European Consortium Commission
Edward Gregson will celebrate his 75th birthday in July 2020, and in a unique collaboration between five European partner countries the composer has been commissioned to write a new work for their National brass band competitions in 2020/2021. It is a fitting tribute to the impressive contribution he has made to the brass band repertoire over the last 50 years.
The five partner countries are Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the UK (British Open). The premiere performance will take place at the British Open in Birmingham in September 2020, followed by National premieres in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland in the same year, and Norway in February 2021. The five countries will have exclusive rights to the work until its general publication in March 2021.
It is clear from this collaborative commission that Consortiums of this kind will play an increasingly important role in the future, and this is the first step to closer cooperation between the organisers of major National Brass Band competitions.
Edward Gregson commentsed, “I am delighted to have received this commission for such an impressive array of brass band competitions in Europe. I am very grateful to Jappie Dijkstra for coordinating the project so effectively - no easy matter for something of this magnitude. I hope to write a work that lives up to the quality of the many bands and conductors involved, whilst not forgetting that the audiences will expect a work that they can listen to and enjoy many times over. Quite a task!”
Further details will be released during the course of 2019.
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