Concord Brass Band made it a hat-trick of victories at the Danish National Championship held in Aarhus recently.

Led by Jesper Juul Sorensen, their performances of Eric Ball's arrangement of 'Theme and Eight Variations' from the 'Enigma Variations' by Edward Elgar, and their own-choice selection of Oliver Waespi's 'Audivi Media Nocte', saw them claim a clear margin of victory over rivals Lyngby-Taarbek, who ended just ahead of third placed Arhus.

European

Following their National title success, Concord, who are the nation's oldest band and competed at the World Championship at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970, will now be invited to represent Denmark at the 2019 European Championships in Montreux. The band's outstanding euphonium player Steffen Maersk took the 'Best Soloist' accolade.

Reflecting on their success on their Facebook page they stated: "Winning DM for the third year in a row is something very special, and we still haven't got all over it yet. We are super proud and privileged to win and represent Denmark at the European Championships again."

The contest itself was seemingly played out in two very distinct halves — the first dominated by the eventual champion as they produced a fine account of the Elgar to take a commanding lead into the own-choice discipline.

However, the following day Lyngby-Taarbek hit back under the baton of Glenn Van Looy, as they produced a stirring account of Peter Graham's New Zealand inspired 'The 39th Parallel' — although it wasn't enough to close the gap. Arhus Brass maintained their consistency with a bold rendition of 'On the Shoulders of Giants' to end third.

First Division

In the First Division there was a victory for one of the nation's fast-rising outfits, as Hinnerup Gardens Brass Band added to their Third and Second Divisions success of recent years (2014 and 2017 respectfully) to claim the title from hat-trick seeking Dania Brass Band with Skanderborg Brass Band in third.

Led by Anne Mette Tilsted Hansen, Hinnerup topped both disciplines of the contest with a fine performance of the set-work, 'The Raid' by Oliver Waespi, followed by a solid rendition of 'Flashback' by Jan de Haan.

The brace proved good enough to secure victory despite fine performances from the defending champion of the set-work and their own-choice of 'Cap Hoorn' by Mario Burki.

Second & Third Divisions:

In the Second Division, Danfoss Orkestret conducted by Gert Skovlod Hattesen secured a clear-cut victory over rivals Hvidovre Musikskoles Brass Band and Selandia Brass, thanks to a brace of solid renditions of two classic works for the genre in Joseph Horovitz's 'Sinfonietta' and Eric Ball's 'Resurgam', whilst Greve Pigegarde claimed their first National title in the Third Division.

Their performances of the set-work, 'Music for Kantara' and their own-choice of 'Night before Battle' by Dean Jones saw them secure a clear victory over rivals Brass Band Da Capo and Sonderborg Gradens Brass Band.

Winning DM for the third year in a row is something very special, and we still haven't got all over it yetConcord Brass Band

Results:

Championship Division:

Test piece: Theme and Eight Variations from the Enigma (Elgar arr. Eric Ball)
Set piece Adjudicators: Mike Kilroy, Bert van Thienen, Casper Schreiber
Own choice Adjudicators: Mike Kilroy, Bert van Thienen, Casper Schreiber
Aggregate Set work/Own choice = Total

1. Concord Brass Band (Jesper Juul Sorensen): 94.0/92.3 = 93.2
2. Lyngby-Taarbek (Glenn Van Looy): 86.0/95.0 = 90.5
3. Arhus Brass Band (Michael Thomsen): 90.3/89.7 = 90.0
4. Nordvestjysk Brass Band (Niels-Ole Bo Johansen): 86.7/85.0 = 85.8
5. FDF Christianshavn Brass Band (Stig Maersk): 84.0/85.7 = 84.8

Soloist Prize: Steffen Maersk (euphonium) — Concord Brass Band

First Division:

Test piece: The Raid (Oliver Waespi)
Set piece Adjudicators: Mike Kilroy, Bert van Thienen, Casper Schreiber
Own choice Adjudicators: Stig Maersk, Bert van Thienen, Casper Schreiber
Aggregate Set work/Own choice = Total

1. Hinnerup Gardens Brass Band (Anne Mette Tilsted Hansen): 91.3/90.7 = 91.0
2. Dania Brass Band (Dennis Aaberg Andersen): 89.7/90.3 = 90.0
3. Skanderborg Brass Band (Huw Thomas): 87.7/88.3 = 88.0
4. FDF Frederikshavn Brass Band (Anders Larsen): 84.7/86.7 = 85.7
5. Frederiksberg Brass Band (Henrik Naeser Christiansen): 84.3/86.3 = 85.3

Second Division:

Test piece: Sinfonietta for Brass Band (Joseph Horovitz)
Adjudicators: Steven Drury, Rene Bjerregaard Nielsen, Mike Kilroy
Aggregate Set work/Own choice = Total

1. Danfoss Orkestret (Gert Skovlod Hattesen): 88.3/89.7 = 89.0
2. Hvidovre Musikskoles Brass Band (Bo Fuglsang): 87.7/88.0 = 87.8
3. Selandia Brass (Jacob Vilhelm Larsen): 86.3/86.0 = 86.2

Third Division:

Test piece: Music from Kantara (Kenneth Downie)
Adjudicators: Rene Bjerregaard Nielsen, Steven Drury, Michael Thomsen
Aggregate Set work/Own choice = Total

1. Greve Pigegarde (Mathias Snejbjerg): 90.0/90.0 = 90.0
2. Brass Band Da Capo (Lars Peder Sorensen): 87.7/86.7 = 87.2
3. Sonderborg Gardens Brass Band (Jeppe Rasmussen): 86.3/86.7 = 86.5
4. Sejs Blaeserne (Jan Norgaard): 85.0/86.3 = 85.7

Image: Benjamin Falberg