in the future at the Europeans. And they are fantastically dressed too!

Patricio Cosentino

Premier Section:

1. Brass Band Sklepucini (Vilmantas Vapsva) — Lithuania

The Baltic Way (Jan de Haan)
Down to Earth (Stijn Aertgeerts)
Soloist: Baranbus Butkus (euphonium)
Elegy (Koen Van Biesen)

What a wonderful start for the Lithuanian band with the 'Baltic Way' by Jan de Haan. Nice sounds and balances too from the band — rich and mature. Some small ensemble challenges but what beautiful solo playing from the principal cornet and solo euphonium.

Just a wonderful soft and velvet sound from the euphonium soloist in 'Down to Earth'. Really beautiful playing, great technique and a wonderful solo performance from a young player.

They round things off in such a great way with a wonderful version of 'Elegie' showing their sound, ensemble and technical possibilities once again.

Very nice quality all around this from start to finish.

Congrats!

Patricio Cosentino

Development Section:

4. Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans) — England

Nightmare from Cry of the Celts (Peter Graham)
A Troika? Tidy (Karl Jenkins)
Soloist: Ed Culpin (baritone)
Olympus (Philip Harper)

A big start from such an impressive sounding band — great mature sounds. The percussion add so much drive and so too the basses — this was dark and passionate playing.

Bravo soloist — this is a David Childs solo showcase and you play it like him too. So much to enjoy and admire and the band accompanied so well too.

The choice of 'Olympus' really suited the band — again with mature sounds and super technique to round off a very impressive performance.

Bravo! Great playing.

Patricio Cosentino

Development Section:

3. Ytrebygda Skolekorps (Thor-Arne Pedersen) — Norway

Quest (Mv.1) — Making a Difference (Paul Sharman)
Blaydon Races (Trad. arr. Gordon Langford)
Soloist: Nora Kirkevik Heggernes (euphonium)
Country Scene (Goff Richards)
Tension (Frederick Schjelderup

What a nice selection of repertoire choices here, and I enjoyed the mix and how the band went through the different styles with playing of great maturity..

The band possess a wonderful dynamic range, great technique and such a warm ensemble sound. So good to hear the control that is displayed too.

What great playing on Blaydon Races — and playing of such a high level. This young players was playing with Eikanger yesterday — Incredible. Wonderful solos on display also on 'Country Scene' by Goff Richards which was warm and atmospheric.

IT is all rounded off with the excitement and drive of Fredrick Schjelderup 's 'Tension' which was great in every aspect.

Congratulations! Great job!

Patricio Cosentino

Development Section:

2. Brass Band Aukstyn (Remigijus Vilys and Piet Visser) — Lithuania

Pradzios vejas (Saulius Petreikis arr. Rokas Podelis)
Eloise (Paul Ryan arr. Derek Broadbent)
Soprano solo: Liudas Grencevicius
Lithuanian Dances (Kazys Daugela)

Following my last thoughts on Norwegian band — it shows that Lithuania has invested brilliantly in their youth too. Bravo!

They opened with a very colourful first piece with a wonderful sound from the band showing their musical traditions and their culture with a fine band sound and stage effects.

I personally appreciate this cultural demonstrations through music because they bring new perspectives into the brass band movement.

Bravo soloist — great passion and determination on the soprano cornet. That took some playing and he did just that.

What a wonderful test piece for the section (although it was not compulsory) — lots of dances of different styles and pace. An incredible Flugel horn solo with a beautiful sound and sensitive musicality was a feature. .

What a wonderful performance from the band and the conductor all around! Bravo!

After this weekend it is for me very clear why the EBBC happened to bring this event to this country.

Patricio Cosentino

Development Section:

1. Smoras Skolemusikk (Magnus Brandseth) — Norway

A very soundful beginning showing from the first bar the quality of the band. After a few bars a very impressive demonstration of technique, musical groove, dynamic control and a very rich style flexibility in the band between the three pieces. A wonderful musical plasticity from this band.

Wonderful pieces written by a fantastic musician like Magnus Brandseth that appears to know his band very well.

Wonderful principal cornet, soprano cornet and Euph solos in the second piece. Very solid technique, wonderful sound and an impressive presence on stage.

For me is not doubt why Norway is in the pike of the brass band movement worldwide. They decide to invest in the place who give more winnings — the youth!

I think the European countries who are in development of a brass band scene need to take what Norway is doing and emulate it for their own growth!

Chapeau!

Patricio Cosentino