As a prelude to the European in Stavanger next weekend the Grenland International Brass Festival (GIBF) in Skien, Norway, opens tonight with a concert by the all female brass ensemble "ten THING" ( www.tenthing.no) — lead by the new Norwegian trumpet star Tine Thing Helseth.
Championship church
On Friday night both First and Championship Section bands play a church programme of music in Skien Cathedral, while Second and Third Section bands play their compulsory programme in 'Ibsen House', Skien's Concert Hall, named after the city's great writer Henrik Ibsen.
All band play in 'Ibsen House' on Saturday, using two different stages.
This year the Championship Section test piece is "Prometheus Unbound" by Granville Bantock, while the bands in First section is playing Leslie Condon's "Call of the Righteous"Organisers
Strong line up
The Championship Section will be a strong international contest, fielding Leyland Band (UK), Windcorp Brass Band (Sweden), Concord Brass Band (Denmark), Provinciale Brassband Groningen (Netherlands) and finally Molde Brass Band and Sandefjord Brass Symposium from Norway.
Festival composer
GIBF have given Svein Henrik Giske, well known for his arrangements for Eikanger Band, the challenge to be this year festival composer, and commissioned him to write this year test pieces for both Second and Third Sections.
He has written "Three Gentle Giants" for Second Section, and "Dance Augmented" for the bands in Third Section.
Both pieces are around five minutes long and are to be included in the bands compulsory programme on Friday night. Other bands interested in these fine new contributions to the brass band repertoire could contact the composer directly on svein73@hotmail.com
New commissions
GIBF wants both to be responsible to commission new music for brass band, as well as take care of the traditional repertoire. For every year, since the first festival twelve years ago, the test piece for championship section has been a classic test piece.
Prometheus Unbound
This year the Championship Section test piece is "Prometheus Unbound" by Granville Bantock, while the bands in First section is playing Leslie Condon's "Call of the Righteous".
Adjudicators
GIBF have chosen a good mix of experience to adjudicate this year's festival, and the adjudicators will be Peter Meechan, Tormod Flaten, Alan Morrison and Frank Renton.
Frank Renton will also compere the Saturday evening Gala Concert with Leyland Band conducted by Jason Katsikaris.
Grenland International Brass Festival welcomes everybody to this year's festival and invites everybody as well to next year's event in April 24th and 25th 2009.
