Dutch National Championships
The Netherlands National Brass Band Championships will take place later this month at the TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht on Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November. The contest is joining other high profile events from around the globe in celebrating the 80th birthday of composer Edward Gregson with each test-piece across the five sections having been composed by the renowned musician. Competitors in the Championship Division will perform ‘Rococo Variations’ with winner being invited to represent the nation at the 2027 European Championships in Montreux. Bands in the other sections will perform 'Connotations'; 'The Plantagenets'; 'Occasion' and 'Partita'.
The Championships, hosted by the NBK, will begin at 2.40pm (local time) on Friday afternoon with an official welcome by Chairperson Ale Nicolai ahead of the Fourth Division contest (2.50pm) and the Third Division (5.35pm). The current European Champion, Brass Band Willebroek will also provide a tribute concert under the baton of their MD Frans Violet before the announcement of the results of the Fourth and Third Divisions on Friday night.
The Second Division is the first of Saturday’s events (10.30am),followed by the First Division (1.55pm) and the Championship Division (5.40pm) following a short talk given by Professor Edward Gregson.
Full details of competing bands and adjudicators are below:
Championship Division:
Test Piece: Rococo Variations (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs; Katrina Marzella-Wheeler; Jan Van der Roost
Altena Brass (Ward De Ketelaere)
Brass Band Limburg (Renato Meli)
Brass Band Schoonhoven (Paul Holland)
Brassband Rijnmond (Luc Vertommen)
De Bazuin Oenkerk (Jaap Musschenga)
De Spijkerpakkenband (Paulus de Jong)
De Waldsang (Rieks van der Velde)
Provinciale Brassband Groningen (Richard Visser)
Soli Brass (Anne van den Berg)
First Division:
Test Piece: Connotations (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs; Katrina Marzella-Wheeler; Jan Van der Roost
Brassband Amersfoort (Vincent Verhage)
Brassband Breukelen (Erik Kluin)
Excelsior (Rieks van der Velde)
Gloria Dei (Gerk Huisma)
Kunst naar Kracht (Olaf Ritman)
Oefening en Uitspanning (Yves Wuyts)
Pro Rege (Jan Werkman)
Second Division:
Test Piece: The Plantagenets (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Stephanie Binns; Ido Garard Kempenaar; Andrea Price
Backum Brass (Max Knappstein)
Brass Band Schoonhoven B (Joop Nijholt)
David Zwolle (Frank Ritsema)
De Bazuin Oenkerk B (Martin Oostra)
De Lofklank (Koen van der Molen)
Excelsior Ferwert (Marco Middelberg)
Gereformeerde Brassband Groningen (Jan Werkman)
CMV Looft Den Heer (Gijs Heusinkveld)
Third Division:
Test Piece: Occasion (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Stephanie Binns; Ido Garard Kempenaar; Andrea Price
Blaast de Bazuin (Chris van der Veen)
Chr. Brassband Advendo (Stefan de Groot)
De Nije Bazun (Japp Wils)
Greidebrass (Siemen Hoekstra)
Heman (Geert Jan Kroon)
Hosannah (Jeroen Oosterwijk)
Immanuel (Koen van der Molen)
Koperensemble de Waldsang (Bienze Ijkstra)
Fourth Division:
Test Piece: Partita (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Stephanie Binns; Ido Garard Kempenaar; Andrea Price
Blaast de Bazuin (Piet Visser)
Brassband Wirdum (Arjen Steur)
Ere Zij God (Jochem Hoekstra)
Excelsior (Gouke Wielenga)
Soli Deo Gloria (Hendrik de Boer)
UDI (Marco Middelberg)
A digital programme for the event is available at:
https://www.klankwijzer.nl/archief/#flipbook-programma-nbk-2025/1/
