I am looking forward to work with Lyngby-Taarbæk in Denmark. We already shared the stage at several Europeans but now I have the privilege to work with this great bunch. Below the press release.
Lyngby-Taarbæk opts for Janssen in quest for Danish national title
The cross-continent famous Dutch conductor Erik Janssen will travel to the Northeast for the coming weeks – but not that far. Janssen is going to Denmark to stand in front of multiple previous Danish national champions Lyngby-Taarbæk Brass Band for the first time at the Danish National Brass Band Championships on Friday the 8th and Saturday the 9th November. The competition is set to take place in Aarhus in the city’s Concert Hall’s beautiful Symphonic Hall. Here, Janssen and Lyngby-Taarbæk Brass Band will take on Copenhagen-based rivals and current title holder Concord Brass Band as well as Aarhus Brass Band, Nordvestjysk Brass Band, and FDF Christianshavn Brass Band in the Elite Division. Last year, the band became the overall runner-up in the 2018 Danish Nationals claiming the prize for best own choice performance with a stunning performance of Peter Graham’s The 39th Parallel.
Months of preparation
Lyngby-Taarbæk Brass Band which is based in the Copenhagen suburb of Lyngby began preparations for this fall’s Danish Nationals as early as right after last year’s championships when the set test piece for this year’s competition was announced. Having worked year-round with former bandsman, current band trainer Michael Thomsen, the band had already intense familiarity with the piece Psyché composed by Ludovic Neurohr which the band will play as set test piece on Friday of the competition weekend. Mr. Janssen had his first rehearsal with the band on the 13th October. And with many more rehearsals scheduled before the competition the band and their famous conductor will be in top condition entering the stage in Aarhus.
Secret adjudication
In the late afternoon, early evening hours of Saturday of the competition weekend, Mr. Janssen and Lyngby-Taarbæk Brass Band hope to bring sparkle to the concert hall with their own choice test piece. As has been the tradition for the previous many years, adjudication is secret, and the adjudicators will be placed in a black box during the performances of the bands. Therefore, the own choice piece of the band has not yet been announced to the public and can thusly not be mentioned here. But both the band and its conductor are excited about performing the pieces to the audience.
We suggest following the competition via live stream on YouTube and enjoy the best bands of Denmark competing for the top spot. While at it, you might as well root for Lyngby-Taarbæk Brass Band and Erik Janssen to do well.