The European Brass Band Association and local organisers Zimihc have announced the identity of the composers who will write the set-works for the Championship and Challenge Section contests at the 2018 Championships in Utrecht.

Dutch composers Harrie Janssen and Hendrik de Boer have the task of writing the works that will test the very best bands performing at the splendid TivoliVredenburg between 4th & 5th May.

Fitting additions

EEBA President Ulf Rosenberg stated: "We are delighted that Harrie Janssen and Hendrik de Boer have been chosen to write the test-pieces for the 2018 European Championships.

We are looking forward to a great weekend of competitive music-making in Utrecht and we are confident that these composers will produce fitting additions to the growing list of outstanding repertoire that the event has engendered over recent years."

we are confident that these composers will produce fitting additions to the growing list of outstanding repertoire that the event has engendered over recent yearsEEBA President Ulf Rosenberg

Harrie Janssen

Harrie Janssen was born in Nijmegen, and played trumpet in a local band. He studied at the Academies of Music in Arnhem and Maastricht, where he majored in wind orchestra conducting, music theory, symphonic orchestra conducting, and the trombone. In 1984 he was appointed as Professor in Wind Orchestra Conducting and Theory of Music at the Academy of Music in Arnhem.

He is currently a busy conductor, teacher, composer and arranger, as well as performing sound registrations for CD recordings. His works are played all over the world and ae pubished by the likes of Stormworks Europe (Goor, NL), Sikorski (Hamburg, DE) and Ascolta (Houten, NL).

Hendrik de Boer

Hendrik de Boer studied euphonium at the Prince Claus Conservatory in Groningen and graduated in 2012. He has extensive playing experience and currently performs with the Fanfare Orchestra of the Corps 'Nationale Reserve', part of the Dutch military forces, as well as working as a teacher of low brass.

He also studied wind, fanfare and brass band conducting and is currently the conductor of the 'Heerenveens Muziekcorps' Heerenveen wind band.

He has composed and arranged for several artists and ensembles including many for brass. His arrangement of Paul Hindemith's 'March' from 'Symphonic Metamorphosis' was performed by the European Youth Brass Band in 2015, whilst his first large project was arranging the 'Requiem' by John Rutter for soloists, choir and brass band.

Several of his works are sold by Lake Music Publications.