Belgian National Brass Band Championship 2017 

This weekend, November 25th and 26th, Cultural Centre Zwaneberg in Heist-op-den-Berg will once more become the battle field for the best Brass Bands in Belgium. For the 39th time nineteen bands, in 4 divisions, will try to claim the title National Champions. The bar is set high, with the winner of the Championship Division going forward to represent Belgium at the 2018 European Championship in Utrecht. 

The adjudicating panel comprises of three renowned musicians and conductors – Mareika Gray (UK), Nigel Boddice (UK) and Torgny Hanson (SE), with closed adjudication being the process of choice for the contest.  
There is also an app on offer this year, allowing an interactive experience for the audience, who will be able to act like the jury, predicting scores and sharing them with their fellow audience members. 

On Saturday the Brass Bands from the first, second and third division will take the stage, followed on Sunday by the Champion Division. 

LOCATION:
CC Zwaneberg, Cultuurplein 1 in 2220 Heist-op-den-Berg 

PARTICIPATING BRASS BANDS ARE: 

3rd division 
Dender Brass M.D. Joeri Van Hove 
Mercator Brass Band M.D. Johan De Win 
United Brass M.D. Frank Vantroyen 
Young Brass Band Willebroek M.D. Lode Violet 

2nd division 
Brassband Euterpe M.D. Roland Van Buggenhout 

1st divison 
Brassband Bacchus M.D. Bart Van Neyghem  
Brassband Gent M.D. Lieven Dobbelaere 
Brassband Panta Rhei M.D. Tim De Maeseneer 
Brassband Scaldis M.D. Raf Van Looveren 
Braz'Art M.D. Geert Verschaeve 
Kon. BB de Grensbewoners Smeermaas M.D. Danny Aerden 

Championship division 
Brass Band Heist M.D. Bert Van Thienen 
Brass Band Leieland M.D. Sam Werbrouck 
Brassband Buizingen M.D. Luc Vertommen 
Brassband Willebroek M.D. Frans Violet 
Brassband Zele M.D. Bart Van Der Strieckt 
Festival Brass Band M.D. Steven Verhaert 
Kortrijk Brass Band M.D. Ward De Ketelaere 
Noord-Limburgse Brassband M.D. Erik van de Kolk 
  
SCHEDULE 
Saturday 25th of November 2017 
10h30 - 3rd division 
12h50 - 2nd division 
14h30 - 1st division 
19h00 – Award Ceremony 
  
Sunday 26th of November 2017 
10h00 - Championship division, Test Piece 
15h00 - Championship division, Own Choice Piece 
19h30 – Award Ceremony 
  
TEST PIECES 
3rd Division: A Journey to the Bermuda Triangle - Pimpanit Karoonyavanich 
2nd Division: Partita (Postcards from Home) - Philip Wilby 
1st Division: Blackout - Thomas Doss 
Championship Division: Metamorphosis - Jan de Haan 
  
OWN CHOICE PIECES (alphabetical) 
3rd division: Cantabile (Philip Harper), Darkwood (Dan Price), Firestorm (Stephen Bulla) and Inspiration (Jan de Haan). 
2nd division: Renaissance (Peter Graham). 
1st division: A London Overture (Philip Sparke), Brass Triumphant (Gareth Wood), Connotations (Edward Gregson), Endeavour (Philip Sparke), Salome (Gareth Wood) and Sinfonietta No. 3 (Etienne Crausaz). 
Championship division: Apocalypse (Derek Bourgeois), Destination Moon (Paul Raphael), Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle), Earthrise (Nigel Clarke), Händel in the Band (Kenneth Downie), Metropolis 1927 (Peter Graham), Perihelion (Philip Sparke) and Where Angels Fly (Kevin Houben). 
 
 
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