Bands in Norway are already well into their preparations for the long-awaited return of their National Championships which will take place at the Grieg Hall in Bergen on the weekend of Friday 10th and Saturday 11th February.

Return

The last event took place in 2020, so there is an eager sense of anticipation as 76 bands look to claim titles in six sections of competition.

The defending Elite Division champion is Stavanger, whilst Ila Brass who won the First Division title in 2020 has subsequently been promoted to the field of 10 bands that will battle for the honours over two days on the set-work, 'The World Rejoicing' by Edward Gregson and their own-choice selection.

The Elite Division own-choice selections are: Other Lives (Oliver Waespi); St Magnus (Kenneth Downie); A Brussels Requiem (Bert Appermont); English Heritage (George Lloyd); A Gabrieli Fantasy (Bert Appermont); King of a New Dawn (Stig Nordhagen); Bipolarity (Stijn Aertgeerts); Spiriti (Thomas Doss); Horror Show (Simon Dobson); Music of the Spheres (Philip Sparke).

The winning band will represent the nation at the 2024 European Championships in Palanga.

As always there is a wide selection of own choice works being performed in the other sections over the two days — from established repertoire to new compositions.

Competing bands:

Elite Division:

Set-Work: The World Rejoicing (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators:
Set Work: Bert van Thienen, Froydis Ree Wekre, Oliver Waespi
Own Choice: Steven Mead, Uwe Koller, Arild Remmereit

Competing bands

Bjorsvik Brass (Magnus Brandseth)
Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag (Florent Didier)
Ila Brass (Dr Howard J. Evans)
Jaren Hornmusikkforening (Mauruce Donnet-Monay)
Kleppe Musikklag (Philip Hannevik)
Krohnengen (Garry Cutt)
Manger Musikklag (Prof David King)
Rong Brass (Erik Janssen)
Stavanger Brass (Allan Withington)
Tertnes Brass (Paul Holland)

First Division:

Own Choice:
Grieg Hall
Friday 10th February
Adjudicators: Froydis Ree Wekre, Marius Hesby; Bert van Thienen

Draw:
1. Tomra Brass Band (Frans Violet)
2. Radoy Brass (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
3. Musikkorpset Gjallarhorn (Kjetil Djonne)
4. Askoy Brass Band (Reid Gilje)
5. Sola Brass Band (Gwyn Evans)
6. Orskog Brass (Jonathan Bates)
7. Oslo Brass (Ivan Meylemans)
8. Molde Brass (Tormod Flaten)
9. Flesland Musikklag (Margaret Sutherland Antrobus)
10. Folleso Musikklag (Christian Breistein)
11. Oslofjord Brass (Frode Amundsen)
12. Brottum Brass (David Morton)

Second Division:

Own Choice:
Grieg Hall
Friday 10th February
Adjudicators: Uwe Koller, Steven Mead

Draw:
1. Hasle Brass (Robert Solberg Nilsen)
2. Jolster Musikklag (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
3. Tysnes Musikklag (Oyvind Nikolaisen)
4. Bergen Brass Band (Thor-Arne Pedersen)
5. Oster Brass (Svein Henrik Giske)
6. Manger Old Star Brass (Patrik Randefalk)
7. Lindas Brass (Vidar Nordli)
8. Stavanger Kommunes Korps (Morten Ovrebekk)
9. Sandefjord Brass Symposium (Trond Husebo)
10. Fjell Brass (Joseph Cook)
11. Tertnes Amatorkorps (Borge Styve)
12. Trondheim Brassband (Espen Andersen)
13. Sorum Musikklag (Christian Tenfjord)

Third Division:

Own Choice:
Peer Gynt Hall
Friday 10th February
Adjudicators: Rut Jorunn Ronning, Arild Remmereit

Draw:
1. Laksevag Musikkforening (Frederik Schelderup)
2. Valdres Brass (Jan Erik Hybertsen)
3. Nes Musikkforening (Thorbjorn Lunde)
4. Sagvag Musikklag (Karl Ole Midtbo)
5. Filadelfia Hornorkester Drammen (David Strom)
6. Alexander Brass Band (Morten E Hansen)
7. Krohnengen Old Stars (Oyvind Nikolaisen)
8. Bjorvika Brass Band (Age Jan Barlund)
9. Lyshornet Brass (Fredrick Schjelderup)
10. Stangaland Brass (Melvin White)
11. Agder Brass (Russell Gray)
12. Moen Musikkforening (Ole Kristian Egge)
13. Gjesdal Brass Band (Jonas Skartveit Rogne)
14. Haukas Musikklag (Yngve Nikolaisen)
15. Tromso Brass (Vidar Alvestad)

Fourth Division:

Own Choice:
Peer Gynt Hall
Saturday 11th February
Adjudicators: Rut Jorunn Ronning, Oliver Waespi

Draw:
1. Skui Brassband (Rune Furoy Johansen)
2. Saksumdal Musikkforening (Andres Halla)
3. Fla Musikkorps (Odd Steinar Morkved)
4. Norheimsund Musikklag (Viljar Bjorsvik Rath)
5. Holmstrand Brass (Torstein T. Holmas)
6. Gjovik Bybrass (Morten Fagerjord)
7. Skeie Brass (Nigel Fielding)
8. Tysvaer Brass (Martin Kinn)
9. Grenland Brass (David Lyngvaer Erichsen)
10. Hetlevik Musikklag (Sturle Berntsen)
11. Flora-Bremanger Brassband (Kim Lofthouse)
12. IMI Brass (Halvor Gaard)

Fifth Division:

Own Choice:
Peer Gynt Hall
Friday 10th February
Adjudicators: Marius Hesby, Irene Graven

Draw:
1. Brumunddal Brass (Erling Johan Myserth)
2. Seim Musikklag (Gunleik Reini Urfjell)
3. Indre Torungen Brass Ensemble (Lars Bjornar Strengenes)
4. Torpa BygdeBrass (Marit Skikkelstad)
5. Haus Musikklag (Jon-Vegar Sole Sundal)
6. Langhus Brass (Tomas Tengelsen)
7. Jonsvatnet Brass (Gerard Rooker)
8. Rosendal Musikklag (Yngve Nikolaisen)
9. Floro Hornmusikk (Torgeir Halvorsen)
10. Lismarka/Mesnali Brass (Andres Halla)
11. Heroy Brass (Frode Dalhaug)
12. Randaberg Musikkorps (Pal Magne Austernes-Underhaug)
13. Riska Brass Band (Espen Westbye)
14. Fjordbrass-Lavik (Jason Burn)