The Belgian National Championship organisers VLAMO have announced the test-pieces for their National Finals to be held on the weekend of November 26th & 27th at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven.

Two day event

For the first time in the event’s history, the championships will take place over two days, whilst the decision has been taken to revert the Championship Section back to its set work/own choice format.

The Third, Second and First Section bands will perform on the Saturday with the Championship event held on the Sunday.

Tests

Philip Wilby’s ‘Masquerade’ has been chosen as the set work for the Championship Section, with Peter Meechan’s Deep Purple inspired ‘Fire in the Sky’, which received its premiere performance at the 2010 Swiss National Championships picked as the First Section test piece.

Swiss composer Bertand Moren’s ‘The Bandsman’s Challenge’ is the appropriately named set work in the Second Section, with Simon Dobson’s emotive ‘Penlee’ facing the bands in the Third Section.

Judges

The organisers have also confirmed that the adjudicators for the weekend will include Ian Brownbill, Peter Meechan and Simon Dobson with others to be confirmed at a later date.

Test Pieces:

Championship Section: 'Masquerade' — Philip Wilby
First Section: Fire in the Sky — Peter Meechan
Second Section: The Bandsman Challenge — Bertrand Moren
Third Section: Penlee — Simon Dobson

Philip Wilby’s ‘Masquerade’ has been chosen as the set work for the Championship Section, with Peter Meechan’s Deep Purple inspired ‘Fire in the Sky’, picked as the First Section test piece4BR

Dutch National Championships

Meanwhile, the organisers of the 31st Dutch National Championships have also announced the series of newly commissioned set works chosen for their event to be held at the Martini Plaza in Groningen, on the weekend of the 2nd & 3rd December.

Variety of Skills

Popular Austrian composer Hermann Palluber’s new work, ‘Variety of Skills’ will test the very best bands in the Championship Section, with Jan De Hann’s ‘Alhambra’ the choice in the First Section.

Gavin Higgin’s ‘Fanfare and Love Songs’, which was used as the set work at this year’s Premier Section of the National Youth Championship of Great Britain has been chosen in the Second Section, with Johan de Meij’s ‘Sinfonietta No 1’ the Third Section.

Philip Sparke’s ‘Evolution’ will be the test faced by bands in the Fourth Section.

Test Pieces:

Championship Section: Variety of Skills — Hermann Pallhuber
First Section: Alhambra — Jan De Haan
Second Section: Fanfare and Love Songs — Gavin Higgins
Third Section: Sinfonietta no. 1 — Johan de Meij
Fourth Section: Evolution — Philip Sparke