Online solo success for Willebroek
Brassband Willebroek was delighted to welcome a large number of participants to its first ‘Online Soloist Competition’. No fewer than 61 brass players from Belgium and the Netherlands took part in this competition by sending a video recording, in which they performed a piece of their own choice. Some participants added a recorded piano part to their performance, while others were accompanied by a pianist from their own family, and pure solo performances were not avoided either. There were even a few contributions where the participants accompanied their own solo!
Each of the participants will receive a report from the three professional adjudicators, each of them also being associated with Brassband Willebroek. The recently appointed teachers for ‘Saxhorn’ at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, Kevin Van Giel and Lode Violet, also holding principal positions in the band, were both part of the jury team. The third jury member was founder and musical director of the band itself, Frans Violet. He expressed great admiration for all entries to this contest stating: “The level of playing was extremely high. It was not always easy to choose a top three, in some categories we could just as easily have picked a top ten!
“I am amazed that our young musicians continue to maintain such a high standard, that means that during this lockdown period, their teachers are doing a great job, with the online communication technologies that are available today. We sincerely hope that all these talents will continue to play and to develop themselves, at a time when no musical group activities are allowed to take place at all.”
The prize for 'Best Performance' goes to Eb tuba player Niels Lukkesen. He will receive an invitation to perform as a soloist, accompanied by Brassband Willebroek, at one of their next concerts.
Full results are below and a snapshot of the high calibre performances can be viewed via the following link: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=606633099942521
Results
Up to and including 13 years (30 participants)
1. Matthias Debrabandere
2. Warre Dendievel & Sebastiaan Aerts
3. Loranne Van Laenen & Fons Dobbelaere
14 up to 18 years old (19 participants)
1. Niels Lukkesen
2. Jacob Janssen
3. Anke Verboven & Victor Decruyenaere
From 19 years old (10 participants)
1. Tom De Laet
2. Lieven Dobbelaere
3. Vito De Coster & Gerbrich Greidanus
Open Category (2 participants)
1. Veerle Van Cauwenberg
2. Erlinde Maris
Best Performance: Niels Lukkesen
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