It has been announced that the 40th Dutch Brass Band Championships will go ahead later this year, but in an amended single day format with Covid-19 protocols in place.

Following extensive discussions, the NBK organisers will host the 2021 event on Saturday 30th October, at the Tivoli-Vredenburg in Utrecht.

They have informed 4BR that the ongoing Covid-19 situation in the Netherlands will be monitored closely and linked to possible new Government measures and regulations.

The 2020 Championship was cancelled due to the Coronavirus epidemic.

Protocols

All divisions of the contest will be held with two teams of 3 adjudicators for each. It is hoped that they will know exactly how many bands will be able to attend before 1st October so that the contest day schedule can be announced.

The NBK organisers have insisted that all participants, visitors and those working at the venue will submit to testing for access protocols, such as QR coded proof of vaccination, recovery certificates or show that they have had a negative test result in the 24 hours prior to the day.

There will be no social distancing inside the building.

They have informed 4BR that the ongoing Covid-19 situation in the Netherlands will be monitored closely and linked to possible new Government measures and regulations4BR

Rejoice

The Championship Section contest will see the premiere of Edward Gregson's 'The World Rejoicing (Symphonic Variations on a Lutheran Chorale)', which was to be used in 2020.

Due to the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 European Championships, the winning band will not represent the nation at the 2022 European event in Birmingham. This place has been allocated to BrassBand Schoonhoven who come to the contest as reigning Dutch champions.

As previously reported the 2020 works by Joop van Dijk, entitled, 'From San Marco'; Hendrick de Boer's 'Signature: Fantasy in two Movements'; Geert Jan Kroon's 'The Final Frontier' and Tjeerd Nijhof's 'Green' will be the set-tests.