40 bands in five sections will perform at the 39th Netherlands National Championship in Utrecht next weekend.

Top flight Vienna Nights

Eight bands will battle for the impressive National Trophy, presented for the first time last year, with the winner also gaining the honour of representing the nation at the 2020 European Championship in Palanga.

The defending champion Provinciale Brassband Groningen will be looking to claim a fourth title success at the TivoliVredenburg venue, with Philip Wilby's 'Vienna Nights' providing a stern test of both musical and technical skill sets.

Swiss conductor Arsene Duc, Besson euphonium soloist Steven Mead and the respected conductor and educator Tijmen Botma are tasked with deciding who will be crowned 2019 champion, as they tackle Wilby's work inspired by Mozart's 'Piano Sonata in A, K331', as well as the less obvious, but brilliantly inventive links to Gustav Mahler and even Sigmund Freud.

First Division

The trio will also be in the box for the First Division, where a new work entitled, 'Alpina Brass' by the respected composer Jan van der Roost will pose an engaging test for the six competitors.

The three part work was commissioned for the first section of the Fête Cantanoles in Naters, Switzerland. The defending champion is Chr.brassband Pro-Rege Heerenveen.

Political instability

A work inspired by political instability, regents and revolution will inspire the 10 bands in the Second Section.

'The Patriots' by Jan de Haan takes its inspiration from the turmoil of the 1780's in the country, although it will take a band with a clear vision and stable contesting basics that will master it.

Defending champion Excelsior Ferwert will look to make it a hat-trick of victories.

All about the buoy

The Third Division contenders will tackle a typically inventive work for the pen of Belgian composer Stan Nieuwenhuis. 'A Buoy' symbolises safety, positivity and optimism — a beacon of direction as well as hope — something each of the eight contenders will certainly take to the stage.

The Fourth Division bands will perform another work in the sinfonietta series by Swiss composer, Etienne Crausaz. 'Sinfonietta No 4' was written for the 2018 Fête Cantonale in Jura.

The jury for the Second, Third and Fourth Sections comprises Sheona White, Patrik Randefalk and Kevin Houben.

The action starts on Friday 25th October at 3.45pm (local time) with the Fourth Division followed by the Third.

Saturday starts at 10.00am with the Second Division, followed by the First and Championship.

as they tackle Wilby's work inspired by Mozart's 'Piano Sonata in A, K331', as well as the less obvious, but brilliantly inventive links to Gustav Mahler and even Sigmund Freud4BR

Competitors

Champion Division:

Altena Brass (Ward de Ketelaere)
Amsterdam Brass (Paul van Gils)
Brass band Rijnmond (Chris Derickx)
Brass band Schoonhoven A (Paul Holland)
Bazuin Oenkerk (Klaas van der Woude)
De Waldsang (Rieks van der Velde)
Provincial Brass Band Groningen (Richard Visser)
Soli Brass (Anne van den Berg)

First Division:

Brass band Amersfoort (Vincent Verhage)
Brass band Breukelen (Syde van der Ploeg)
Chr. Brass band Excelsior (Rieks van der Velde)
Chr.brassband Pro-Rege Heerenveen (Anne van den Berg)
Kunst naar Kracht (Pieter Koster)
Oefening en Uitspanning (Anno Appelo)

Second Division:

Brass band Constantijn Huygens (Richard Visser)
Brass band David (Wilbert Zwier)
Brass band Schoonhoven B (Paul van Dalen)
De Bazuin Oenkerk B (Sietse Hamersma)
Gloria Dei (Gerk Huisma)
Excelsior Ferwert (Gijs Heusinkveld)
Gereformeerde Brass band (Jan Werkman)
Gloria Dei (Jaap Musschenga)
Looft den Heer (Gijs Heusinkveld)
Martini Brass band (Rieks van der Velde)

Third Division:

Apollo (Piet Visser)
Backum Brass (Vincent Verhage)
Chr. Brass band Greidebrass (Marco Middelberg)
Chr. Brass band Hosannah (Jappie Kuipers)
De Nije Bazun (Jaap Wils)
Halleluja (Ido Gerard Kempenaar)
Immanuel (Jan Werkman)
Kunst en Vriendschap (Henk van Loon)

Fourth Division:

Blaast de Bazuin (Piet Visser)
Brass band Heman (Aline Werkman-Schipper)
Brass band Wilhelmina (Jaap Hoekstra)
Chr. Brass band Euphonia (Paulus de Jong)
Chr. brass band Westersweach (Reimer Jan Rondaan)
Euregio Brass band (Ronny Buurink)
UDI (Johan Postma)