Despite the global challenges currently facing the brass band movement, we should still be grateful that the forthcoming World Music Contest (WMC) in Kerkrade hasn’t been organised by Gianni Infantino and FIFA.
Major contesting events have a hard enough time getting live-stream coverage and sponsorship deals put in place let alone having to worry about mid-performance hydration breaks, VAR decisions and political interference in red card appeals by the President of the United States.
President Trump?
Thanks then to the hard work of the organisers led by Artistic Director Bjorn Bus and Media Producer Edwin Hijman, banding’s version of the World Cup will not only be enjoyed by audiences around the world but will also be decided over two halves of action and no recourse to separate VAR adjudications.
As for President Trump? You never know…
Brass bands have played a role in its development, but the organisers are now keen to enhance their competitive profile to a global audience, one which they feel will pay a fair price to enjoy a compact weekend of action.
2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the WMC, which although not as gargantuan as its football counterpart, starts on Thursday 9th July and ends on 2nd August and includes both competitions and concerts.
Brass bands have played a role in its development, but the organisers are now keen to enhance their competitive profile to a global audience, one which they feel will pay a fair price to enjoy a compact weekend of action.
Global response
Invitations were sent to a number of leading bands to compete in the elite Concert Division.
The global response has been encouraging (from the UK, Europe, America, Asia, New Zealand and Australia - with their all-star Australia Brass below).
Whilst at present it doesn’t have the established cache that comes with being crowned World Champion in the Fanfare or Wind Band categories, the scope is there to add prestige substance given the event takes place once every four years in a fixed location.
Other elements
EBBA may well keep an eye on things too given its own challenges hosting events, as other elements are also being developed with long term aims, including a second World Youth Brass Band.
29 players were invited to attend (aged 18-25) who will work under the direction of Erik Janssen alongside Glyn and Helen Williams and will be featured in three concert appearances.
EBBA may well keep an eye on things too given its own challenges hosting events, as other elements are also being developed with long term aims, including a second World Youth Brass Band.
Elsewhere, 16 aspiring conductors (from as far afield as China and Hong Kong) have entered the WMC International Conductors Contest, whilst Cory and Brass Band Willebroek will give a joint concert on Monday 13th at the main Rodahal venue.
Concert Division
There is a certainly a global feel to the Concert Division headed by defending champion Brass Band Willebroek. They are looking to make it three wins in a row having claimed the title in 2017 and 2022 (below).
However, they face a very strong set of challengers, with former winners Cory (2009) from Wales and the Swiss of Brass Band Treize Etoiles (2005) joined by current European Champion, Flowers (England).
Then there are North American champions, Five Lakes Silver, Brass in Concert winner, the cooperation band (Scotland), former New Zealand National Champion, Wellington Brass and multiple Dutch National winner Brass Band Schoonhoven, alongside Immortal Brass Eternally from Japan and the all-star Australia Brass.
Format
The format (and somewhat relaxed registration rules) offers plenty of opportunity to showcase virtuosic strengths, something seen not only with the major own-choice test-pieces but certainly with the solo features.
Never mind Messi, Ronaldo or Haarland. You can sit back here and enjoy the likes of Marshall Gilkes, Rex Richardson, Sheona White, Yosuke Kato, Luke Spence, Daniel Thomas, Chris Flynn, Tim De Maeseneer, Jeremy Coquoz (above), Rhys Oldham, Pelle van Esche and Quinn Kellock – from soprano cornet to didgeridoo.
They will all be required to shine if they are to to help their bands lift the trophy in triumph (although traditionally the winners get a huge flag to wave), as there will be plenty of work to do to master the commissioned set-work, ‘Mirage’ by Jan de Haan.
Flying Dutchman to Jesus and Tintin
Inspired by the tale of the legendary ghost ship ‘The Flying Dutchman’ it’s a symphonic portrait of literary rather than operatic inspiration – the score a folklore narrative that evokes the mysteries, illusions and apparitions of the intangible realities of a doomed soul forever cursed to sail the oceans.
the score a folklore narrative that evokes the mysteries, illusions and apparitions of the intangible realities of a doomed soul forever cursed to sail the oceans.
Wagner (let alone Johan Cruyff) doesn’t make an appearance. It ends with a sense of a brightly lit spirit – although not one of a spectral kind.
Body and soul
Plenty of body and soul will go into the own-choice selections too, with a blockbuster list that includes poetic Sparke and Waespi (‘A Road Less Travelled By’ and ‘West Wind’ – Metamorphoses for Brass Band’) to Greek myth (‘Cassandra 2025’ and ‘Orpheus & Eurydice’), the Bible (‘Apokalypsis’), Neolithic man (‘The Lost Circle’), Shakespeare (‘Masquerade’) and Anton Bruckner (‘This Place’).
They are all intriguing inspirations to consider after taking to the high seas to say the least. You don’t want to miss any of them.
All that and we also get both Jesus and Tintin taking a trip to Tibet courtesy of tales told by Simon Dobson and the non-de-plume Paul Raphael.
They are all intriguing inspirations to consider after taking to the high seas to say the least. You don’t want to miss any of them.
First Division
Elsewhere, the First Division has strong representation from The Netherlands (Brassband Merum; Brassband Gloria Dei; Brassband Oefening en Uitspanning and Pro Rege Heerenveen), Belgium (Brassband Bacchus; Mercator Brassband), France (Brass Band du Hainaut) and Switzerland (Ensemble de Cuivres Ambitus).
They also get to perform a tricky set-work to add to their own-choice repertoire in Lucy Pankhurst’s ‘Ghosts of Industry’.
Originally commissioned for the First Section NABBA Championships, it’s a deeply evocative paean relecting on a disappearing world of commerce, community, culture – power station chimneys and railway bridges to dairy stables and social venues.
It ends not in the triumph of regeneration but in the growing silence of empty decay.
It ends not in the triumph of regeneration but in the growing silence of empty decay.
Second and Third Division
There is also a keen battle to be enjoyed in the Second Division, where the Dutch of Brass Band Schoonhoven B are up against the Germans of Cologne Concert Brass, whilst bands from The Netherlands (Kunst & Vriendschap), Belgium (Brass Band Hombeek; Brass Band Bravoer); Germany (Brass Band Duren; Brass Band B10), Switzerland (Brass Band Schupfen) and Lithuania (Brass Band Aukstyn) look to claim the Third Division title.
The test-pieces (to be played alongside their own-choice programmes) are also demanding.
‘Modern Times’ by Etienne Crausaz is a concert suite inspired by a musical theatre production called ‘Le Temps de Lyre’ that recalls a terrible storm that almost destroys an isolated village. From disaster resilience grows to rebuild and finally embrace a new modern world with a nod to Leonard Bernstein and George Gerswin.
The Third Division bands will tackle ‘Black Gold’ by 2026 BUMA Award winner, Thierry Deleruyelle, linked much like ‘Fraternity’ to the coal mining industry, although this celebrates the sense of community found in the Saarwellingen area of Germany and the 130th anniversary of its local harmony band.
Coverage
Ticket prices are also very reasonable given the amount of ‘games’ on offer, and even if you cannot make it to Kerkrade, then you can still sit back and enjoy the action thanks to a livestream provided by VIDA which allows you to enjoy the action for the weekend for just 20 Euro
To sign up: https://www.wmc.nl/en/stream-wmc-2026-rp27
Schedule
Friday 10th July will see seven bands compete in the Third Division at the Kerkrade Theatre (starting at 2.30pm CET). The results will be announced around 8.30pm. Each will perform the set-work, ‘Black Gold’ by Thierry Deleruyelle as well as other works in their programme sets (see below).
The Blue Riband Concert Division (Elite level) takes place on Saturday 11th July and Sunday 12th July in the main Rodahal, with live-stream coverage hosted by 4BR Editor Iwan Fox of the 10 bands taking part.
Saturday 11th July sees nine bands take to the Theatre stage in the First Division (starting at 10.00am CET) with the results announced around 8.30pm. Each will perform the set-work, ‘Ghosts of Industry’ by Lucy Pankhurst as well as other works in their programme sets (see below).
The Theatre will also host the two Second Division contenders on Sunday 12th July (starting at 10.00am) with the results announced around 9.30pm. Each will perform the set-work, ‘Modern Times’ by Etienne Crausaz as well as the other items in their programme sets (see below).
Results
The Blue Riband Concert Division (Elite level) takes place on Saturday 11th July and Sunday 12th July in the main Rodahal, with live-stream coverage hosted by 4BR Editor Iwan Fox of the 10 bands taking part.
Saturday (starting at 2.00pm) will see each perform the set-work, ‘Mirage’ by Jan de Haan (closed adjudication). The following day (starting at 10.00am) each will perform their concert sets which must include a major test-piece as well as a solo feature (open adjudication). The overall results will be announced around 9.30pm.
4BR will be there to provide live coverage through the live-stream and comments, so by the time the new brass band World Champion is crowned at the Roda Hall in Kerkrade on Sunday evening you can still be in time to enjoy another five football performances in the USA.
Iwan Fox
Concert Division:
Adjudicators:
Thomas Doss; Mareika Gray; Ian Porthouse (Set Work)
Isabella Ruf-Weber; Bert van Thienen; Florent Didier (Own Choice – in draw order below)
Saturday July 11th
Set Work: Mirage (Jan de Haan)
Start time: 2.00pm (CET)
Closed adjudication
Sunday July 12th
Own Choice programmes
Draw Order:
1. Immortal Brass Eternally
Conductor: Kazuyuki Kouno
Stage time: 10.00am (CET)
Soaring the Heights (Christopher Bond)
Nimrod (from Enigma Variations) (Edward Elgar)
Concertino for Xylophone and Band (Toshiro Mayuzumi)
Soloist: Yosuke Kato (Xylophone)
A Road Less Travelled By (Philip Sparke)
2. Cory Band
Conductor: Philip Harper
Stage time: 10.50am (CET)
Summon the Heroes (John Williams)
Lascia ch’io pianga (G.F Handel)
Soloist: Sheona White (Horn)
Tintin in Tibet (Paul Raphael)
3. Wellington Brass
Conductor: David Bremner
Stage time: 11.40am (CET)
Under the Southern Cross (Kodi Rasmussen)
Concertino for Euphonium (Anthony Ritchie)
Soloist: Luke Spence (Euphonium)
Apokalypsis (Jack Bewley)
4. the cooperation band
Conductor: Katrina Marzella-Wheeler
Stage time: 12.30am (CET)
Skara Brae (Andrew Duncan)
Into the Darkness they go, the wise and the lovely (Kelly Marie Murphy)
Sergei the Puppetmaster (Lucy Pankhurst)
Soloist: Chris Flynn (Euphonium)
Jesus in Tibet (Simon Dobson)
5. Five Lakes Silver Band
Conductor: Christopher Ward
Stage time: 1.20pm (CET)
Leviathan (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
Sin Filtro (Marshall Gilkes)
Soloist: Marshall Gilkes (Trombone)
The Lost Circle (Jan van der Roost)
6. Flowers Band
Conductor: Paul Holland
Stage time: 2.10pm (CET)
Heliosphere (Kelly-Marie Murphy)
Symphonic Variants (James Curnow)
Soloist: Daniel Thomas (Euphonium)
West Wind – Metamorphoses for Brass Band (Oliver Weaspi)
Interval
7. Brass Band Treize Etoiles
Conductor: Frederic Theodoloz
Stage time: 4.20pm (CET)
Intrada Ein’ Feste Burg (Ray Farr)
Café 1930 (Astor Piazzola)
Soloist: Jeremy Coquoz (Soprano cornet)
Cassandra 2025 (Ludovic Neurohr)
8. Brass Band Willebroek
Conductor: Frans Violet
Stage time: 5.10pm (CET)
Song t(w)o the North (Lode Violet)
Frokko 5 (Wim Bex)
Soloist: Tim De Maeseneer (Horn)
Orpheus & Eurydice (Stijn Aertgeerts)
Interval
9. Brass Band Schoonhoven A
Conductor: Glenn Van Looy
Stage time: 6.50pm (CET)
Hypergrid (Espen Westbye)
The Cloths of Heaven (Rebecca Dale)
Savages (Steven Verhelst)
Soloists: Rhys Oldham & Pelle van Esch (Contra bass trombones)
This Place (Tom Davoren)
10. Australia Brass
Conductor: Dr. Matthew van Emmerik
Stage time: 7.40pm (CET)
Dreamtime
Soloists: Quinn Kellock (Didgeridoo); Rex Richardson (Trumpet)
Masquerade (Philip Wilby)
Master of Suspense (Peter Graham) (Movements 1&3)
Soloist: Rex Richardson (Trumpet)
The Zelda Code (Mike Fitzpatrick)
First Division:
Saturday July 11th
Kerkrade Theatre
Adjudicators: Isabella Ruf-Weber; Bert van Thienen; Florent Didier
Start time: 10.00am (CET)
Draw:
1. Brassband Bacchus
Conductor: Bart Van Neyghem
Start time: 10.00am
Evensong (Bart Wuilmus)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
Afterlife (Stijn Aertgeert)
2. Ensemble de Cuivres Ambitus
Conductor: Lagger Damien
Start time: 10.55am (CET)
Magdalena Bay (Gauthier Dupertuis)
Lux (Roger Derongé)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
Balkan Dance (Etienne Crausaz)
3. Mercator Brassband
Conductor: Lode Violet
Start time: 11.50am (CET)
Valaisia Variants (Tom Davoren)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
Z 1920 – Scenes from a Silent Movie (Peter Graham)
Interval
4. Brass Band du Hainault
Conductor: Thibaut Bruniaux
Start time: 1.40pm (CET)
Storm! (Thibaut Bruniaux)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
Z 1920 – Scenes from a Silent Movie (Peter Graham)
5. Oakland University Brass Band
Conductor: Kenneth Kroesche
Start time: 2.35pm (CET)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
Fanfare for a New Era (Edward Gregson)
Soloist: Kole Micakaj (Cornet)
Dance Zeibekikos from Concerto for Euphonium (Philip Wilby)
Soloist: Samuel Levi Hardy (Euphonium)
Paganini Variations (Philip Wilby)
Interval
6. Brassband Merum
Conductor: Maurice Daemen
Start time: 4.00pm (CET)
Osterfjorden (Stijn Aertgeerts)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
St. James – A New Beginning (Philip Harper)
7. Brassband Gloria Dei
Conductor: Gerk Huisma
Start time: 4.55pm (CET)
Euroflash (Damien Lagger)
Grant Us Peace (Etienne Crausaz)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
Insecurity (Thibaut Bruniau)
8. BrassBand Oefening en Uitspanning
Conductor: Yves Wuyts
Start time: 5.50pm (CET)
Alba (Alan Fernie)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
The Irish Blessing (Joyce Eilers Bacak)
The Year of the Dragon (Philip Sparke)
Interval
9. Brassband Pro Rege Heerenveen
Conductor: Jan Werkman
Start time: 7.40pm (CET)
Pro Musica (Jan de Haan)
Ghosts of Industry (Lucy Pankhurst)
Essence of Time (Peter Graham)
Second Division:
Adjudicators: Thomas Doss; Mareika Gray; Ian Porthouse
Sunday July 12th
Kerkrade Theatre
Start time: 10.00am (CET)
1. Cologne Concert Brass
Conductor: Heinrich Schmidt
Start time: 10.00am (CET)
Cassini’s Last Dance (Jacob Vilhelm Larsen)
Modern Times (Etienne Crausaz)
The Light of the World (Dean Goffin)
Starburst (Dan Price)
2. Brass Band Schoonhoven B
Conductor: Joop Nijholt
Start time: 10.50am (CET)
Valaisia Variants (Tom Davoren)
Traversada (Oliver Waespi)
Modern Times (Etienne Crausaz)
Third Division:
Adjudicators: Isabella Ruf-Weber; Bert van Thienen; Florent Didier
Friday July 10th
Start Time: 2.30pm (CET)
1. Brass Band Duran
Conductor: Martin Schadlich
Start time: 2.30pm (CET)
Black Gold (Thierry Deleruyelle)
The Green Hill (Bert Appermont)
Soloist: Patrik Kunzendorf (Euphonium)
A Fantasy of Joy (Fredrick Schjelderup)
2. Brassband Hombeek
Conductor: Stan Nieuwenhuis
Start time: 3.15pm (CET)
Black Gold (Thierry Deleruyelle)
The Spirit of Youth (Goff Richards)
New Waves (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
Love - from Emigration Integration (Stan Nieuwenhuis)
3. Brass Band Schupfen
Conductor: Pascal Eicher
Start time: 4.00pm (CET)
Black Gold (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Mountain Views (Bertrand Moren)
Lloyd (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
4. Brass Band Bravoer
Conductor: Thomas Roelants
Start time: 4.45pm (CET)
Black Gold (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Rocket Science (Sam Gevers)
Shine as the Light (Peter Graham)
5. Brassband Kunst & Vriendschap
Conductor: Henk van Loon
Start time: 5.30pm
Black Gold (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Gresford - The Miners’ Hymn (Robert Saint)
Visions (Dan Price)
6. Brass Band B10
Conductor: Frank Vantroyen
Start time: 6.15pm (CET)
Starburst (Dan Price)
Black Gold (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Hope (Dorothy Gates)
7. Brass Band Aukstyn
Conductor: Remigijus Vilys
Start time: 7.00pm (CET)
Black Gold (Thierry Deleruyelle)
The Wind Beneath My Wings (Larry Henley)
Soloist: Ązuolas Baronas (Trombone)
Pradzios vejas (Saulius Petreikis)
Gospel Brass Machine (Mark Taylor)
