Stan Nieuwenhuis' 2015 European Composer Competition winning entry, 'L'Effet Divers' has been chosen as the First Division set-work for the Belgian National Championships in November.

Surreal

The composer's work (above) comprises four movements, which each referring to unrelated news stories of a bizarre and surreal nature that captured the imagination of social media around the world. It proved to be a popular winner of the Composer Competition in Freiburg in May.

Inventive and darkly witty, the first movement is inspired by a domestic dispute that increasingly gets out of hand — resulting in the burying of one of the protagonist's cars.

It is followed by the sad story of an elderly man who forgets his bearings whilst driving around London — eventually being stopped by the Police after covering 3,000 kilometres in three days.

The third movement recalls a bizarre tale of the effects of loneliness, as a wanted Mafioso boss longs for prison so that he can finally enjoy the company of other human beings.

It is rounded off by the story of a rich banker who leaves all his wealth on his death to the small village he grew up in so that they can plant a million flowers each year in his memory.

High standard

EBBA President Ulf Rosenberg told 4BR: "EBBA is proud that Stan's composition has been chosen by the selection committee of VLAMO for the First Division at the Belgian National Championship.

We believe it reflects the very high standard of the compositions that were considered and performed in Freiburg."

the third movement recalls a bizarre tale of the effects of loneliness, as a wanted Mafioso boss longs for prison so that he can finally enjoy the company of other human beings4BR

Trance

It was also announced that 'Trance' by Thomas Doss will be the Championship Section set work, with 'Variations on a Swiss Folk Song' by Philip Sparke in the Second Division and 'Partita' by Edward Gregson in the Third.

Set Works:

Championship Section: Trance (Thomas Doss)
First Division: L'Effet Divers (Stan Nieuwenhuis)
Second Division: Variations on a Swiss Folk Song (Philip Sparke)
Third Division: Partita (Edward Gregson)