The brass band movement in German continue to grow, with the bi-annual National Championships — the Deutsche Brass Band Meisterschaft.

The event will take place in the beautiful Bavarian spa town of Bad Kissingen on the weekend of the 22nd to 24th May.

Preparations

On band already preparing hard for the championships is Brass Band Westfalen, 2018 Third/Fourth Division champion.

They just enjoyed a fruitful coaching weekend at their home in Bad Fredeburg under the guidance of conductor, Tobias Schuette, alongside Benedikt Blome, Heinrich Schmidt (conductor of the German Staff Band of the Salvation Army) and Chris Houlding (Professor of Trombone and Brass Ensemble at the Folkwang University Essen).

This year the band will compete in the Second Division and spent the time working on their own-choice selection as well as the test-piece, 'My Strength, My Tower' by Dean Goffin.

Chris Houlding continues to encourage the development of the British brass banding model in Germany and has recently become a member of the Deutsche Brass Band Musikkommision4BR

Encouraging development

Chris Houlding continues to encourage the development of the British brass banding model in Germany and has recently become a member of the Deutsche Brass Band Musikkommision alongside Thomas Ludescher and Brass Band BlechKLANG Musical Director, Alexander Richter.

Later this year he will direct the second Folkwang Brass Band Workshop in Essen (9th-11th July) featuring Besson artists, Kathleen Gaspoz (cornet) and Philippe Schwartz (euphonium) and has also undertaken to publish a series of new arrangements with an eye on the emerging German banding scene.