STANLEY tells it all – Inspiration!
During the period from late 2015 until halfway 2017 we were still looking for direction. The idea was to found a professional Symphonic Wind Orchestra, but which, what, where, whom, etc.? I brought the word out in 2016 at the first edition of the European Championship for Wind Orchestras (ECWO) which is held two more times since.
This first was in the large concerthall of TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, The Netherlands. A very good choice, to put it mildly. Reconnecting with colleagues I had not seen nor spoken to for many years, this became a reunion of kind. There were eight orchestras in the competition ranging from 45 until 93 musicians. The first played at 09.00 o’clock. Try to be your best at that hour, right? All performances were truly inspiring. There was electricity in the concerthall!
2017 was literally filled with wind band music. Think of the World Music Contest (WMC) in Kerkrade and the WASBE Conference as held in TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht. There were many concerts and I went to the Banda Municipal de Barcelona. Spain holds several professional civil wind bands next to the military. It’s original repertoire is beautiful and challenging at the same time, to say the least. This professional Banda is top notch and filled with master musicians. A wonderful concert!
Stanley E. van Wel MM – Music Director
Posted on LinkedIn.com dated 18 October 2023