EBBA is delighted that the 8th European Conductor Competition will take place in Stavanger 4 – 8 May 2025.
The conductors selected to compete in person will have the opportunity to conduct a variety of fine regional ensembles. It is a pleasure to introduce the ensembles for the 1st round, 2nd round and final.
Sola Brass Band
Candidates in the first round will work the Sola Brass Band, formed in 1984, with a wide age range of players.
The band has a busy, high quality concert schedule, and competes annually in the 1st section in the SIDDIS entertainment contest, and in the 2nd section nationally. A sense of community is important to the band, and they regularly perform concerts for young people in the area around Stavanger, aiming to inspire the next generation of musicians.
Pieces the candidates can choose extracts to work on in the first round are:
Partita by Philip Wilby
Sinfonietta No.3 by Etienne Crausaz
As a Glow by Ludovic Neurohr
Insimul
The sinfonietta Insimul will be the ensemble for the second round.
Insimul is based in Stavanger and consists of professional musicians from the area. The sinfonietta was founded in 2018 by a group of former students from the University of Stavanger – Faculty of Performing Arts, who believed that the city needed a contemporary ensemble, and a freelance ensemble that could collaborate outside the institutions.
Insimul aims to offer modern music that challenges the listener. The ensemble commissions new works and perform several times a year from the large selection of Scandinavian composers. “Modern classics” are also a part of their repertoire. It is important for Insimul to offer concerts to children and young people in the region. In the concerts, children contribute as singers, dancers and actors. The sinfonietta regularly play at festivals, including the Stavanger Chamber Music Festival, Aalborg Opera Festival, Only connect, Wonderful world, chapter and Brass wind.
Pieces to be conducted in the second round are:
Nonet No.2 (H374) by Bohuslav Martinů
Sinfonietta Op.1 by Benjamin Britten
Stavanger Brass Band
The famous Stavanger Brass Band will play in the final of the European Conductors Competition. Stavanger Brass Band was founded in 1981 and has been one of the leading Norwegian bands since then. The band has won the Norwegian national title no less than ten times and has won several other contest titles throughout the years. The entertainment contest, Siddis Brass, is hosted by Stavanger Brass Band in November every year and attracts more than 50 bands. Siddis Brass is an important arena for new repertoire and developing entertainment concepts for brass bands internationally. Stavanger Brass Band has been the winner of the Championship Section of the Siddis Brass competition a total of eight times.
The band has actively commissioned new music from Norwegian composers of different genres, ranging from contemporary, jazz and orchestral to organ music. For many years the band has been a driving force within the innovative trends in Norwegian banding. This reputation has paved the way for invitations to play at prestigious events and festivals in Norway and internationally. Stavanger Brass Band has been at the forefront among Norwegian bands when it comes to international touring. Since 2000, the band has toured England, Scotland, USA, Netherlands, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, France and Wales.
Pieces to be performed in the final are:
Fraternity by Thierry Deleruyelle
Catharsis by Kjetil Djønne
Lowry Sketchbook by Philip Wilby
Schedule for the European Conductors Competition
Sunday 4th May: 1st round at the University of Stavanger – Faculty of Performing Arts
Tuesday 6th May: 2nd round in the Kuppelhallen, Stavanger Konserthus
Thursday 8th May: Finale in the Kuppelhallen, Stavanger Konserthus
Rules and invitation
Applicants must have been born on or after 1 January 1990 and are native to, or resident in EBBA member countries. The closing date for entries is 15 January 2025.
EBBA ECC 2025 Rules and regulations
Registration form European Conductors Competition
Pictures showing
Sola Brass Band, photo: Tomas Bjørn
Insimul, photo: Nino Felbab
Stavanger Brass Band, photo: Øyvind Andersen
