The fourth Aalbourg Music Competition was held in the small Danish town on the weekend, where a new concept in contesting was successfully piloted for the first time.

Popular

Run by founder Henrik Juul-Pedersen, a leading Danish brass conductor, arranger and composer, the event has grown into one of the most popular in the country in just four years.

Developing

Henrik told 4BR: "The entertainment contest is run in three sections with Section A for bands just below Championship level, a B Section B for those graded in the Third and Fourth sections and C Section mostly for junior bands."

He added: "In every section there is a winner, solo prize, a march prize and a conductor’s prize. The bands have to play a test pieces, which this year were Salvation Army tunes such as ‘Mid all the traffic’, so the bands are introduced to a hymn and song setting – the traditional way of developing a wonderful brass band sound."

t proved to be a great day. All the bands played very well and the new project was very exciting and successful too. We are already looking forward to next yearHenrik Juul-Pedersen

New concept

This year Henrik also introduced an exciting new concept – an unofficial National Championship called AaMuk BBQ 2011.

This allowed the competing bands to put together a small ensemble of up to five players who performed at the local Møllers Café – named after one of the great brass band pioneers in the country — Herbert Møller.

Nine hours of music

At the end of over 9 hours of non stop brass band music making, Henrik also had something to celebrate too as he led Frederikshavn FDF Brass Band to the Section A title with the band’s cornet payer Ida Larsen taking the ‘Best Soloist’ prize, as well as Brovst Pigegardes to victory in the B Section.

Great day

Henrik added: "It proved to be a great day. All the bands played very well and the new project was very exciting and successful too. We are already looking forward to next year."

Results:

Section A:
1. Frederikshavn FDF Brass Band (Henrik Juul-Pedersen) – 87pts
2. Den Sønderjyske Garde (Anne Lene Hagedorn) — 84 pts
3. Sejs Blæserne (Jan Nørgaard) — 79 pts
4. Hjørring Brass Band (Thomas Hamilton) — 77 pts

Best Soloist: Ida Larsen (Frederikshavn FDF Brass Band)
Best march: Frederikshavn FDF Brass Band
Conductors prize: Anne Lene Hagedorn (Den Sønderjyske Garde)

Section B:
1. Brovst Pigegardes Brass Band (Henrik Juul-Pedersen) – 77pts
2. Aalborg Brass Band (Henrik Lützen) — 74 pts
3. Hjallerup FDF Brass Band (Henrik Juul-Pedersen) – 72 pts
4. Brønderslev FDF Orkester (Anders Larsen) – 69 pts

Best Soloist:: Ulrik Paludan (Aalborg Brass Band)
Best march: Aalborg Brass Band
Conductors prize: Henrik Lützen (Aalborg Brass Band)

Section C:
1. Sejs Blæsernes Juniororkester (Anders Thuesen) – 71 pts
2. Frederikshavn Juniororkester (Rasmus Skou) – 68 pts
3. Løgstør Garden (Marie Bak) — 67 pts
4. Tønder Brass Band FDF & Tønder Kulturskole (Anders Thomsen) — 67 pts

Developing Prize: Løgstør Garden
Best Soloist: Sejs Blæserne
Best march: Frederikshavn Juniororkester
Conductors prize: Marie Bak (Løgstør Garden)

Best new developing piece: Henrik Juul-Pedersen, ‘Rennaissance’ (Brovst Pigegarde)