The Belgian National Championships take place this weekend (25th/26th November) at the Cultural Centre Zwaneberg in Heist-op-den-Berg (above).

The 43rd event sees 16 bands compete in four divisions with the winner of the Championship Division representing the nation at the 2024 European Championship in Palanga, Lithuania.

Saturday sees the competitors take to the stage in the in the Open, First and Second Divisions whilst Sunday will see the contenders in the Championships Division. The defending champion is Festival Brass Band.

The adjudication team is made up of Isabelle Ruf-Weber, Joop van Dijk and Steven Mead.

Live stream and coverage

The entire Brass Band Championships can be followed by livestream on VLAMO's YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/c/VlamoBeVzw Live reporting coverage will be provided by media partner CU Brass at www.cubrass.nl

The test piece in the Championship Section is 'Sinfonietta No. 2: Quatre Impressions' by French composer Pierre-Antoine Savoyat. It is inspired by the music of the early 20th century such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Maurice Emmanuel and Raoul Bardac.

'Afterlife' by Flemish composer Stijn Aertgeerts, is the joint First Division commission of the NBK Foundation and VLAMO for the First Division. The sole entrant in the Second Division will perform 'Lakeland Variations' by Philip Sparke.

Own-choice selections

Own choice selections include (Championship Division) 'Antiphonies' (Oliver Waespi), 'Atlantic' (Philip Wilby), 'Concerto Grosso' (Derek Bourgeois), 'HorrorShow' (Simon Dobson), 'Red Priest' (Philip Wilby), 'Sand and Stars' (Thierry Deleruyelle) (2x) and 'The Torchbearer' (Peter Graham).

First Division: 'King Arthur — Scenes of a Radio Drama' (Benjamin Britten arr. Paul Hindmarsh), 'Metropolis 1927' (Peter Graham), 'St James's — A New Beginning' (Philip Harper) (2x) and 'Stonehenge' (Jan Van der Roost).

Second Division: 'Connotations' (Edward Gregson) with the Open Division; 'Argos' (Stephan Hodel), 'Dakota' (Jacob de Haan), 'Hope' (Stijn Aertgeerts), 'In Perfect Peace' (Kenneth Downie), 'Life Ablaze' (Steven Ponsford) and 'Triptych' (Philip Sparke).

Competing bands:

Championship Division:

Brass Band Heist (Wiekevorst)
Brass Band Leieland (Wevelgem)
Brassband Buizingen (Halle)
Brassband Gent
Brassband Willebroek
Brassband Zele
Festival Brass Band (Heist-op-den-Berg)
Kortrijk Brass Band

First Division:

Brassband Bacchus (Sint-Martens-Lennik)
Brassband Scaldis (Antwerpen)
Braz'art (Harelbeke)
Kon. BB de Grensbewoners Smeermaas (Lanaken)
Mercator Brass Band (Boom)

Second Division:

Brassband Panta Rhei (Gent)

Open Division:

Academic Brass Band (Deurne en Wilrijk)
Brassband Zuid-Limburg

More information: www.vlamo.be/bbk