NBK, the organisers of the Netherlands National Brass Band Championships have announced the set-works that will be performed it its 43rd Championship event in Utrecht later this year.

The Nederlandse Brassband Kampioenschappen (NBK) will host bands at the TivoliVredenburg on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October, with NBK Chairperson Ale Nicolai saying: "One again we have found challenging works in all divisions for both bands and audiences to enjoy.

Two of the works which have been commissioned in part by the NBK Foundation and international cooperation are by the renowned composers Philip Sparke and Jan Van der Roost. This makes it possible to contribute to repertoire renewal alongside our other fine works."

Lost Circle

The Championship Division bands will perform 'The Lost Circle' by Jan Van Der Roost. The work is a joint commission with other leading national championship bodies and the British Open, where it will receive its world premiere.

The First Division bands will tackle Philip Harper's exciting 'St James's — A New Beginning' which was most recently used as the set-work for the 2023 First Section National Championships of Great Britain and Elite Division of the Swedish Championships, as well as the First Section of the North American Championships.

Second Division contenders will perform 'Variations on 'Was Lebet' by Andrew Wainwright, written in 2017 and used at the 2022 Second Division of the Swiss National Championships.

Premieres

The Third Division band will be faced with a new work from Norwegian composer Ingebjørg Vilhelmsen. Entitled, 'Headland Fantasy' it is inspired by the rugged landscape of her homeland province of Viken.

There will also be a world premiere in the Fourth Division with Philip Sparke's 'Fanfares, Songs and Dances' — a joint commission between NBK, Brass Bands England and the Lithuanian Brass Band Federation.

Works:

Championship Division: The Lost Circle (Jan Van Der Roost)
First Division: St James's — A New Beginning (Philip Harper)
Second Division: Variations on 'Was Lebet' (Andrew Wainwright)
Third Division: Headland Fantasy (Ingebjørg Vilhelmsen)
Fourth Division: Fanfares, Songs and Dances (Philip Sparke)

More information about the mandatory works can be found at: www.enbk.nl