No more words left to conquer...

There is always a good time to quote the late great Sid Waddell, doyen of darts commentators.

In eulogising over the achievement of Eric Bristow in winning the World Championship a third time in 1984, he immortalised the historic moment by saying: “When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer… Bristow is only 27.”

Just days after the 30th anniversary of the formation of the European Brass Band Association was also marked, it would perhaps be a little unfair to compare EBBA President Ulf Rosenberg with the man who once led an empire that stretched from Greece to northwestern India, let alone a darts player who went by the name of ‘The Crafty Cockney’. 

When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer… Bristow is only 27.”

Ultimate boundary

However, almost half a century after the first Championship in the heart of London, last year’s event in Palanga arguably signalled the ultimate extent of EBBA’s boundaries.  

Despite the warmth and enthusiasm of the Lithuanian organisers, at times it felt like a venture too far in trying to justify EBBA’s mission statement aim to ‘promote and foster the intrinsic, aesthetic and social values of brass bands in Europe’.

It was still a crying shame though that the one thing Palanga could not offer after all its fantastic efforts was a packed hall of converts.

That said, given the rather tortuous road that entailed in hosting the event, you suspect Ulf Rosenberg didn’t shed too many tears at its conclusion.

It was still a crying shame though that the one thing Palanga could not offer after all its fantastic efforts was a packed hall of converts.

Getting an actual live audience proved difficult in Palanga

Recalibrate

It also led you to wonder as the contest approaches its landmark 50th anniversary, if the time had also come for EBBA to recalibrate its future vision as a whole. 

That debate centres on its internal boundaries (musical as well as financial) created by an organisation whose outreach ambition now includes Composer, Conductor and Solo Competitions, as well as an annual Youth Championship and European Youth Band - each demanding of valuable time and even more valuable financial resources to host.

Home city

It is further emphasised by the fact that Ulf Rosenberg’s home city of Stavanger will host 15 bands from 14 different nations in the Championship Section contest alone (the largest line-up ever) with just three in its Challenge Section. 

There is also a Conductors Competition, Youth Championship and Youth Band to host and pay for. 

It has long been championed as a reflection of EBBA’s own far-reaching mission statement, but what purpose does it now serve? 

Each brings benefits as well as challenges.

For instance those in the Challenge Section, two come from nations already represented in the elite contest (Norway and Italy), whilst the third comes from a country that took part in the first European event in London in 1978 and has subsequently competed on other occasions. 

It has long been championed as a reflection of EBBA’s own far-reaching mission statement, but what purpose does it now serve? 

Lito Fontana

Critics can argue against further expansion given that little progress seems to have been made in developing lasting foundations in former competing nations such as Slovakia, Finland, Spain and the Faroe Islands (who won the B Section in 2004), despite the work of people such as Lito Fontana (a man - above- who has conquered many a brass band land) in creating initial interest and involvement. 

And what of Luxembourg? Once a regular top section nation, it has seemingly disappeared off the brass banding map of Europe all together. 

And what of Luxembourg? Once a regular top section nation, it has seemingly disappeared off the brass banding map of Europe all together. 

Back to Linz

In response, supporters of retaining an expansionist policy (musically as well as geographically) can justifiably argue that without it we wouldn’t be returning to the magnificent Brucknerhaus in Linz in 2026 (below).

Or for that matter would the event be able to give generations of performers the chance of being part of the European Youth Championships or European Youth Band (both, like the Challenge Section, later additions to the festival schedule).

The foundations of Austrian brass banding may remain small, but it is a movement that has fully embraced its role in EBBA in the 30 years since Brass Band Froschl Hall won the B Section in 1994.

And whilst the likes of Switzerland, Norway, The Netherlands and Belgium had brass roots embedded in their existing culture, there is little doubt the European Championships acted as a catalyst for progress.

And whilst the likes of Switzerland, Norway, The Netherlands and Belgium had brass roots embedded in their existing culture, there is little doubt the European Championships acted as a catalyst for progress.  So too in France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and most notably of late, Lithuania. 

Auxillary events

They then are fine examples of an inclusive ethos that can be argued has also been utilised with the auxiliary events of the European Solo, Conductor and Composer Competitions.  

Made their mark

Success there can be appreciated by the outstanding talents of Euro Solo Champions from Thomas Ruedi to Thibaut De Bont, as well as the likes of winning conductors Jesper Juul Sorensen and  Erik van der Kolk and Composer winners Paul McGhee, Kevin Houben, Simon Dobson (above), Daniel Hall, Stan Nieuwenhuis and Bertrand Moren.

All have gone on to make their mark in Europe and beyond.

In addition, the European Youth Band will see players from 15 different countries enjoy a wonderful musical experience together under Margie S Antrobus, whilst the Youth Championships is sure to be a day of fun and excellence. 

It is a persuasive argument to keep marching the EBBA army forward in identifying yet more Rubicon boundaries to cross

It is a persuasive argument to keep marching the EBBA army forward in identifying yet more Rubicon boundaries to cross. Yet by doing so, (and as history shows) it also has the inherent problem of causing internal discontent with an inflexibility to accommodate much needed change. 

What tangible financial rewards are there for the bands that attract the audiences?

What about the bands?

The financial as well as musical driving force behind the success of the European Championships comes from the competing bands, yet their investment (some almost year on year) is to end up out of pocket.

Not for the first time it needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency, foresight and understanding. 

All you get

If all you get for helping tickets for the ‘main’ events of the Championship Section set-work and own-choice were sold out within 10 minutes of them going on sale is cash and a shiny instrument that needs to be flogged to help meet the cost of actually competing, then things are way out of modern-day kilter. It’s a prize of a handful of magic beans.

It’s a prize of a handful of magic beans.

Demand to see the ‘stars’ of the Euro show this year is such that the hall was even selling tickets for seats perched behind the adjudicator’s box (taking the term limited view to a new level of appreciation).  

The resources are there, yet the desire to change where they are allocated, seemingly at present, is not. 

Franchise model

As Ulf Rosenberg (above) told 4BR last year at the EBBA Press Conference - the 'franchise model' currently employed by EBBA alongside host nations worked he said, pointing to the fact that Stavanger had attracted 50,000 Euros of investment to help run their event.

He also reiterated that he could not promise that this would lead to any change in the current financial model that would see EBBA directly helping bands with the expense of attending future the European Championships.

Meanwhile, the 2022 EBBA accounts showed that the European Youth Band cost close to 40,000 Euros to host – nearly double the cost of the total prize money on offer.  

Is there a golden future after the Viking stop off in Stavanger? 

Risk and reward?

And whilst Ulf Rosenberg can rightly point to the fact that EBBA has tried (twice in fact) to gain some sort of European Cultural Funding, the failure to succeed has also meant that the existing funding model is likely to remain in place. It is a status quo that means that the host countries have to underwrite the financial risk without having any real say in what elements of the event itself it wishes to host.

If nothing has changed by then, any salt tears shed may well be of more use being put on a bag of chips.

EBBA then can continue to look further afield to new brass band lands without really shedding tears at the thought of risking their financial necks.

Where that leaves us all by the time the European Championships land back in the UK in 2028 we will have to wait and see.  

If nothing has changed by then, any salt tears shed may well be of more use being put on a bag of chips.

Iwan Fox