A work inspired by four surreal, unrelated news stories that in their way sum up the more disturbing aspects of modern day life has won the young Belgian composer Stan Nieuwenhuis the 6th European Composer Competition title.

Poetic descriptions

His 'L'effet Divers', is a 12 minute suite, that combines wit with sadness in its poetic descriptions of the type of quirky stories that are usually featured at the end of main news programmes.

These include the tale of an escalating dispute between neighbours; the story of an elderly man whose memory loss results in him driving 3,000 kilometres around London for three days trying to find home; a powerful mafioso boss who longs for jail to end his lonely existence hiding from the rest of humanity, and a rich businessman who leaves his wealth to the village of his youth in order for them to plant 1 million flowers in his memory.

Excellent finalists

In a contest that also featured excellent compositions from fellow finalists, Christian Overhead and Ludovic Neurohr, the unanimous decision of the jury of Rolf Rudin, Paul Hindmarsh and Thomas Doss, saw 'L'effet Divers' take the €3,000 first prize, with the hope that the work will now find its way into the contesting repertoire.

Shocked

"I'm a little shocked," Stan told 4BR after the presentation of the award. "The two works from Ludovic and Christian were superb, and I really enjoyed them — but to just get through to the final for me has been something I am very proud of."

Stan also told 4BR that the four news stories, much like the surrealist paintings of Belgian painter Rene Magritte, seemed to sum up modern day life for him — in turn, bizarre, funny and sad — but also deeply meaningful.

"Even though each story is so surreal, the truth behind them tells you a great deal about us as people.

It's how friends can quickly fall out over something so trivial, how our mental health is so fragile, how loneliness can effect everyone no matter how powerful, and how after death we all want to be remembered in some way. Each small story had a bigger tale to tell."

Contest repertoire

With his 'King's Lie' already used at the National Finals in Cheltenham last year, Stan now hopes his latest work, which is written for Championship Section standard bands, will also find its way into the contest repertoire.

"I hope so," he added. "It is slightly more difficult than 'The King's Lie' but I think it can be played very well by a good quality top section band.

I think the stories that go with it make it a piece that can also be understood and enjoyed by the audience."

In the meantime, Stan is now finishing a work that he hopes will be played at the Swiss National Championships as well as continuing his association with the Exit Brass ensemble and his writing collaboration with his great friend, cornet player Harmen VanHoorne.

Even though each story is so surreal, the truth behind them tells you a great deal about us as peopleStan Nieuwenhuis

Finalists

There is also a busy time ahead for the other two finalists, with Christian Overhead and Ludovic Neurohr having a number of projects on the horizon.

Christian's compact 'Symmetricoil', inspired by his time working and day dreaming in a engineering company, claimed the runner-up prize of €2,000.

"I used to be a bit of a health and safety danger," he told 4BR about his six minute composition. "The title comes from the waste flux and swarf after drilling in metal — something I had to do a lot of at the time — so I did tend to daydream!

Thankfully the other workers made sure I didn't cause an accident!"

Homage

Meanwhile, Ludovic's composition, '...as a Glow' written in homage to his grandfather's fight against cancer took the €1,000 third prize in addition to two €500 awards voted for by the audience and the members of the Youth Brass Band of North Rhine Westphalia who performed all three works on the night.

"It's a work that links the beauty of baroque music with the beauty that still glows in my grandfather's eyes when his family come to visit him," he said.

It is now hoped that all three works will be published in the very near future and will be available for bands to perform.