Banda Amizade on the way to the World Music Contest in Kerkrade (NL)

Banda Amizade is facing a great challenge: being the only Portuguese band to represent Portugal in the World Music Contest, in our category, being one of the only two selected.

Participating in the world championship of bands, the  World Music Contest (WMC) is an opportunity of excellence, for the prestige and dimension of this event that takes place every four years in Kerkrade (The Netherlands). In 2017 there are 260 bands from 32 countries and 5 continents.

Banda Amizade participated for the first time in the WMC in 2009, having won the 6th place, with 92 points in 100. This year will be a single Portuguese band to compete in its category, being one of the two Portuguese bands selected, in addition to Banda Vaguense.

For about forty minutes, our band will play a pre-selected theme and another one of our choice in competition with 25 bands in the 2nd Harmony category.

This challenge has been a source of motivation for all musicians, ranging from 12 to 80 years, and all the elements are getting involved in the activities and concerts organized in order to get this trip possible as well as participating in workshops, for example with Nigel Clarke, composer of the theme chosen by us.

Transporting 80 musicians and all instruments, to Kerkrade, is a difficult and costly logistics task.

Since we are not a profit based institution we are only focus on full filling our two main objectives, which are, play in international events and reach good result, aiming to obtain a prize for our city and our country.

We believe and have invested a lot of effort in this project. But sometimes even with all our effort we still need to count with the goodwill of all our partners, friends and supporters to raise funds and take a Banda Amizade to Kerkrade.

WE COUNT WITH ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU!

Banda Amizade em Concerto

About the author

Founded in 1834, Banda Amizade - Banda Sinfónica de Aveiro (Portugal), currently with about 80 musicians, has played in many regions of the country and abroad, always deserving great praise.

It has participated in several Festivals and Contests, having been awarded several times. Its first competition was in 1960, in which it won a 3rd Prize; and the most recent was the 2nd International Filarmonia D'Ouro Competition, in which it won a 1st Prize. Through the medium, it has won numerous awards and distinctions in Portugal, Germany, France, Sweden, Holland, Italy and Spain.  It was awarded the Silver and Gold Medal of the City of Aveiro and, in 2016, the Gold Medal of União de Freguesias de Glória e Vera Cruz (Aveiro).

Since 2000 the Artistic Direction has been in charge of Carlos Marques, composer of the publisher Molenaar Editions and professor in several Conservatories and establishments of Higher Education in the area of music.

Other valences of Banda Amizade are: School of Music, Chamber Choir, Big Band, Youth Orchestra and Children's Choir.

Banda Amizade organizes a series of activities such as "Summer Wind Band". This activity gathers young musicians from Portugal and Triuggio (Italy) and has the participation of several conducters as Armando Saldarini.

Budget and due dates

Bus trips (transfer from and to Aveiro - Porto and Brussels - Kerkrade): 4000€

Plane trips: 15600€

Transport of instruments: 1500€

Registration on the WMC and acquisition of compulsory theme: 1500€

Stay (accommodation and board): 6000€

Non-foreseeable expenses: 1500€

Deadline: February 24th to April 24th, 2017

Images