Dear participants and audience,

It is a great pleasure and honour for me as State Secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs to say a few words here at the 26 ^th> European Brass Band Championships 2003.

For the 3 ^rd> time, brass band enthusiasts from all over Europe are gathered here in Bergen and Grieghallen. For two days 14 bands have been competing in two different sections, and we have experienced stunning, memorable and moving performances by brass bands of the very best quality.

The band movement in Norway has always been an important part of our cultural life, and the Norwegian government recognises that the brass band movement is valuable also for the professional orchestras, for our music schools, and for the total musical milieu in Norway. Brass band activity, based on voluntary effort and dedication, means a great deal to many people. Such strong support is significant for the ability to host an international championship like the European Brass Band Championships. And of course, the brass band tradition in Bergen is also of crucial importance. The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs greatly appreciates that the Norwegian Band Federation has taken on the responsibility of organising this event.

I am especially pleased with the fact that this competition is seen as an opportunity to promote works by Norwegian composers. The test piece in the Championship Section is a new, Norwegian work written especially for this occasion. “Aubade - Dawn songs of the fabulous birds”, by Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen, is based on musical pictures of imaginary birds: the creatures with wings that exist only in myths and legends. The composer himself says that he likes to challenge the audience. 1Intervju i Musikkorpsavisa nr. 2 2003. But “Aubade” does not only pose a challenge to the audience. Also the musicians have invested a lot of hard work and dedication to the task of finding Aagaard-Nilsens birds. This makes us appreciate even more the many excellent performances we heard of this piece last night.

The European Brass Band Championships also constitute an arena for European conductors. The 2 ^nd> European Conductors Competition 2003 took place this week as a part of the EBBC. 15 promising European conductors had the opportunity to conduct some of Norway's leading brass bands.

In connection with the EBBC, the European Youth Brass Band is gathered for the second time. 38 young and talented musicians from 12 European countries have come together for a week in order to practice and give concerts. This gathering will be brought to a close tomorrow with a “Farewell Concert” at Grieghallen with Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag and Buy As You View Cory Band, in addition to the European Youth Brass Band. Certainly a concert experience one doesn’t want to miss!

In addition to the actual competition in Grieghallen, there can be no doubt that the entire city of Bergen has been turned into a major brass band arena this last week.

I would like to congratulate every single one of the participants in the European Championships; musicians, conductors, supporters and audience, with a very successful event.

For the sixth year in a row, Norway's performing rights society TONO will present the Edvardaward to composers of excellent works in six different categories, which have been performed or released for the first time in 2002. This year one of the awards goes to the composer of a work within the category ”music for wind instruments”. Together with the Norwegian Band Federation and on the behalf of TONO, I have the honour to present the Edvardaward for the best composition for wind instruments to Knut Vaage for his piece “Graffiti”.