German conductor Martin Schadlich has told 4BR that he is hoping that 2016 will see further encouraging progress for the brass band movement in his country following a year of exciting achievements.

Good things

"There are so many good things going on at present that 2016 could be a fantastic year for German brass banding,"Martin (above) told 4BR.

"For instance, the performance of the Youth Brass Band of North Rhine Westphalia at the European Championship in Freiburg was memorable, and since then we have performed with the great trombonist Ian Bousfield.

As you reported on 4BR, Brass Band Duren also founded the Brass Festival Duren Summer Brass, which continues to grow in quantity and quality and the German National Championship is now well established."

Further experience

Martin has also been gaining further experience himself, and recently adjudicated at the Austrian National Championship and visited Norway where he conducted the Ungdom Brass Band.

He will return to Norway to work with bands in their preparation for the Norwegian National Championship in Bergen in February.

Brass banding is now developing at speed in Germany thanks to the connections people are making with other bands in Europeconductor, Martin Schadlich

Developing at speed

"Brass banding is now developing at speed in Germany thanks to the connections people are making with other bands in Europe,"Martin added.

"Next year it is hoped that Youth Brass Band of North Rhine Westphalia and Brass Band Düren will play at the German National Championship and at the Flemish Open.

I will also be leading the German Brass Band Summer School in Heek alongside Erik Janssen as a guest conductor, so I hope people can now see that German brass banding is making excellent progress."