The 43rd Dutch National Championships will take place in Utrecht on the weekend of Friday 25th & Saturday 26th October at the TivoliVredenburg complex in Utrecht.

There 42 bands taking part in the five sections of competition, with the action kicking off on Friday afternoon (2.40pm local time) with the Fourth Division, followed by the Third Division. The results will be announced later in the evening.

Media coverage

The event is hosted by the NBK organisers led by Chairperson Ale Nicolai and his highly professional team, and although there is no live broadcast, the performances will be recorded by brasspass.tv and released as soon as possible. The respected CU Brass website will also be covering the action alongside 4BR and the photography team of Warber Media.

Saturday opens at 9.40am with the Second Division, followed by the First Division. The results for those sections will also be announced before the Championship Division which is due to start around 6.00pm.

Following the announcement of the Championship Division results there will be enjoyment to be had into the small hours of the morning with the NBK Afterparty.

Lost Circle

Nine bands will tackle Jan Van der Roost's 'The Lost Circle' which received its world premiere at the recent British Open Championship. The jury making the all important decision to see who lifts the imposing Championship Trophy and prize package of 3,500 Euros are Dr Robert Childs, Bert Appermont and Frans-Aert Burghgraef.

The winning band will also represent the nation at 2026 European Championships in Linz, Austria. The defending champion is Brass Band Rijnmond from Rotterdam.

Harper, Wainwright, Vilhelmsen and Sparke

The seven First Division competitors will be faced by Philip Harper's exciting 'St James's — A New Beginning', which was given its world premiere by Cory Band in London in April 2023 and was subsequently used as the set work for the First Section at the National Championships of Great Britain.

'Variations on 'Was Lebet' by Andrew Wainwright, will test the nine Second Division contenders. Written in 2017, it was used at the 2022 Second Division of the Swiss National Championships.

Based on the German chorale 'O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness' it consists of five contrasting movements leading to a triumphant close.

The Third Division band will be faced with a new work from Norwegian composer Ingebjørg Vilhelmsen.

Entitled, 'Headland Fantasy' it was originally written for wind band and is inspired by the rugged landscape of her homeland province of Viken. It is made up for four contrasting movements; 'Raging Rivers', 'Whispering Waters', 'Resonating Ruins' and 'Ghostly Grounds'.

There will also be a world premiere in the Fourth Division with Philip Sparke's 'Fanfares, Songs and Dances' — a joint commission between NBK, Brass Bands England and the Lithuanian Brass Band Federation.

It comprises three connected movements each reflective of its title character — the robust opening followed by a tender central section and lively, scherzo finale.

Competing bands:
Championship Division:

Saturday 26th October
Test Piece: The Lost Circle (Jan Van der Roost)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs, Bert Appermont, Frans-Aert Burghgraef

Altena Brass (Ward De Ketelaere)
Brass Band Limburg (Renato Meli)
Brass Band Schoonhoven (Paul Holland)
Brassband Rijnmond (Luc Vertommen)
De Bazuin Oenkerk (Jaap Musschenga)
De Spijkerpakkenband (Paulus de Jong)
De Waldsang (Rieks van der Velde)
Provinciale Brassband Groningen (Gerk Huisma)
Soli Brass (Anne van den Berg)

First Division:

Saturday 26th October
Test Piece: St James's — A New Beginning (Philip Harper)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs, Bert Appermont, Frans-Aert Burghgraef

Brassband Amersfoort (Vincent Verhage)
Brassband Breukelen (Erik Kluin)
Excelsior (Rieks van der Velde)
Gloria Dei (Gerk Huisma)
Kunst naar Kracht (Pieter Koster)
Oefening en Uitspanning (Yves Wuyts)
Pro Rege (Anne van den Berg)

Second Division:

Saturday 26th October
Test Piece: Variations on 'Was Lebet' (Andrew Wainwright)
Adjudicators: Margaret Antrobus, Mark Wilkinson, Klaas van der Woude

Backum Brass (Dirk Vincken)
Brass Band Schoonhoven B (Joop Nijholt)
De Bazuin Oenkerk B (Martin Oostra)
De Lofklank (Koen van der Molen)
Euphonia (Gerben Pol)
Excelsior (Marcon Middelberg)
Gereformeerde Brassband Groningen (Jan Werkman)
Looft Den Heer (Gijs Heusinkveld)
Martini Brassband (Rieks van der Velde)

Third Division:

Friday 25th October
Test Piece: Headland Fantasy (Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen)
Adjudicators: Margaret Antrobus, Mark Wilkinson, Klaas van der Woude

Apollo (Piet Visser)
De Nije Bazun (Jaap Wils)
Harp en Luit (Anno Appelo)
Heman (Geert Jan Kroon)
Hosannah (Jeroen Oosterwijk)
Immanuel (Jan Werkman)
Kunst en Vriendschap (Henk van Loon)

Fourth Division:

Friday 25th October
Test Piece: Fanfares, Songs and Dances (Philip Sparke)
Adjudicators: Margaret Antrobus, Mark Wilkinson, Klaas van der Woude

Alkmaar Brass (Alexander Zwann)
Blaast de Bazuin (Piet Visser)
Brassband Westersweach (Reimer Jan Rondaan)
Concordia (Gouke Wielenga)
Ere Zij God (Jochem Hoekstra)
Euregio (Ronny Buurink)
Excelsior (Gouke Wielenga)
Koperensemble De Waldsang (Bienze Ijlstra)
Soli Deo Gloria (Martijn Oostra)
UDI (Marco Middelberg)