March 2013 will mark the 25th anniversary of Symphony No. 1, The Lord of the Rings, by Dutch composer Johan de Meij. For this occasion, The Royal Military Band of The Belgian Guides will organize a Gala Concert on March 14th, 2013, in collaboration with the Brussels Conservatory of Music. This same orchestra gave the spectacular world premiere in 1988 under the baton of their former conductor, Norbert Nozy. At this concert, the composer himself will conduct The Guides.
Other works on the program are the overture Spring, and UFO Concerto with the Belgian virtuoso Glenn van Looy as euphonium soloist. The concert also includes De Meij’s latest work, Extreme Beethoven, metamorphoses on themes by Ludwig van Beethoven. For this special occasion, the instrumentation of The Guides will be extended with additional instruments such as cellos and a soprano soloist for Spring, performed by final year students of the Brussels Conservatory. This concert will also feature the presentation of the book, Symphony No. 1, The Lord of the Rings – 25 Years. This special anniversary edition features several articles, along with the original handwritten score and a CD with the live recording of the BRT Radio performance of the legendary concert on 15 March 1988.
The Royal Military Band of The Belgian Guides – Guest conductor Johan de Meij
Concertzaal Conservatorium Brussels
Regentschapsstraat 30 – 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Thursday March 14, 2013, 8 pm
The next day, on March 15th 2013, The Guides and Johan de Meij will be the honored guests of the Festival Brass Band during a joint concert at De Singel in Antwerp. The program will again include the symphony, and Extreme Makeover, played by FBB and conducted by Dirk De Caluwé.
The Royal Military Band of The Belgian Guides
Festival Brass Band
Conductors Dirk De Caluwé & Johan de Meij
Theater deSingel
Desguinlei 25
2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Friday March 15, 2013, 8 pm
More information:
The Guides: www.mil.be
Brussels Conservatory of Music: www.kcb.be
www.johandemeij.com
www.festivalbrassband.be