The European Brass Band Association (EBBA) has released the list of competing bands that will take part in the 2016 championships in Lille later this year.
Twelve bands
12 bands will battle for the Blue Riband 'European Champion' title — led by defending champion Black Dyke, whilst Challenge Section champion Italian Brass Band defends its crown against opposition from Northern Ireland, Ireland, Germany, France and Lithuania.
There is a fine turn out of competitors for the European Youth Championships which round off the Euro Festival, with five competitors in the Development Section and eight in the Premier Section.
Adjudicators:
The list of adjudicators will also be of great interest to the bands, with the highly respected composer Michael Ball joined by experienced conductors Ivan Meylemans and Reid Gilje for the blockbuster own choice selections of the elite contenders.
Meanwhile, Swiss conductor Michael Bach, who led Brass Band Burgermusik Luzerne to the European title in 2014, will judge the set-work alongside Australian composer Michael Forsyth and French trombonist Fabrice Millischer, who is principal trombone of the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Saarbrucken/Kaiserslautern and Professor of Trombone at the Hochschule fur Music Saar (Saarland College of Music).
The list of adjudicators will also be of great interest to the bands, with the highly respected composer Michael Ball joined by experienced conductors Ivan Meylemans and Reid Gilje for the blockbuster own choice selections4BR
Championship Section:
Adjudicators:
Set Work: Fraternity (Thierry Deleruyelle)
Michael Bach; Michael Forsyth; Fabrice Millischer
Own Choice:
Michael Ball; Reid Gilje; Ivan Meylemans
3BA Concert Band (Thomas Ludescher): Germany
Black Dyke (Prof Nicholas Childs): England (defending champion)
Brass Band Buizingen (Luc Vertommen): Belgium
Brass Band Oberosterreich (Ian Porthouse): Austria
Brighouse & Rastrick (Prof David King): England
Cory (Philip Harper): Wales
Lyngby-Taarbaek (Michael Thomsen): Denmark
Paris Brass Band (Florent Didier): France
Provinciale Brass Band Groningen (Richard Visser): Netherlands
Stavanger (Allan Withington): Norway
Valaisia (Arsene Duc): Switzerland
Whitburn (Michael Fowles): Scotland
Challenge Section:
Adjudicators:
Set Work: Samson (Rodolphe Schacher)
Michael Bach; Michael Forsyth; Fabrice Millischer
Murley Silver (William Hill): Northern Ireland
Lourdes Brass (Michael Hannan): Ireland
Brass Band Sachsen (Bryan Allen): Germany
BB Du Conservatoire De Douai (Olivier Degardin): France
Italian Brass Band (Filippo Cangiamila): Italy (defending champion)
Sekmadieninis Brass (Tadas Sileika): Lithuania
European Youth Brass Band Championships:
Development Section:
Adjudicators:
Set Work: Music for Greenwich (Edward Gregson)
Florent Didier; Michael Forsyth
Aukstyn Brass (Remigijus Vilys): Lithuania
Cardiff County & Vale of Glamorgan Youth (Charles Maynard): Wales
Elland Silver Youth (Samantha Harrison): England
Tertnes Skoles Musikkorps (Jan Egil Jorgensen): Norway
Wardle Academy Youth (Lee Rigg): England (defending champion)
Premier Section:
Adjudicators:
Set Work: Olympus (Philip Harper)
Thierry Deleruyelle; Steven Mead
Bayerische Jugend Brass 3BA (Benjamin Markl): Germany
Greater Gwent Youth Band (Gareth Ritter): Wales
Liberty Brass Band Junior (Christoph Luchsinger): Switzerland
National Youth Brass Band of Denmark (Stig Maersk): Denmark
Pavoveres Brass (Bronislovas Vilimas): Lithuania
Young Brass Band Willebroek (Frans Violet): Belgium (defending champion)
Youth Band Nord Pas de Calais (Luc Vertommen): France
Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans): England
7th European Soloist Competition:
Michel Becquet; Russell Gray; Steven Mead; Thierry Deleruyelle; Thierry Thibault
More information:
More information go to:
http://www.eurofestival2016.org/#!home/v8r0h