The European Brass Band Association (EBBA) has confirmed that all four set-works originally proposed to be used at the 2020 European Brass Band Championships in Palanga will be used as the event returns later this year.

The Championships take place between the 27th April — 5th May, with the works commissioned by the host organiser, Palangos Orkestras with the support of the Lithuanian Council for Culture.

Championship Section:

The Championship Section contenders will therefore perform 'A Road Less Travelled' by Philip Sparke.

Although there is no programmatic theme, the title and appreciation by the composer is taken from the final lines of the narrative poem 'The Road Not Taken' published in 1915 by American poet Robert Frost (1874-1963).

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference

The composition is cast in three movements: I. Moto Perpetuo, II. Nocturne (in which the soloists are featured in elaborate solos and ensembles), and, III. Scherzo Finale.

Challenge Section:

The Challenge Section set work is 'Baltic Legends' by Lithuanian composer Vaida Beinariene and takes inspiration from two well-known Lithuanian folk legends.

'Witches Hill' evokes the mysterious nocturnal atmosphere of the Hill of Witches near the village of Juodkrante.

'Amber Castle' is based on the legend of Jurate, goddess of the sea, and the source of the amber that still keeps arriving to the shores of the Baltic Sea — the remnants, it's said, of Jurate's undersea palace after its destruction by the God of Thunder.

Youth Championship Premier Section:

The Premier Section contenders will perform 'The Baltic Way' by Jan de Haan.
The work is inspired by a huge mass demonstration staged in the Baltic States as a call for independence from the Soviet Union on August 23rd 1989.

'The Baltic Way' or 'Baltic Chain' as it became known, saw approximately two million participants linking hands from Vilnius through Riga to Tallinn, forming a human chain over 600 kilometres in length.

It became a significant moment in time — one that eventually heralded the collapse of Soviet intervention in the region, resulting ultimately in the Baltic States gaining their independence.

Jan de Haan's three-movement composition (approx 10 and a half minutes in duration) opens with 'Struggle' — a reference to a nocturne for piano by Lithuanian composer and painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1875-1911) providing thematic material used throughout the composition.

Youth Championships Development Section:

The Development Section bands will perform 'Lithuanian Dances' arranged by Kazys Daugela

Many of Lithuania's national celebrations and rituals involved dance, which were given names according to their function.

Circular or ring dances (rateliai), games (zaidimai) and paired dances (sokiai) were performed for parties and celebrations, as were polyphonic singing dances (Sutartinias sokiai), which paired specific dance steps with archaic songs.

'Lithuanian Dances' is a sequence of seven popular folk dances from various regions of the country.

The work also incorporates national folk instruments such as skrabalai (wooden bells) and skuduciai (Panpipes), although for the contest these are to be played on xylophone and muted brass.