The 44th Netherlands National Brass Band Championships take place at the TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht on Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November.
In celebration of the 80th birthday of composer Edward Gregson each set-work in the five sections come from the Englishman's pen — with the nine Championships Section contenders performing his 'Rococo Variations'.
Belgian entertainment
The current European Champion, Brass Band Willebroek will also provide a tribute concert under the baton of their MD Frans Violet before the announcement of the results of the Fourth and Third Divisions on Friday night.
The defending Championship Division title holder is De Waldsang. They will represent the nation at the 2026 European Championships in Linz, with this year's winner having the honour in 2027 in Montreux.
Competitors in the other sections will perform 'Connotations'; 'The Plantagenets'; 'Occasion' and 'Partita'.
Schedule
The Championships are hosted by the NBK organisers, with the Friday afternoon action starting at 2.40pm (local time) with the official welcome by Chairperson Ale Nicolai.
It will be followed by the Fourth Division (starting 2.50pm) and the Third Division at 5.35pm. The concert by Brass Band Willebroek will start at 9.00pm.
Saturday will kick off with the Second Division at 10.30am, followed by the First Division at 1.55pm and the Championship Division at 5.40pm following a short talk given by Edward Gregson.
4BR has been informed that the acoustic of the main hall has been subtly altered this year, although the adjudicator's tent will remain in its traditional place.
A digital programme for the event has been produced at:
https://www.klankwijzer.nl/archief/#flipbook-programma-nbk-2025/1/
4BR will be travelling to Utrecht to cover the event.
Championship Division:
Test Piece: Rococo Variations (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs; Katrina Marzella-Wheeler; Jan Van der Roost
Altena Brass (Ward De Ketelaere)
Brass Band Limburg (Renato Meli)
Brass Band Schoonhoven (Paul Holland)
Brassband Rijnmond (Luc Vertommen)
De Bazuin Oenkerk (Jaap Musschenga)
De Spijkerpakkenband (Paulus de Jong)
De Waldsang (Rieks van der Velde)
Provinciale Brassband Groningen (Richard Visser)
Soli Brass (Anne van den Berg)
First Division:
Test Piece: Connotations (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs; Katrina Marzella-Wheeler; Jan Van der Roost
Brassband Amersfoort (Vincent Verhage)
Brassband Breukelen (Erik Kluin)
Excelsior (Rieks van der Velde)
Gloria Dei (Gerk Huisma)
Kunst naar Kracht (Olaf Ritman)
Oefening en Uitspanning (Yves Wuyts)
Pro Rege (Jan Werkman)
Second Division:
Test Piece: The Plantagenets (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Stephanie Binns; Ido Garard Kempenaar; Andrea Price
Backum Brass (Max Knappstein)
Brass Band Schoonhoven B (Joop Nijholt)
David Zwolle (Frank Ritsema)
De Bazuin Oenkerk B (Martin Oostra)
De Lofklank (Koen van der Molen)
Excelsior Ferwert (Marco Middelberg)
Gereformeerde Brassband Groningen (Jan Werkman)
CMV Looft Den Heer (Gijs Heusinkveld)
Third Division:
Test Piece: Occasion (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Stephanie Binns; Ido Garard Kempenaar; Andrea Price
Blaast de Bazuin (Chris van der Veen)
Chr. Brassband Advendo (Stefan de Groot)
De Nije Bazun (Japp Wils)
Greidebrass (Siemen Hoekstra)
Heman (Geert Jan Kroon)
Hosannah (Jeroen Oosterwijk)
Immanuel (Koen van der Molen)
Koperensemble de Waldsang (Bienze Ijkstra)
Fourth Division:
Test Piece: Partita (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Stephanie Binns; Ido Garard Kempenaar; Andrea Price
Blaast de Bazuin (Piet Visser)
Brassband Wirdum (Arjen Steur)
Ere Zij God (Jochem Hoekstra)
Excelsior (Gouke Wielenga)
Soli Deo Gloria (Hendrik de Boer)
UDI (Marco Middelberg)
