The European Brass Band Association (EBBA) has announced the series of set-test compositions the 47th European Brass Band Championships in Linz.

Four new compositions each by Austrian composers, commissioned by the host organiser Amt der oberösterreichischen Landesregierung, Direktion Kultur und Gesellschaft, Abteilung Kultur/Oö.

Championship Section: Alienus (Thomas Doss)

According to the composer, Alienus is a word that means more than just extra-terrestrial. As he states: "It speaks of the foreign, the unfamiliar, the strange, of that what comes from beyond — and yet stirs questions deep within us."

The work tells of an encounter when humans come upon a sleeping, enigmatic alien creature. It's sound world is based on ancient roots — the hymn 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' which is heard, according to Doss, "in its full glory in the finale of the piece, but in two tempi at the same time."

The piece is published by Mitropa Music, Hal Leonard.

Works by Doss have been performed at elite level for many years, including, 'Spiriti', which was the set-work at the 2010 European Championships in Linz. Other notable works include 'Trance', Sketches from Nowhere', 'REM-Scapes' and 'This World'.

Challenge Section: The Sleepwalkers (Andreas Ziegelback)

The Sleepwalkers refers to the book by the Australian historian Christopher Clark, which references the opinion that the great powers of Europe stumbled without conscious appreciation about is consequences, into the First World War in 1914.

The same year, Austrian composer Alban Berg completed his 'Three Orchestral Pieces, Op. 6', which Ziegelbäck incorporates in musical motif by referencing music of the period and exploring their sonic properties for the brass band ensemble.

The composers states that his work, "portrays the ambivalence between sleepwalking and martial war-like sounds."

In a calm middle section, Berg's connection to the expressive music of Gustav Mahler is symbolized, while at the same time serving as a commemoration of all those who died in the war.

The piece is published by Symphonic Dimensions Publishing.

28 year old Andreas Ziegelbäck is a composer and conductor, specializing in wind and brass band music. He completed his master's degree at the Bern University of the Arts, where he specialized in band conducting with minor studies in composition under Oliver Waespi.

Ziegelback is a prize winner of several international composition and conducting competitions, and since 2025, has taught conducting at the Gustav Mahler Private University in Klagenfurt.

The work tells of an encounter when humans come upon a sleeping, enigmatic alien creatureChampionship Section, set-work, 'Alienus'

EYBBC Youth Championships:

Premier Section: Burn the Church! (Otto M. Schwarz)

'Burn the Church!' references the 16th century religious conflicts of northern France, when a group of persecuted Protestants sought refuge in a church in Wattrelos. Set on fire, many lost their lives, while others escaped with the help of local people.

The composition is an extended version of a work originally written for wind band.

The piece is published by Symphonic Dimensions Publishing

Otto M. Schwarz enjoyed early compositional success through pop music, and has been an active and successful producer since in film and television.

EYBBC Development Section:
Meet the Giants (Thomas Murauer)

According to the composer, 'Meet the Giants', "fuses contemporary rhythms with the legacies of three visionary composers: Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Chopin,"and where "Baroque clarity meets funk, and classical architecture meets modern drive."

It contains homages to Vivaldi's famous 'Four Seasons' before pivoting into a high-octane funk groove. A Beethoven-inspired development builds toward a powerful climax, eventually yielding to the lyrical phrases of Chopin. The circle is completed as initial energy returns in a virtuosic finale.

The material can be purchased directly from Murauer.

Thomas Murauer is a highly respected trumpet player, as well as a composer and arranger, specialising in, "capturing the essence of a moment," with his evocative scores for film, television, radio, and diverse ensemble formats.