The European Brass Band Association (EBBA) is pleased to announce the set test pieces for the 47th European Brass Band Championships, Linz, Austria. Four new compositions by four Austrian composers, commissioned by the host organiser Amt der oberösterreichischen Landesregierung, Direktion Kultur und Gesellschaft, Abteilung Kultur/Oö. Landesmusikschulwerk
EBBC Championship section – Alienus
Thomas Doss is the composer of this year’s set piece for the Championship section. ”Alienus” is a word that means more than just extraterrestrial. It speaks of the foreign, the unfamiliar, the strange, of that what comes from beyond – and yet stirs questions deep within us. This piece tells the story of an encounter, when humans come upon a sleeping, enigmatic alien creature. The sound world of the piece is based on ancient roots; the hymn Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme is heard in its full glory in the finale of the piece, but in two tempi at the same time. The piece is published by Mitropa Music, Hal Leonard.
Thomas Doss
Thomas Doss was born in 1966 in Linz, where he also began his musical education at the Brucknerkonservatorium. Apart from Trombone, he has studied conducting at Mozarteum in Salzburg and composing at the University of Music in Vienna. He has written music for many kinds of ensembles and genres – from opera to pieces for orchestra, wind and brass bands. He enjoys writing for professionals as well as for children and young people. His piece Spiriti has been a great success, and with Alienus he adds another major work for brass band to his already extensive catalogue of works.
EBBC Challenge section – The Sleepwalkers
The Sleepwalkers refers to the book of the same title by the Australian historian Christopher Clark. Like sleepwalkers, the European great powers stumbled into the catastrophe of World War I in 1914. The same year, the Austrian composer Alban Berg also completed his Three Orchestral Pieces, Op. 6. Ziegelbäck incorporates three musical motifs taken from Berg’s piece, and by referencing music of this period and exploring the full sonic possibilities of a brass band, the work portrays the ambivalence between sleepwalking and martial-war-like sounds. In a calm middle section, Berg’s connection to the expressive music of Gustav Mahler is symbolized, while at the same time serving as a commemoration of all those who died in the war. The piece will be published by Symphonic Dimensions Publishing.
Andreas Ziegelbäck
The composer of The Sleepwalkers is Andreas Ziegelbäck, born 1997 in Wels. As composer and conductor, he specializes in wind and brass band music. He received his first conducting education under Thomas Doss and studied composition at the Mozarteum University Salzburg. He completed his master’s degree at the Bern University of the Arts, where he specialized in band conducting with minor studies in composition under Oliver Waespi. Ziegelbäck is a prizewinner of several international composition and conducting competitions. Since autumn 2025, he has been teaching conducting at the Gustav Mahler Private University in Klagenfurt.
EYBBC Premier section – Burn the Church!
A dramatic historical episode of the 16th century is the inspiration for the set piece for the Challenge section this year; Burn the Church! by Otto M. Schwarz. During the religious conflicts in nowadays northern France, a group of persecuted protestants sought refuge in a church in Wattrelos. The church was set on fire, and many lost their lives, while others escaped with the help of locals. The piece is an extended version of a work originally written for wind band. The piece is published by Symphonic Dimensions Publishing
Otto M. Schwarz
Born in Neukirchen 1967, Otto M. Schwarz grew up in Wimpassing south of Vienna, where he still lives today. He started to compose at the age of 15 and studied Trumpet and composing in Vienna. His earliest success came through pop music, and he has been very active as producer. Since 2001, he has focused preliminary on music for film and TV productions but is also a leading composer of music for wind bands. Nostrodamus and Fire and Ice are good examples of his ability to combine energetic rhythms, emotional depth and colourful orchestrations.
EYBBC Development section – Meet the Giants
Bridging centuries of music history, this piece fuses contemporary rhythms with the legacies of three visionary composers: Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Chopin. Here, Baroque clarity meets funk, and classical architecture meets modern drive. Thomas Murauer’s Meet the Giants opens with a vivid homage to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons before pivoting into a high-octane funk groove. A Beethoven-inspired development builds toward a powerful climax, eventually yielding to the tender, lyrical phrases of Chopin. The journey comes full circle as the initial energy returns – a spirited reprise that culminates in a virtuosic finale.
Thomas Murauer
Born in Grieskirchen in 1987, Thomas Murauer found his musical voice through the trumpet – an instrument that remains at the core of his identity. As a composer and arranger, he specializes in “capturing the essence of a moment,” creating evocative scores for film, television, radio, and diverse ensemble formats. His musical vision extends into marketing, yet Murauer views both disciplines through the same lens: whether designing a brand strategy or a musical score, the mission is identical – to move people, touch hearts, and tell stories that resonate long after the final note.
The European Brass Band Association (EBBA) is pleased to announce the set test pieces for the 47th European Brass Band Championships, Linz, Austria. Four new compositions by four Austrian composers, commissioned by the host organizer Amt der Oberösterreichische Landesregierung, Direktion Kultur und Gesellschaft, Abteilung Kultur.
EBBC Championship section – Alienus
Thomas Doss is the composer of this year’s set piece for the Championship section. ”Alienus” is a word that means more than just extraterrestrial. It speaks of the foreign, the unfamiliar, the strange, of that what comes from beyond – and yet stirs questions deep within us. This piece tells the story of an encounter, when humans come upon a sleeping, enigmatic alien creature. The sound world of the piece is based on ancient roots; the hymn Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme is heard in its full glory in the finale of the piece, but in two tempi at the same time. The piece is published by Mitropa Music, Hal Leonard.
Thomas Doss
Thomas Doss was born in 1966 in Linz, where he also began his musical education at the Brucknerkonservatorium. Apart from Trombone, he has studied conducting at Mozarteum in Salzburg and composing at the University of Music in Vienna. He has written music for many kinds of ensembles and genres – from opera to pieces for orchestra, wind and brass bands. He enjoys writing for professionals as well as for children and young people. His piece Spiriti has been a great success, and with Alienus he adds another major work for brass band to his already extensive catalogue of works.
EBBC Challenge section – The Sleepwalkers
The Sleepwalkers refers to the book of the same title by the Australian historian Christopher Clark. Like sleepwalkers, the European great powers stumbled into the catastrophe of World War I in 1914. The same year, the Austrian composer Alban Berg also completed his Three Orchestral Pieces, Op. 6. Ziegelbäck incorporates three musical motifs taken from Berg’s piece, and by referencing music of this period and exploring the full sonic possibilities of a brass band, the work portrays the ambivalence between sleepwalking and martial-war-like sounds. In a calm middle section, Berg’s connection to the expressive music of Gustav Mahler is symbolized, while at the same time serving as a commemoration of all those who died in the war. The piece will be published by Symphonic Dimensions Publishing.
Andreas Ziegelbäck
The composer of The Sleepwalkers is Andreas Ziegelbäck, born 1997 in Wels. As composer and conductor, he specializes in wind and brass band music. He received his first conducting education under Thomas Doss and studied composition at the Mozarteum University Salzburg. He completed his master’s degree at the Bern University of the Arts, where he specialized in band conducting with minor studies in composition under Oliver Waespi. Ziegelbäck is a prizewinner of several international composition and conducting competitions. Since autumn 2025, he has been teaching conducting at the Gustav Mahler Private University in Klagenfurt.
EYBBC Premier section – Burn the Church!
A dramatic historical episode of the 16th century is the inspiration for the set piece for the Challenge section this year; Burn the Church! by Otto M. Schwarz. During the religious conflicts in nowadays northern France, a group of persecuted protestants sought refuge in a church in Wattrelos. The church was set on fire, and many lost their lives, while others escaped with the help of locals. The piece is an extended version of a work originally written for wind band. The piece is published by Symphonic Dimensions Publishing
Otto M. Schwarz
Born in Neukirchen 1967, Otto M. Schwarz grew up in Wimpassing south of Vienna, where he still lives today. He started to compose at the age of 15 and studied Trumpet and composing in Vienna. His earliest success came through pop music, and he has been very active as producer. Since 2001, he has focused preliminary on music for film and TV productions but is also a leading composer of music for wind bands. Nostrodamus and Fire and Ice are good examples of his ability to combine energetic rhythms, emotional depth and colourful orchestrations.
EYBBC Development section – Meet the Giants
Bridging centuries of music history, this piece fuses contemporary rhythms with the legacies of three visionary composers: Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Chopin. Here, Baroque clarity meets funk, and classical architecture meets modern drive. Thomas Murauer’s Meet the Giants opens with a vivid homage to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons before pivoting into a high-octane funk groove. A Beethoven-inspired development builds toward a powerful climax, eventually yielding to the tender, lyrical phrases of Chopin. The journey comes full circle as the initial energy returns – a spirited reprise that culminates in a virtuosic finale.
Thomas Murauer
Born in Grieskirchen in 1987, Thomas Murauer found his musical voice through the trumpet – an instrument that remains at the core of his identity. As a composer and arranger, he specializes in “capturing the essence of a moment,” creating evocative scores for film, television, radio, and diverse ensemble formats. His musical vision extends into marketing, yet Murauer views both disciplines through the same lens: whether designing a brand strategy or a musical score, the mission is identical – to move people, touch hearts, and tell stories that resonate long after the final note.
Thomas Doss
Otto M. Schwarz
Andreas Ziegelbäck
