EBBA has announced further details of the test-pieces to be used at the forthcoming European Youth Brass Band Championships in Stavanger in May.

Elite composers

The works come from two Norwegian writers whose compositions have been performed at Elite level in recent years — including 'Catharsis' by Kjetil Djonne at this year's Norwegian National Championships.

EYBBC Premier Section:

Northern Passages (Kjetil Djonne)

This four-movement work portrays the Norwegian landscape through traditional dance music.

The first movement paints a picture of fjords and mountains, whilst the second is a playful mazurka inspired by the musical 'Smatroll' of Johan Halvorsen and Edvard Grieg. The Hardanger fiddle is the inspiration to the third movement, 'Bansull', with the fourth a traditional song from the Norwegian dance hall.

EYBBC Development Section:

Four Brief Actions (Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen)

The work has no storyline narrative, but each movement is self-explanatory. The opening 'Chasing' is a canon made up of short motifs as in a chase towards its conclusion. The second, 'Running' is a funky semiquaver race, whilst the third, 'Singing' is made up of melodic fragments and small melodies played in cantabile style.

The ending is inspired by an old Viking song 'Sigurd Favnesbane' (Sigurd the Dragons Slayer) to bring the work to a rousing conclusion.

More information:

For more information about the composers:
https://ebbc.musikkorps.no/competitions#about-the-composers