Jahresbericht

A n n u a l R e p o r t

about activities and business of the European Brass Band Association (EBBA) during the period of 6 May 2007 until 4 May 2008, given at the General Meeting of the EBBA on 4 May 2008 in Stavanger/Norway.

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Birmingham 2007

Soon after EBBA’s EBBC in Birmingham/England the EBBA Executive Committee made an analysis and a feedback of the event and its organisation.

Because the EBBC is in a different country every year, it is not easy to maintain the high standard and the quality of organisation. It is therefore good for the event when some years we can benefit from the experience of cities and organisations who have hosted the EBBC in previous years.

We thank and congratulate the British Federation of Brass Bands for a successful EBBC and the side events, and congratulate the European Champion Brass Band Willebroek and the winner of the European Soloists' Competition Lin Chin-Cheng, both from Belgium.

New EBBA team

The European Brass Band Association was founded in 1995 in Luxembourg and is now a very well established body in Europe. Before this, there was no oppurtonity or platform for a Brass Band Festival with side events in Europe.

The European Brass Band Association is bringing the European Brass Band movement closer together. The different National Associations, musicians, teachers and conductors are exchanging their knowledge and their ideas nowadays. Besides the contesting there is a friendly atmosphere and a lot of friendship between the musicians and conductors all over Europe.

At the General Meeting in Birmingham EBBA elected a new team for future years. Markus S. Bach resigned from EBBA after 12 years service as the organisation's first and only president since it started.

At the Gala Concert of the EBBC in Birmingham Markus S. Bach was awarded as an EBBA "honorary life member" for excellent leadership and commitment and his essential role in developing EBBC to be the world band movement's most prestigious event.

Also, general secretary Nelly Unternaehrer, Switzerland, and treasurer Robert Schotte, Belgium, left the organisation after 10 and 12 years of valuable service to EBBA.

The whole European band movement thank them for their excellent service!

EBBA's General Meeting in Birmingham elected the new team under the presidency of Ulf Rosenberg, Norway.

EBBA's new vicepresident is Kurt Bohlhalter, Switzerland, general secretary Berit Handegard and treasurer Raf Anseeuw, Belgium.

Peter Fraser, Scotland and Jappie Dijkstra, The Netherlands, continue as EC members, and Dijkstra also as president of the Music Commision.

In the Music Commission Tom Brevik, Norway, left after 12 years of valuable service, and the GM elected Dr. Erich Schöfl as his successor.

Nigel Morgan and Joe Cassels were elected as auditors.

EBBA now hire the secretariat from the Norwegian Band Federation.

Dave Dobson left EBBA EC in June, and Robert Morgan replaced him to the next General Meeting.

The EC and MC have attended the following meetings:

29June 2007 in Preston, during the English nationals (MC and EC)

20 September 2007 in Amsterdam (MC)

2 November 2007 in Stavanger during Siddis Brass entertainment contest (EC)

8 February 2008 in Bergen during the Norwegian nationals. (EC)

1 May 2008 in Stavanger during the EBBC (EC+MC)

The EBBA President, General Secretary, Vice president, Treasurer and the President of the Music Commission also had several telephone conferences and several "e-mail conferences".

The EC has a goal to involve and inform the delegates in the work of EBBA and establish a forum for exchange of information, advice and feedback.

The EBBC 2007 was very well controlled by European Contest Controller Fritz Brand, before he resigned as contest controller, and Michael Zoppas was elected in this role. Fritz suddenly and sadly passed away September 4^th 2007 and that was a great loss for the European band movement and we send our condolences to his family and friends.

EBBC Stavanger 2008

During autumn 2007 the EBBA General Secretary started to send out the invitations to the nominated National Champions and representative bands of all the different countries.

Each National Association and member of the European Brass Band Association nominates their National Champion Band to participate in the European Brass Band Championship.

The rules and entry forms for the 4^th European Conductors Competition were sent out to all the delegates of the member countries, to music education institutions and to the band press in Europe.

The Norwegian Band Federation (NMF) has worked hard to present the EBBC 2008 in the city of Stavanger. EBBA and the EC organisation have enjoyed phenomenal support of the City of Stavanger, Stavanger 2008 European Capital of Culture and the Rogaland County Council, which we greatly acknowledge.

The event mananger Kulturoperatørene with Øyvind Storheim, on a contract with NMF, has been working very efficiently to organise the EBBC 2008 and we thank him for his co-operation and friendly assistance.

In 1978 the 1^st European Brass Band Championship was held in the Royal Albert Hall in London. EBBC has now been held for the fourth time in Norway and for the first time in Stavanger.

An international audience in sold out halls, enjoyed the very high standard of performances at the 31^st EBBC in Stavanger with 17 bands from 13 different countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, Germany, Italy, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Scotland, Sweden and Wales.

The EBBA is working to encourage more countries to create Brass Band movements. Since 1994 when the B-section was first invented, the brass band movements in France and Austria have been developed. It was a disappointment when this year again we only had three countries for the B-section.

Since 1998 the EBBA also organises side events alongside the European Brass Band Championship:

European Soloists Competition

European Composers Competition

European Conductors Competition

Many winners of these competitions have been helped in their subsequent careers and are now well known conductors, musicians or composers.

25 entrants send in their applications for the 4^th European Conductors Competition in Stavanger. 17 were invited to Stavanger, and we had the highest level ever in this competition. We congratulate the finalists and the winner of the competition.

Also the European Youth Brass Band has been together for the whole European week 2008 under the excellent leadership of Reid Gilje.