What is the WMC Kerkrade?
You may have seen news pieces and social media posts about the WMC (World Music Contest) Kerkrade circulating at the moment.
Ashamedly, this is the first I've heard of this contest when I found out fellow North-West band, Flixton is taking part.
So I did a bit of an explore on the contest's website and any news snippets I could find to discover what the event actually entails and it looks amazing!
If you're like me and you have been wondering what WMC Kerkrade is, wonder no more!
I've saved you the hassle of skimming the web by breaking down what the contest is, venue details, contest times and any other information that might satisfy your curiosity or inform you if you're thinking of attending the contest!
So, without further ado, let's find out what goes on at WMC Kerkrade.
So, What is the wmc Kerkrade?
The World Music Contest, is a four week festival held every four years in Kerkrade, The Netherlands.
According to their website, the WMC is 'where cultures unite in order to make music.'
In a nutshell, the WMC is a wind music festival made up of a variety of contests for wind and fanfare bands, as well as brass bands, marching and show bands, percussion ensembles and conductors.
The festival will also provide the stage for the premiere of 'influential' and 'groundbreaking' compositions.
Winners at Kerkrade can call themselves a world champion in their field until the following contest.
It's essentially a musical Olympic games and it looks amazing!
Where is WMC Kerkrade Held?
Funnily enough, it's held in Kerkrade - which is on the border between Belgium and Germany.
Events are held across three venues around the area including:
Roda Hall - a venue that was built in the '60s especially for the contest.
Kerkrade Theatre
Parkstad Limburg Stadium
The festival has a long history, having been held every four years since 1951!
For those looking to travel to the festival, the recommended airports are:
Düsseldorf
Cologne
Eindhoven
Brussels
All are within an hour's drive of Kerkrade.
If you are planning to travel to Schiphol airport, it takes around 3 hours to get to Kerkrade.
When is it?
The 2022 WMC will be held from Thursday 7th until Sunday 31st July with over 20 musical events taking place!
The dates for the specific events are as follows:
Wind Band - Concert Division - Friday 29th, Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July 2022
Wind Band - 1st Division - Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July 2022
Wind Band - 2nd Division - Friday 29th, Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July 2022
Wind Band - 3rd Division - Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th July 2022
Fanfare Band - Concert Division - Saturday 23rd and 24th July 2022
Fanfare Band - 1st Division - Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd July 2022
Fanfare Band - 2nd Division - Saturday 16th July 2022
Fanfare Band - 3rd Division - Sunday 17th July 2022
Brass Band - Concert Division - Friday 8th July (Test Piece) & Saturday 9th July (Own-Choice) 2022
Brass Band - 1st Division - Sunday 10th July 2022
Brass Band - 2nd Division - Sunday 10th July 2022
Brass Band - 3rd Division - Saturday 9th July 2022
Percussion - Brass Band - Concert Division - Test Piece - Friday 8th July 2022
Percussion Ensemble - Concert Division - Own Choice Programme - Friday 15th July 2022
Percussion Ensemble - 1st Division - Friday 8th July 2022
Percussion Ensemble - 2nd Division - Friday 15th July 2022
Show - Championship Division - Prelims - Friday 29th July 2022
Show - Championship Division - Finals - Saturday 30th July 2022
Show - World Division - Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July 2022
Show - 1st Division - Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th July 2022
Show - 2nd Division - Saturday 23rd July 2022
Show - Junior Division - Saturday July 23rd 2022
Marching - Championship Division - Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July 2022
Marching - World Division - Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July 2022
Marching - 1st Division - Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24 July 2022
Marching - 2nd Division - Saturday 23rd July 2022
Marching - Junior Division - Saturday 23rd July 2022
Marching Parade - Championship Division - Saturday 30th July 2022
Marching Parade - 1st Division - Sunday 24th July 2022
International Conductors Contest
1st Round (24 Candidates)- Wednesday 13th July 2022
2nd Round (12 Candidates)- Thursday 14th July 2022
Semi-finals (6 candidates) - Monday 18th July 2022
Finals (3 candidates) - Tuesday 19th July (rehearsal) and Wednesday 20th July 2022 Concert)
What is the WMC's Mission?
Reading the mission statement, the values of the WMC is everything music should stand for (in my opinion anyway):
Intercultural - a place where cultures meet through music and where people from different backgrounds can make music together.
Inclusive - everyone is welcome at the WMC, regardless of origin, sexual orientation or physical/mental abilities - one of the festival's tasks is to bring everyone together in an 'atmosphere of musical friendship'.
Interdisciplinary and interdependent - establishing valuable crossovers between art forms - music, theatre, visual arts, urban culture, and dance - this festival encourages collaboration.
Intrinsic - the event wants to emphasise the intrinsic qualities of music - to stimulate the imagination, evoke emotion and contribute to an individual's personal development.
Innovative - the emphasis is on innovation during the WMC - it praises creativity and gives participants the freedom to think outside of the box.