Koninklijke Harmonie van Peer vzw.

Every 4 years the city of Kerkrade (The Netherlands) becomes the beating heart of the international Wind Music scene; from the end of June till the start of August it becomes the hometown of the “World Music Contest”, the World Championships for fanfares, wind bands and brass bands. Hundreds of orchestras compete for the prestigious title of World Champion.

This competition is an absolute peak for the Royal Concert Band of Peer. In 1993 the main orchestra participated for the first time, while the youth orchestra joined this international stage in 2005. Two orchestras of the same concert band, participating to the same WMC edition; it was never seen before. Both conductors, Peter Cools of the Youth orchestra and Willy Fransen of the main orchestra, led their musicians to magnificent results.

The youth orchestra became “Vice World Champion” in 3rd division, in the midst of the other ‘adult’ orchestras. The main orchestra performed for the first time in the prestigious ‘concert division’; the fantastic verdict of the jury: 90,90% and a 5th place in concert division. A superb motivation for both orchestras … to perform even better at the WMC 2009 contest.

Do you want to learn more about this absolutely fantastic event and the way both orchestras prepare to and perform at the WMC 2009 stage? You can read and see more in our WMC Journal.

J O U R N A L