The Swedish National Championship will take place this weekend in Varnamo, a small town located in the south of Sweden.

Professor Edward Gregson, who celebrates his 70th birthday this year, is the invited guest of honour with his compositions providing the set works in the three main sections.

Elite Division

The five bands in the Elite Section will perform his 1984 work 'Dances & Arias' with the winner gaining the invitation to compete at the 2016 European Championship in Lille.

'Occasion' will test the six First Section competitors, with one of his earliest works, 'Partita' challenging the six bands in the Second Division. 11 ensembles will take part in the youth band Minibrass section (players up to 15 years of age), who will perform four movements from 'New Horizons' for Beginner Brass Ensemble.

Supply of young players

The Minibrass ensembles not only compete each year but also play at the Saturday evening Gala Concert. Over the past 13 years the event has also provided Swedish banding with a supply of talented young performers, many of who are now playing in bands at the Championship and in other countries.

There will also be a Festival Section for non-competing bands.

Gregson seminar

Professor Gregson will also give a seminar entitled, '50 years of composing for brass bands' recalling his time as composer from his first visit to Sweden in 1964, where he wrote his first brass band march, 'Dalaro' at a Salvation Army Student Conference.

Windcorp concert

The festival will start on Friday evening with an opening concert given by Windcorp Brass Band, conducted by Prof Garry E Cutt, featuring soloists Glenn van Looy and Lucy Cutt.

Windcorp celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and will be looking to add to the seven National titles it has already won, although there has been a resurgence in rivals such as the Stockholm based Solna Brass and the youthful Gota Brass, who will participate for the first time.

Professor Edward Gregson, who celebrates his 70th birthday this year, is the invited guest of honour with his compositions providing the set works in the three main sections4BR

Judges

The international panel of adjudicators in the different sections are Hannes Buchegger, Frans Violet, Edward Gregson, Glenn Van Looy, Kjell Erik Paulsrud and Michael Zoppas.

The Gala Concert on Saturday evening features Brass Band Willebroek from Belgium conducted by Frans Violet.