Who will pull the winning sword from the stone in Stavanger?
A great deal has changed in the brass banding world since the European Championships were last held in Stavanger in 2008. Then again, a great deal has stayed the same too.
Away from the contest stage we’ve had to recover from the global banking crisis and Covid-19, as well as contend with a litany of military conflicts, political upheavals and environmental challenges. A great of the music we will hear this weekend certainly reflects on these issues.
Capital evolution
Yet, when it comes to these Championships somehow things have remained very much as they have ever been.
Stavanger has also undergone considerable evolution in positioning itself not only as Norway’s oil capital but as a world city of culture
Stavanger has also undergone considerable evolution in positioning itself not only as Norway’s oil capital but as a world city of culture, at the centre of which stands Stavanger Konserthus which was opened at the cost of 1.25 billion Krone in 2012.
The hall offers a vibrant stage on which to shine
Large scale events
With its Fartein Valen main hall seating around 1400 people, it offers a modern, acoustically vibrant stage on which 15 Championship, 3 Challenge Section and 10 youth bands will perform, as well as the European Youth Brass Band and artists providing the entertainment at the Gala Concert.
Home to the annual Siddis Championships, Norway’s major entertainment contest, it’s well used to hosting large scale banding events. With multi-purpose public areas inside and out, the venue is sure to be a busy hub of activity.
That will come in handy as the local organisers alongside NMF have worked hard to overcome challenges of their own – none more so that the familiar global demand for tickets which saw the ‘sold out’ signs posted on-line within minutes of going on sale.
Wobplay coverage
As frustrating as that may have been for those unable to click their computer mouse on them in time, it is still something of a welcome headache after the sea of empty seats in Palanga. And unlike 2008, nowadays if you can’t make it in person, you can always sit back and enjoy the live broadcast courtesy of Word of Brass through its Wobplay media platform.
And unlike 2008, nowadays if you can’t make it in person, you can always sit back and enjoy the live broadcast courtesy of Word of Brass through its Wobplay media platform.
Energy transitions
As stated, a great deal of the music to be heard this weekend will also reflect global and domestic changes – including the Championship Section set-work, ‘Transitions in Energy’ by Fredrick Schjelderup (below)
It takes inspiration from how energy production (especially that of North Sea oil exploration) has affected the planet and those who live on it. Schjelderup acknowledges its cost in terms of its impact on the environment but also on those who risk and sometimes lose their lives in extracting it.
He also offers hope of a new ‘greener’ future – something visitors may well be conscious of when they step inside an electric taxi on their way to the hall. Norway has embraced that change quicker than anyone.
Overdue
Further welcome leadership changes too, with a long overdue set-test work from a female composer (the first since 2006) with Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen’s intriguingly titled ‘Embracing Duality’ in the Challenge Section, whilst Katrina Marzella-Wheeler becomes the first female conductor in the Championship Section event.
Further welcome leadership changes too, with a long overdue set-test work from a female composer (the first since 2006) with Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen’s intriguingly titled ‘Embracing Duality’ in the Challenge Section
That will see the largest ever field of ‘elite’ representatives (there were 11 the last time the contest was here) headed by defending champion Brass Band Treize Etoiles.
Swiss lead
In 2008 Swiss banding had yet to taste European success, but that has also changed now – first with Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern in 2014 (above), followed by Valaisia in 2018. If Treize Etoile triumph this year they will become the first European band to claim a hat-trick of wins.
If Treize Etoile triumph this year they will become the first European band to claim a hat-trick of wins.
With its vibrant domestic banding scene (as seen at its National Championships and solo events) it is now Switzerland, not Norway that is providing the new musical energy source for European banding to tap into.
2008 champion Cory will of course look to fuel memories of that famous victory, alongside Stavanger returnees in Brass Band Willebroek (who were third), Lyngby Taarbaek (seventh) and Brass Band Oberosterreich (tenth).
Nothing changed: Frans Violet has conducted every performance of Brass Band Willebroek since 1986
Familair faces
There are though other familiar faces: Eikanger makes its 26th appearance (and twelfth in the last 15 years) at the contest, with the cooperation band its 16th overall.
Brass LT and Brass Band Regensburg make their Championship debuts, although both have won the Challenge Section in recent years.
Foden’s, Hauts de France and Valaisia each notch up a seventh appearance, whilst Gota (fifth in a row), and Italian Brass Band (making its regular bi-annual return) have all performed at the event in recent years. In contrast, Rijnmond makes its 6th appearance, but only its first since 2009.
Brass LT and Brass Band Regensburg make their Championship debuts, although both have won the Challenge Section in recent years.
Record endorsement
The record field is arguably either an endorsement of EBBA’s successful expansionist aims over the last decade of more, or as critics argue the result of the failure of the Challenge Section to adapt to truly reflect its stated purpose.
First set up in 1994, in 2008 it featured four bands from four different countries (one of which was already in the Championship event). This year it has three competitors, two of which also have representative bands in the Championship Section.
Still, arguments apart, there should be plenty of national pride at stake as Brass Band Uberetsch (Italy), Downshire Brass (Northern Ireland) and Gjesdal Brass Band (Norway) perform on Saturday morning.
Mythology not technology
The set work ‘Embracing Duality’ has been written by 2024 4BR 'Newcomer of the Year' award winning composer Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen and is inspired by Norse mythology rather than technology.
Hel is the ruler of the underworld and represents the idea that death is not to be feared, but instead should be accepted as a natural part of existence. Her realm, Helheim, serves as a place of rest and judgement for departed souls. Sounds like a nice change then...
Her realm, Helheim, serves as a place of rest and judgement for departed souls. Sounds like a nice change then...
Although the European Youth Championships were only incorporated into the event in 2014 (there had been a separate Championship before that), it has become a vibrant, joyful addition, although arguments over age criteria, two-section format and positioning as something of an addendum to the weekend are to be heard.
Musical excellence
Even though the hall may not be packed, those in attendance will certainly enjoy the musical excellence that will be on show as the next generation of European performers take to the stage from Lithuania, England, Norway, Switzerland and Austria.
those in attendance will certainly enjoy the musical excellence that will be on show as the next generation of European performers take to the stage from Lithuania, England, Norway, Switzerland and Austria.
Each has to perform a set works within their own-choice programmes, with the Premier Section bands performing ‘Northern Passages’ by Kjetil Djonne, a four-movement work that portrays the Norwegian landscape through traditional dance music.
The Development Section contenders will play ‘Four Brief Actions’ by Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen. It has no storyline narrative, but each movement is self-explanatory.
Side events return
The side events in Stavanger in 2008 included the 4th European Conductors Competition, as well as the European Youth Brass Band which was started in 2000.
This year both return and although the Youth Band continues to provide a remarkable opportunity for young players under an inspirational conductor (led by Margie Antrobus), critics argue that it, as well as the Conducting, Solo and Composing competitions, continue to place a hefty drain of questionable financial return on the local organiser’s financial resources.
EBBA for its part has done much to steer their part in that with a sense of conservative consideration – no easy task when the world around us has undergone decidedly more radical upheavals in recent times.
The cost of the Youth band is in the tens of thousands of Euros per year, whilst last year’s sponsorship of the Composer Competition came to over 6,000 Euros. In contrast, the newly crowned European Champion in Palanga left with 6,000 Euros and an instrument to flog.
No easy task
Change in the brass banding world has certainly been felt since the European Championships was last held in Stavanger. EBBA for its part has done much to steer their part in that with a sense of conservative consideration – no easy task when the world around us has undergone decidedly more radical upheavals in recent times.
However, that pace of change is now quickening year on year, with the prospect that the European Championships is in danger of being unable to catch its coattails.
If Stavanger has shown it can make the transition and lead the way in embracing it, so too must EBBA before the event returns here again.
Iwan Fox
Championship Section:
Friday 9th & Saturday 10th May:
Adjudicators: Set Test - Transitions in Energy (Fredrick Schjelderup)
Isabelle Ruf Weber; Bert van Thienen; Corsin Tuor
Adjudicators: Own Choice
Frode Amundsen; Michael Bach; Jan de Haan
Brass Band Oberösterreich (Gunther Reisegger)
Brass Band Regensburg (Thomas Freiss)
Brass Band Treize Etoiles (Frederic Theodoloz)
Brass LT (Bjørn Breistein)
Brassband Rijnmond (Paul Holland)
Brassband Willebroek (Frans Violet)
Cory Band (Philip Harper)
Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag (Florent Didier)
Foden's Band (Russell Gray)
Göta Brass Band (Michael Thomsen)
Hauts-de-France Brass Band (Luc Vertommen)
Italian Brass Band (Giuseppe Saggio)
Lyngby-Taarbaek Brass Band (Gert Skovlod Hattesen)
the cooperation band (Katrina Marzella-Wheeler)
Valaisia Brass Band (Arsene Duc)
Challenge Section:
Saturday 10th May:
Adjudicators: Bert van Thienen; Allan Withington
Set Test: Embracing Duality (Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen)
Brass Band Uberetsch (Johann Finatzer)
Downshire Brass (Prof Michael Alcorn)
Gjesdal Brass Band (Jonas Skartveit Rogne)
European Youth Championships: Development Section
Adjudicators: Arfon Owen; Corsin Tuor
Set Work: Four Brief Actions (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
Brass Band Aukstyn (Remigijus Vilys and Piet Visser)
Smøras Skolemusikk (Magnus Brandseth)
Wardle Academy Youth Band (Bradley McCulloch)
Youth Brass Band PotzBlech (Hans Jacob)
Ytrebygda Skolekorps (Thor-Arne Pedersen)
European Youth Championships: Premier Section
Adjudicators: Russell Gray; Jan de Haan
Set Work: Northern Passages (Kjetil Djonne)
BML Talents (Patrick Ottiger)
Brass Band Sklepucini (Vilmantas Vapsva)
Catch Basin Brass Band (Georg Pranger)
Hordaland Ungdomsbrassband (Reid Gilje)
University of Chichester Brass Band (Emma Button)
