Manger Musikklag, upset the entertainment odds at the Norwegian SIDDIS Contest on Saturday as they stormed to victory under conductor Martin Winter.

Sixth victory

It gave the band their first taste of victory at the contest since 1997 and their sixth title in the history of the event, whilst consigning pre-contest favourites and current Norwegian National Champion Eikanger-Bjørsvik, directed by Reid Gilje into second place, as they chased an unprecedented fourth successive win at the contest.

Manger claimed the 18,000 Krone top prize, with Eikanger picking up 10,000 Krone and Stavanger, 5,000.

Thrilling contest

Meanwhile, Stavanger, conducted by Allan Withington, who head for Brass in Concert in a few weeks time had to be content with third place in a thrilling contest held at the Stavanger Konserthuset, the venue used for this year’s European Brass Band Championships.

Manger’s three point winning margin saw them head the aggregate points tally for both playing and presentation, whilst Eikanger lost a point for going over the prescribed time limit – although that had no bearing on the final result.

It was an amazing weekend. In the past I've only had a 2nd and 3rd, so to win my first SIDDIS with music I wrote is quite specialMartin Winter

New York inspiration

Manger innovative ‘Central Park Suite’ written by Martin Winter took its inspiration from the famous New York parkland area and consisted of five linked thematic movements, starting with the opening ‘The Great Lawn’ and ‘Woodman Rink’, which featured cornet soloist Erlend Vetås Aagaard-Nilsen, who took the Best Instrumentalist Award.

Tribute

A tribute to some of the nations great jazz performers such as John Coltrane, Miles Davies, Tommy Dorsey and Oscar Peterson followed in ‘Ghosts from Central Park’, before the band veered into the more surreal world of composer Charles Ives and a Dali inspired ‘Surrealists March over Bow Bridge’. The set finished with the thrilling ‘The Delacorte Theatre’.

Martin told 4BR: "It was an amazing weekend. In the past I've only had a 2nd and 3rd, so to win my first SIDDIS with music I wrote is quite special. All credit to the band though, they really performed fantastically well and my star soloist is a real name for the future."

Innovative programmes

As usual at SIDDIS there were a number of innovative programmes on show, but Manger set the mark (gaining maximum points for entertainment presentation) from the number 5 draw with a performance that was more than good enough to withstand the later challenges of Eikanger and Stavanger as the last two bands on stage, and claim the title from adjudicators Hannes Buchegger and Jens T. Larsen.

Traditional interest

Interestingly, Eikanger and Stavanger both shared a ‘light’ item in both their programmes, with different arrangement so of ‘Hunting Wabbits’ by Gordon Goodwin.

Eikanger opted for a much more traditional approach under Reid Gilje, opening with ‘Festival Overture’ by Shostokovich and followed by the cornet solo ‘Concertino Brillante’ featuring Henning Anundsen. Following the ‘Wabbits’ came ‘I Know Thou’ Art Mine’ before the finale, from the ‘Firebird’ Suite.

Stavanger meanwhile, featured a programme arranged by Robin Dewhurst entitled, ‘Reflections’. It started with ‘Flamenco’, moving onto the solo item ‘Jabulani’ featuring Ingvild Rosenberg, ‘Reflection’, ‘La Cumparsita’, ‘Hunting Wabbits’ and the finale, ‘Mambo to go?’

First Division

In the First Division it was Kleppe Musikklag conducted by Russell Gray that took the honours in what proved to be a close contest.

Their winning programme started with ‘Strike up the Band’, followed by
’Brillitante’ featuring soloist Birthe Karlsen, ’Hymn to the Fallen’, ’Spain’ which featured tuba soloists Sigve Nesbakk and Jan Viggo Øvre and trumpet player Hans Marius Andersen, before rounding off with ’Robin Hood — Prince of Thieves’.

It gave Kleppe their second win at the contest in the last three years, and was enough to pinch the title ahead of runner up Sola Brass directed by Selmer Simonsen.

Both bands gained maximum marks for entertianment presentataion, but it was Kleppe who just gained the extra point from judges Graham Jones and Paul Farr to give themselves victory. Third place went to Sørum Musikklag conducted by Christian Tenfjord.

Second Division

10 bands competed in the Second Division contest where Hornorkesteret Stavanger conducted by Clive Zwanswiniski took the honours by a point from Haukås Musikklag.

It gave the band their second SIDDIS title in this section following their inaugural victory in 2000. Third place went to Manger Old Stars, who were making their debut at this level following their promotion after victory for the past two years in the Third Division.

Taste of Wales

There was a taste of Wales in Stavanger’s winning programme after Tredegar’s Ian Porthouse had recently worked with the band. The result was the opening item, ’Dragons Rise’ which led into ‘The Girl with the Flaxen Hair’, ‘Birdland’, the first movement of Philip Wilby ‘Euphonium Concerto’ played by Kristine Kalstø and the finale from ‘Dances and Arias’.

Third Division

Finally the Third Division, where there was victory for Fjell Brass conducted by Odvar Nøstdal. A massive 19 band field gave adjudicators Jan Fr. Christiansen, Morten E. Hansen plenty to think about as they gave the band the title by the narrowest of margins from Lindås Brass in second place and Langhus Brass in third.

Their programme started with ‘Fanfare & Chorale’, followed by ‘Over the Rainbow’ played by flugel horn, Anne Grete Haugetun, ‘Go Down Moses’, ‘Deep Harmony’ and the finale Duke Ellington’s ‘Caravan’.

Amazing day

In what was an amazing day of brass entertainment (starting at 8.45am and finishing with the prize ceremony at 8.30pm, the 26th SIDDIS Contest proved to be a major attraction for both bands (a record 53 took part this year) and audience, who packed both venues.

The day was rounded off with the 2007 champions Eikanger performing a short concert entitled ‘Absolute Eikanger’ before the announcement of the results.

Full Results:
Elite Division:

1. Manger Musikklag (Martin Winter) 96/10 = 106
2. Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag (Reid Gilje) 95/9-1 = 103
3. Stavanger Brass Band (Allan Withington) 94/9 = 103
4. Krohnengen Brass Band (Karl Ole Midtbø) 91/8 = 99
5. Jaren Hornmusikkforening (Jon Terje Svendsen) 90/8 = 98
6. Oslo Brass Band (Frode Amundsen) 89/8 = 97
7. Oslofjord Brass (John Phillip Hannevik) 88/8 = 96
8. Ila Brass Band (Thomas Rimul) 88/6 = 94
9. Tomra Brass Band (Michael Antrobus) 86/7-1 = 92

Best Soloist: Erlend Vetås Aagaard-Nilsen (Cornet)– Manger Musikklag

First Division:

1. Kleppe Musikklag (Russell Gray) 94/10 = 104
2. Sola Brass Band (Selmer Simonsen) 93/10 = 103
3. Sørum Musikklag (Christian Tenfjord) 93/9 = 102
4. Askøy Brass Band (Svein Henrik Giske) 92/9 = 101
5= Hasle Brass (Frode Amundsen) 91/8 = 99
5=. Skui Brassband (Jan Roger Øren) 89/10 = 99
7= Bjørsvik Brass (Eirik Gjerdevik) 90/7 = 97
8= Oster Brass (Sturle Berntsen) 90/7 = 97
9= Alexander Brass Band (Øyvind Grong) 88/8 = 96
9= Montebello Brass (Tarjei Gilbrant) 88/8 = 96
11= Kopervik Musikklag (Andrew Duncan) 87/7 = 94
11= Laksevåg Musikkforening (Tom Brevik) 87/7 = 94
13. Radøy Brass (Tormod Flaten) 86/7 = 93
14. Kristiansand Brass Band (David Tellefsen) 85/8 = 93
15. Flesland Musikklag (Patrik Randefalk) 85/7 = 92

Best Soloist: Birthe Carlsen (Euphonium) — Kleppe Musikklag

Second Division:

1. Hornorkesteret Stavanger (Clive Zwanswiniski) 95/9 = 104
2. Haukås Musikklag (Thor-Arne Pedersen) 94/9 = 103
3. Manger Old Star Brass (Johannes Mangersnes) 92/8 = 100
4. Sagvåg Musikklag (Håvard Kroka) 91/7 = 98
5. Stangaland Brass (Yngve Nikolaisen) 90/8 = 98
6. Bergen Brass Band (Helge Haukås) 89/8 = 97
7. Gjesdal Brass Band (Jonas Skartveit Rogne) 87/6 = 93
8. Rong Brass (Bjørn Breistein) 86/7 = 93
9. Follesø Musikklag (Egil Magnussen) 83/5= 88
10. Danfoss Orkesteret (John Fredriksen) 80/6 = 86

Best Soloist: Hilde Øyan (Horn) — Haukås Musikklag

Third Dvision:

1. Fjell Brass (Odvar Nøstdal) 94/9 = 103
2. Lindås Brass (Hogne Holmås) 93/9 = 102
3. Langhus Brass (Idar Torskangerpoll) 92/8 = 100
4. Nes Musikkforening (Anders Halla) 90/7 = 97
5= Gjøvik Bybrass (Torbjørn Lunde) 89/7 = 96
5= Hordvik Musikklag (Knut Emil Mjøs) 89/7 = 96
7. Randaberg Musikkorps (Selmer Simonsen) 89/6 = 95
8= Salhus Musikklag (Knut Emil Mjøs) 97/7 = 95
8= Stavanger Kommunes Korps (Morten Øvrebekk) 87/7 = 95
10. Hetlevik Musikklag (Hilde Brevik Grytten) 88/6 = 94
11= IMI Brass (Per-Erik Petersen) 87/6 = 93
11= Skeie Glad-Brass (Espen Westbye) 87/6= 93
13. Florø Hornmusikk (Kjetil Høidal) 86/6 = 92
14. Indre Torungen Brass Ensemble (Lars-Bjørnar Strengenes) 86/5 = 91
15. Karmsund Brass (Per Olav Paulsen) 85/6 = 91
16. Rosendal Musikklag (Torstein Hatlevik) 84/6 = 90
17. Fitjar Musikklag (Per Olav Paulsen) 82/5 = 87
18. Lyshornet Brass (Knut Harald Rydland) 81/5 = 86
19. Sotra Brass (Henning Anundsen) 80/5 = 85

Best Soloist: Unni Hodne (Flugel horn) — IMI Brass