4BR will once again be heading to Bergen this weekend for the 2025 Norwegian National Championships.

As ever there is plenty to look forward to with 80 bands battling to claim the honours in five sections of competition on Friday and Saturday (7th & 8th February).

Defending champion

The Elite Division defending champion is Eikanger Bjorsvik, looking to claim a 22nd victory and a hat-trick of titles led by Florent Didier.

The winning band will represent the nation at the 2026 Europeans in Linz. The set work (closed adjudication) this year is 'Catharsis' by Kjetil Djonne, a piece (revised in 2024) of around 18 minutes in duration packed full of colour and excitement.

Hinges

The following day come the blockbusters (see below) that are guaranteed to almost blow the doors off the Grieghallen, although they may to be put back on their hinges given the selection of some bands in the other sections.

There is plenty to enjoy though and we will be given our live views and opinions on the First and Elite Divisions and regular round ups of the other action and any talking points that may arise — and there are quite a few — from the set work choice to sick note deps and more…

You can also enjoy the action at www.brasspass.tv

Competing bands:
Elite Division:

Set-work: Catharsis (Kjetil Djonne)
Adjudicators:
Friday 7th February (4.00pm) & Saturday 8th February (2.45pm)
Set Work: Chris King, Ingunn Korsgard Hagen, Sverre Olsrud*
Own Choice: Anne Crookston, Halldis Ronning, Tom Davoren

Own Choice draw:
1. Oslo Brass Band (Sebastian Haukas)
Sketches from Nowhere (Thomas Doss)
2. Oslofjord Brass (Peter Szilvay)
Journey of the Lone Wolf (Simon Dobson)
3. Tertnes Brass (Paul Holland)
Perihelion: Closer to the Sun (Philip Sparke)
4. Bjørsvik Brass (Andreas Hanson)
Partita (Philip Sparke)
5. Ila Brass Band (Stig Maersk)
Waiting for a Pain Hit!??!!? (Paul McGhee)
6. Stavanger Brass Band (Ivan Meylemans)
So Spoke Albion (Gavin Higgins)
7. Kleppe Musikklag (Tormod Flaten)
A Brussels Requiem (Bert Appermont)
8. Brøttum Brass (David Morton)
Music of the Spheres (Philip Sparke)
9. Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag (Florent Didier)
***** Concerto No.10 for Brass Band and Ondes Martenot (Ludovic Neurohr)
10. Manger Musikklag (Allan Withington)
A Gabrieli Fantasy (Bert Appermont)

*Closed adjudication

First Division:

Adjudicators: Sverre Olsrud, Chris King, Nils Erik Maseidvag
Saturday 8th February: 8.30am

1. Krohnengen Brass Band (Magnus Brandseth)
Myth Forest (Stig Nordhagen)
2. Sandefjord Brass Symposium (Trond Husebo)
As if a voice were in them (Oliver Waespi)
3. Radoy Brass (Jacob Vilhelm Larsen)
Fusion (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)
4. Rong Brass (Ian Porthouse)
Antiphones (Oliver Waespi)
5. Tomra Brass Band (Frans Violet)
Bipolar (Stijn Aertgeerts)
6. Hasle Brass (Kai Grinde Myrann)
Afterlife (Stijn Aertgeerts)
7. Musikkorpset Gjallarhorn (Glenn Van Looy)
Afterlife (Stijn Aertgeerts)
8. Orskog Brass (Stijn Berbe)
Journey of the Lone Wolf (Simon Dobson)
9. Folleso Musikklag (Christian Pettersen Breistein)
Sinfonietta No 3 (Etienne Crausaz)
10. Askøy Brass Band (Svein H. Giske)
Fenring Dances (Svein H Giske)
11. Jaren Hornmusikkforening (Erik Janssen)
Audivi Media Nocte (Oliver Waespi)
12. Molde Brass Band (Frode Amundsen)
Hypercube (Oliver Waespi)

Second Division:

Adjudicators: Anne Crookston, Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen
Friday 7th February (9.30am)

1. Jolster Musikklag (Bjorn Breistein)
Solitus for brassband and percussion (Fredrick Schjelderup)
2. Gjesdal Brass Band (Russell Gray)
Impermanence of The Flow (Yvan Lagger)
3. Haukas Musikklag (Jannicke Eide Ellingsen)
The Patriots (Jan de Haan)
4. Tysnes Musikklag (Yngve Nikolaisen)
The Essence of Time (Peter Graham)
5. Trondheim Brassband (Reid Gilje)
Sinfonietta No 5 (Etienne Crausaz)
6. Agder Brass (Philip Hannevik)
The Patriots (Jan de Haan)
7. Flesland Musikklag (Margaret Sutherland Antrobus)
Red Priest (Philip Wilby)
8. Stangaland Brass (Melvin White)
Sinfonietta No 3 (Eitienne Crausaz)
9. Sola Brass Band (Gwyn Evans)
Hope (Dorothy Gates)
10. Oster Brass (Patrick Randfalk)
The Patriots (Jan de Haan)
11. Lindas Brass (Ben Hirons)
Purcell Variations (Kenneth Downie)
12. Fjell Brass Band (Joseph Cook)
A King's Lie (Stan Niewenhuis)
13. Sorum Musikklag (Philip Hannevik)
St James's — A New Beginning (Philip Harper)

Third Division:

Adjudicators: Tom Davoren, Nils Erik Maseidvag
Friday 7th February (3.45pm)

1. Sagvag Musikklag (Sean Conway)
The Sword, Jewel and Mirror (Philip Harper)
2. Nes Musikkforening (Thorbjorn Lunde)
Albinus Variations (Etienne Crausaz)
3. Stavanger Kommunes Korps (Morten Ovrebekk)
Sinfonietta No 2 (Etienne Crausaz)
4. Tromso Brass (Vidar Alvestad)
St James's — A New Beginning (Philip Harper)
5. Tertnes Amatorkorps (Thorgeir Thunestvedt)
The Son of Light (Bertrand Moren)
6. Alexander Brassband (Gwyn M Evans)
Ballet for Band (Joseph Horovitz)
7. Krohnengen Old Stars (KOS) (Oyvind Nikolaisen)
Journey into Freedom (Eric Ball)
8. Skui Brassband (Rune Furoy Johansen)
Firestorm (Stephen Bulla)
9. Bergen Brass Band (Thor-Arne Pedersen)
Flashback (Jan de Haan)
10. Manger Old Star Brass (Patrick Randefalk)
Flashback (Jan de Haan)
11. Lyshornet Brass (Torstein Avar Sollien)
The Saga of Tyrfing (Jacob Vilhelm Larsen)
12. Bjorvika Brass Band (Maria Molund)
Blitz (Derek Bourgeois)
13. Haugaland Brass Band (Paul Hughes)
Day of the Lord (Steven Ponsford)
14. Gjovik ByBrass (Morten Fagerjord)
Penlee (Simon Dobson)
15. Riska Brass Band (Arne Stian Aarrestad)
Life Ablaze (Steven Ponsford)

Fourth Division:

Adjudicators: Ingunn Korsgard Hagen, Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen
Saturday 8th February (10.00am)

1. Valdres Brass Band (Tor Arthur Hagen)
Penlee (Simon Dobson)
2. Saksumdal Musikkforening (Andreas Halla)
Mountain Views (Bertrand Moren)
3. Jonsvatnet Brass (Gerard Rooker)
Penlee (Simon Dobson)
4. Evanger Musikklag (Eirik Gjerdevik)
Variations on Laudate Dominum (Edward Gregson)
5. Kjolsdalen Musikklag (Arvid Anthun)
A Brief Symphony of Time (Simon Dobson)
6. Grenland Brass (David Lyngvaer Erichsen)
The Final Frontier (Geert Jan Kroon)
7. Heroy Brass (Frode Dalhaug)
Evolution (Five States of Change) (Philip Sparke)
8. Imi Brass (Halvor Gaard)
Exultate Deo (Paul Sharman)
9. Filadelfia Hornorkester Drammen (Knut Esten Stendal)
Variations on Laudate Dominum (Edward Gregson)
10. Rosendal Musikklag (Yngve Nikolaisen)
A Celtic Suite (Philip Sparke)
11. Flora-Bremanger Brassband (Jonny Saelemyr)
Albinus Variations (Etienne Crausaz)
12. Holmestrand Brass (Nils Andreas Grosas Granseth)
Visions (Dan Price)
13. Laksevag Musikkforening (Margaret Sutherland Antrobus)
The Saga of Haakon the Good (Philip Sparke)
14. Moen Musikkforening (Ole Kristian Egge)
A Bried Symphony of Time (Simon Dobson)
15. Fla Musikkorps (Ingrid Oien)
Lions of Legends (Thierry Deleruyelle)

Fifth Division:

Adjudicators: Trond Madsen, Halldis Ronning
Friday 7th February (9.00am)

1. Hetlevik Musikklag (Fredrick Schjelderup)
Centennium (Fredrick Schjelderup)
2. Frei Hornmusikk (Randi Anita Dale)
Music for a Festival (Philip Sparke)
3. Seim Musikklag (Torstein Tommermo Holmas)
Fansa da matasa 2.0 (Reid Gilje)
4. Lismarka/Mesnali Brass (Andres Halla)
Corineus (Christopher Bond)
5. Floro Hornmusikk (Torgeir Halvorsen)
Headland Fantasy (Ingebjorg Vilhelmsen)
6. Langhus Brass (Thomas W. Tengelsen)
Sinfonietta No 2 (Etienne Crausaz)
7. Eikelandsfjorden Musikklag (Oddvar Nostdal)
Legend in Brass (James Curnow)
8. Skeie Brass (Nigel Fielding)
A Celtic Suite (Philip Sparke)
9. Lalm Musikkforening (Herbertus Huijs)
Music for Jock Tamson (Alan Fernie)
10. Brumunddal Brass (Erling Johan Myrseth)
Lake of the Moon (Kevin Houben)
11. Haus Musikklag (Stefan Cooper)
Lake of the Moon (Kevin Houben)
12. Autevoll Brass (Inge Starheim Ytrehus)
Legend in Brass (James Curnow)
13. Norheimsund Musikklag (Viljar Bjorsvik Rath)
Sinfonietta No 2 (Etienne Crausaz)
14. Randaberg Musikkorps (Espen Westbye)
Whispers of Forgotten Tales (Jacob Larsen)
15. Torpa BygdeBrass (Jon Kristian Solberg)
The Unknown (Gert Jan Kroon)