Fantasia on a Flemish Sea Song

'Fantasia on a Flemish Sea Song' was commissioned by Jeroen Berwaerts and VLAMO for the gala concert of the European Brass Band Championships 2017. These took place in the Belgian seaside town of Ostend, which explains the choice to make a fantasy on the sailor's song "Al die willen te kap'ren varen". A first reference to the song can be found in a Ghent song collection from 1856 by E. de Coussemaker: "Chants populaires des Flamands de France". The fantasia is faithful to tradition composed in a free form with variation elements and allows the soloist to showcase virtuosity and narrative power.