2020 European Youth Championship test pieces announced 

The Music Commission of the European Brass Band Association (EBBA) has announced the set-test pieces for the 6th European Youth Brass Band Championships to be held in Palanga next year.
 
The Premier Section contenders will perform 'The Baltic Way' by Jan de Haan. 
The work is inspired by a huge mass demonstration staged in the Baltic States as a call for independence from the Soviet Union on August 23rd 1989. Jan de Haan's three-movement composition opens with 'Struggle' — a reference to a nocturne for piano by Lithuanian composer and painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1875-1911) providing thematic material used throughout the composition. 'Decades of Suffering', echoes life under the Soviet yoke, before the final movement 'Union' represents the pursuit of freedom.
 
'The Baltic Way' was commissioned by Palangos Orkestras and is dedicated to Remigius Vilys. 
The work will be available from 15th December 2019 at Hal Leonard/De Haske 
https://www.musicshopeurope.co.uk/?countrylanguageid=510 
 
The Development Section bands will perform 'Lithuanian Dances' arranged by Kazys Daugela. It is a sequence of seven popular folk dances from various regions of the country. 'Astuonnytis' portrays the spinning of yarn and the weaving of fabric, whilst 'Gyvataras' is a moody, medium tempo dance. 'Dzigunas' ('The Jig') imitates a galloping horse whilst 'Linelis' (Little Flax) is one of the oldest game dances reflecting human life and work in the fields. 'Rezginele' is a girl's dance characterised by weaving figures whilst 'Sadute' is danced at the home of a bride by her closest girl friends on the eve of the wedding. 'Suktinis' ('Twirler') is the traditional finale dance at all folk-dance festivals. 
 
The music can be ordered from 15th December exclusively by email from Paul Hindmarsh, Chairperson of the EBBA Music Commission at: pehindmarsh@btinternet.com 

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