The 2026 Dutch National Championships take place this weekend in Utrecht — starting on Friday afternoon.

The TivoliVredenburg venue will host the 45th edition with 40 bands taking part in five sections of competition on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th October.

Coverage

4BR is in Utrecht to provide our live coverage of both days of competition, with Editor Iwan Fox joined by professional trombonist and teaching professor, Chris Houlding to give opinions about the performances.

The event is also being recorded by www.Brasspass.tv with the performances being aired after the contest.

Schedule

The contest organisers NBK has already stated that they are "incredibly pleased", by the response of the competing bands and the ticket sales for the event which kicks off on Friday afternoon with the Fourth Division starting at 3.30pm (local time). It will be followed by the Third Division at 7.15pm.

Saturday starts with the Second Division at 9.30am (local time), followed by the First Division at 2.00pm and the Championship Division at 6.15pm.

Set works

As has been previously announced, Championship Division bands will tackle Philip Sparke's 'Perihelion: Closer to the Sun'. First Division bands will perform 'Inner Citadel' by Geert Jan Kroon, whilst 'The Necessity of Renewal' by Dennis Hazenoot will test the Second Division contenders.

Third Division bands will perform 'Spirit of Life' by Meindert Boekel arr. Philip Harper with Jan de Haan's 'Pioneers of the Past' testing the Fourth Division competitors.

Information:

Further information can be found at:
https://www.enbk.nl/NBK+2026/Deelnemers

Performances

Performances can now be enjoyed at:
First Division: Inner Citadel (Geert Jan Kroon)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeLzPa3MwYc

Second Division: The Necessity of Renewal (Dennis Hazenoot) www.youtube.com/watch?v=twrD-H-pBcw

Third Division: Spirit of Life (Meindert Boekel, arr. Philip Harper) www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5i8tkPNcv4

Fourth Division: Pioneers of the Past (Jan de Haan) www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0BikQxMVwk

Competitors:
Championship Division:

Adjudicators: Margie S Antrobus; Andrea Price; Jan Van der Roost
Test Piece: Perihelion: Closer to the Sun (Philip Sparke)
Saturday 24th October
Start: 6.15pm

Altena Brass (Paul van Gils)
Brass Band Schoonhoven A (Paul Holland)
Brass Band De Bazuin Oenkerk (Jaap Musschenga)
Brassband De Waldsang (Rieks van der Velde)
Brass Band Rijnmond (Luc Vertommen)
Brass Band de Spijkerpakkenband (Anno Appelo)
Provincial Brass Band Groningen (Jan Weerkman)
Soli Brass (Anne van den Berg)

First Division:

Adjudicators: Margie S Antrobus; Andrea Price; Jan Van der Roost
Test Piece: Inner Citadel (Geert Jan Kroon)
Saturday 24th October
Start: 2.00pm

Brass Band Amersfoort (Vincent Verhage)
Brass Band Breukelen (Pieter Koster)
Brassband Gloria Dei (Gerk Huisma)
Brass Band Oefening en Uitspanning (Yves Wuyts)
Brass Band Pro Rege A (Jan Werkman)
Chr. Brass Band Excelsior (Rieks van der Velde)
Kunst naar Kracht (Olaf Ritman)

Second Division:

Adjudicators: Erik van de Kolk; David Morton; Jane Westervik
Test Piece: The Necessity of Renewal (Dennis Hazenoot)
Saturday 24th October
Start: 9.30am

Backum Brass (Max Knappstein)
Brass Band Schoonhoven B (Joop Nijholt)
Brass Band De Bazuin B (Martin Oostra)
Brass Band Looft den Heer (Gijs Heusinkveld)
CMV Euphonia Wolvega (Gerben Pol)
Chr. Brass Band Excelsior (Aline Werkman-Schipper)
De Lofklank (Koen van der Molen)
GBG Groningen (Jan Werkman)
Greidebrass (Siemen Hoekstra)
Martini Brass Band (Rieks van der Velde)

Third Division:

Adjudicators: Erik van de Kolk; David Morton; Jane Westervik
Test Piece: Spirit of Life (Meindert Boekel arr. Philip Harper)
Friday 23rd October
Start: 7.15pm

Apollo (Piet Visser)
Blaast de Bazuin (Chris van der Veen)
Brass band Nuenen (Kobus Verheij)
Brassband Heman (Geert Jan Kroon)
Brass Band Kunst & Vriendschap (Olav Dorst)
De Nije Bazun (Jaap Wils)
Koperensemble de Waldsang (Bienze Ijlstra)

Fourth Division:

Adjudicators: Erik van de Kolk; David Morton; Jane Westervik
Test Piece: Pioneers of the Past (Jan de Haan)
Friday 23rd October
Start: 3.30pm

Alkmaar Brass (Stefan van der Wilt)
Bernlef (Tijs Dijkstra)
Blaast de Bazuin (Piet Visser)
Brassband Pro Rege B (Hendry van Loo)
Brass Band UDI (Marco Middelberg)
Brassband Wirdum (Arjen Steur)
Chr. Brass Band Westersweach (Reimer Jan Rondaan)
SDG de Tike (Hendrik de Boer)