Duke Ellington (1889- 1974) was a very successful American pianist conductor composer and arranger. His orchestra existed for decades and was able to survive thanks to the enormous hits that he and his collaborators wrote. Many of those songs now belong to the standard repertoire of jazz musicians.Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) was arranger and composer with the orchestra from 1939 and also wrote Take the A-Train which became the band’s favourite song from 1941. Many recordings were made of it. Juan Tizol (1900-1984 valve trombone) played with Duke Ellington almost his entire career and composed Latin songs for the orchestra. He is co-composer of Caravan and Perdido.Just likein the original Duke Ellington concerts the medley begins with Take the A-Train followed by a number of classics from the repertoire of the legendary orchestra. In some songs there are soloists notable a solo on kettledrums in C- Jam Blues. This solo can also be improvised.When rehearsing a lot of attention has to be paid to the drum and bass which together form the rhythm section and drive the orchestra on. The other sections have to be tight and create a coherent swing effect. The swing shouldn’t be too stiff and can vary per song. For example in In a Sentimental Mood the melody can be played almost straight (classically) while the rhythm section continues swinging.

This work was commissioned by Fanfare Sint-Willibrordus Wintelre from the Netherlands and describes the power and wonders of nature in 4 atmospheric movements: Birth Battle Silence and Water . Wonders of Nature was composed as a soundtrack for a nature film and even without the images the work will appeal to the performers as well as the audience. It appeals to the listener’s own fantasy and imagination as one can attempt to visualise the imagery whilst listening to the music.

This majestic processional march entitled Cortège de Bacchus (Procession of Bacchus) is an extract taken from one of the most popular scenes in the ballet Sylvia by the celebrated 19th Century French composer Léo Delibes. In this arrangement for brass band by Stephen C. Barnwell it can be used an ideal concert opener or for any festive occasion. This majestic processional march entitled Cortège de Bacchus (Procession of Bacchus) is an extract taken from one of the most popular scenes in the ballet Sylvia by the celebrated 19th Century French composer Léo Delibes. In this arrangement for brass band by Stephen C. Barnwell it can be used an ideal concert opener or for any festive occasion.

The attacks in Brussels on 22 March 2016 created a shockwave throughout Belgium and the rest of the world. Equally the attacks in Paris and Nice led to great public indignation fear and disbelief. Bert Appermont’s intention was to voice certainemotions that these acts of terror have caused: particularly fear grief anger and helplessness. He uses the French children’s song Au Clair de la Lune as a connecting thread throughout the work. The attacks in Brussels on 22 March 2016 created a shockwave throughout Belgium and the rest of the world. Equally the attacks in Paris and Nice led to great public indignation fear and disbelief. Bert Appermont's intention was to voice certain emotions that these acts of terror have caused: particularly fear grief anger and helplessness. He uses the French children's song Au Clair de la Lune as a connecting thread throughout the work.

This composition is written for the Dutch municipality Woensdrecht (Netherlands) at the occasion of it�s seven hundreth anniversary. �A celebrating village� is a stately composition based on a choral which can be if desired played with a choir.

This composition is written for the Dutch municipality Woensdrecht (Netherlands) at the occasion of it’s seven hundreth anniversary. ‘A celebrating village’ is a stately composition based on a choral which can be if desired played with a choir.

La Prière is a musical fragment that forms part of one of the numerous compositions made by Paul Gilson (1865-1942) for the HaFaBra litterature namely Retour au Pays. Juri Briat took care of the arrangement resulting in a magnificent choral.This piece can be used as study material as well as opening music for concerts or contests.

This dynamic overture makes a good beginning of your concert and can be played by every orchestra thanks to the well-considered instrumentation. The colorful themes constantly alternate which results in a movement that characterizes this energetic composition. With Aperitivo Energico we proudly introduce you to Philip Gorts.

Dies Infernus means 'Day of Hell'. The reason for this title is the dreadful disaster that befell the Dutch village of Kolhorn in 1788 when the whole village went up in flames. Afterwards a huge appeal was launched to rebuild the unfortunate village. Many people were willing to contribute resulting in the collection of the enormous sum at the time of eighteen thousand guilders with which the village could be rebuilt. This work was commissioned by Harmonie De Eendracht in Kolhorn to mark its 110th Anniversary.

A lot is known about the American composer Leroy Anderson. This son of Swedish immigrants played the piano organ accordion trombone tuba and double bass. He spoke several languages fluently and graduated from Harvard with first-class honours.While on military service the army also commissioned him to write a manual on Icelandic grammar.He already started writing musical arrangements as a student and from his 30th year arranged and composed for the Boston Pops Orchestra. Such melodiesas Serenata The Typewriter Sleigh Ride and Bugler�s Holiday made him world famous. His best-known work Blue Tango reached number one in the US charts in 1952 and it sold more than a million copies. In 1975 a year after hisdeath he was given a star at the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.Most of his works last no longer than three minutes about the maximum length of a single at that time. One work that lasts longer is his 1953 Piano Concerto in C for piano and orchestra.The first performance was in Chicago conducted by the composer and with Eugene List at the piano. However after three performances he was no longer happy with the work and withdrew it. He always intended to revise it but never got round to it. Itwas only in 1989 that the Anderson family decided to republish the work.This three-part composition is on the one hand characterised by a careless elegance but on the other one can hear the influence of Rachmaninoff Copland Gershwin and evenBeethoven and Mozart as well as the Viennese classics.Anderson used the sonata form for the first movement. It ends with a cadenza that carries us on into the second part (in e minor). The third part is a typically cheerful American folk dance in2/4 time a so-called Hoe Down with a lilting lyrical passage as its middle section. At the end comes a solo passage followed by a rapid close.In this piano concerto Anderson combines a rigidly classical form of composition with simple andappealing themes and elements from light music. So this work is a perfect synthesis of light music and what is called serious music in the same way as Gershwin�s Rhapsody in Blue. A work that can be played equally well in a concerthall at an open-air concert or even a pop concert.

This Little Christmas Suite arranged for concert band by Robert Finn contains three European Christmas carols of uncertain origin. The three movements Baile de Nadal (from Spain) Still Still Still (from Germany) and The First Noel (from England) create a delightful suite for any concert band and can also be performed with a choir.

Comme d’habitude better known as My Way was made world famous by Frank Sinatra. Juri Briat already made a great arrangement of the tender song The Rose. Once more he put is his stamp on this originally French ballad by giving it a brilliant interpretation.

This composition is written for the Dutch municipality Woensdrecht (Netherlands) at the occasion of it’s seven hundreth anniversary. ‘A celebrating village’ is a stately composition based on a choral which can be if desired played with a choir.

Leonesse is the name of the castle and landed estates of Lady Guinevere from the famous story of King Arthur. This stately concert march leads us to the old England with its legendary castles and the beautiful and impressive landscapes where many knights have died. Following a festive opening a majestic melody symbolises the atmosphere of courtly elegance and refinement. The second part of this original composition describes with a broad and dignified melody the beauty and extensiveness of the English hills.

This classic 1962 war film about the landing of the Allied troops at the end of the Second World War is a historic link to the recent D-Day memorial. This upbeat march is a kind of cynical reference to the horror and madness of World War II at the time of the fall of the Third Reich.

Clarinet in motion is a composition for clarinet and orchestra written by Steve Willaert for the famous belgian clarinet player Walter Boeykens. This jazzy clarinet concerto consists of three parts.The cadenza allow the soloist to improvise freely.

New Signature allows us to introduce Dominiek van Nuffelen to you. The piece starts slow and deliberate then flows into a faster movement in which rhythmic precision and accurate combined playing are required. Influences from light music together with elements from rock music have been interwoven in the piece.

Cathedrals have always appealed to the imagination. Hundreds of years of manpower have been invested in their building and it is not for nothing that today they represent imposing symbols of architecture and history. The cathedral is also a great source of inspiration for compositions drawing on a full palette of acoustic echo effects Gregorian melodies and organ based choral themes.The work “ Catedrals” opens with a five tone motif using double tonguing which resonates through space. Then comes a Gregorian antiphonal theme “Salve Regina” which is heard in the euphonium and later combines with the opening motif. The quicker passage that follows is basedentirely on the intervals in the motif which by now has added rhythmic variations and develops in different forms including a fugue. The work then builds towards its first climax from which unusual muted sounds emerge creating an atmosphere shrouded in mystery.Gradually more melodious fragments are added to the Gregorian antiphonal theme which develops into an expansive choral emulating the organ and which rises above the sound mass. The work grows more powerful and brilliant in sound until it culminates in a short and explosive finale wherein elements from the whole work come together.

Naoya Wada’s style is characterised by a positive and optimistic undertone. This is also the case in this composition with the expressive title Towards the Bright Future . The opening fanfare is played by the brass and immediately provides the basis for the themes in a composition where melodious passages alternate with blaring brass and several flashing changes of time. This work was composed on commission to the Kokura Nishi High School Band for its 110th anniversary. The composer dedicated it to Hirofumi Matsumoto the school'’s director.

With Capriccio you can put your tuba soloist in the spotlight. Frank Vantroyen has made an excellent new recording of this song on his CD “Hey it’s Frank!”.A real challenge for every ambitious tuba player.