The test pieces for the 26th Golden Spiker Festival have been selected. Stichting Culturele Activiteiten Opsterland (SCAO) had Arend Gerds write a composition for the festival. Dodo of Haska, a story about a Frisian saint. It was written for the 4th division brass bands. President Heleen Talman: “We are proud of the result. It is a valuable addition to the repertoire for this division ánd we record a beautiful historical story with music. I think the brass bands are going to enjoy this new piece of music a lot.'

Dodo of Haska, a Frisian saint
“The organization asked me to turn this story about Dodo of Haska into music. says Arend Gerds. 'I went on a journey of discovery in Friesland, to see the places where Dodo of Haska lived with my own eyes and to be inspired. Dodo of Haska had an extraordinary life, according to the stories full of miraculous healings, visions and prophecies. In the composition I try to reflect elements of this, but also his life in the monastery Mariëngaarde in Hallum, his life in the uithof in Bakkeveen and the hermitage in the Haske. The work also includes melodies from the time of Dodo of Haska (Perotinus, Hildegard von Bingen). They form the basis of this musical story, which focuses on Dodo of Haska. It is special to be able to capture such a historical figure with music. I am very much looking forward to the performances at the Golden Spiker Festival.

It is important that it is playable for every club
'Arend Gerds is now a well-known composer in the brass band and fanfare world,' says Durk Lautenbach. Durk Lautenbach and Bienze IJlstra annually choose the compulsory works for the Golden Spiker Festival. 'For us as a selection committee, it is important to make sure that every orchestra in the division can play the new work. With Arend's work, that worked out very well. It is a challenging work, for every fourth division club.' Bienze IJlstra: 'There should be enough to do for every musician. Not just for the vertices. The level of difficulty should be equally distributed over all sections. In other words: everyone has to get to work. It is very nice that the SCAO is making an effort to expand the repertoire for the lower divisions. In this way composers from the Netherlands also get a stage.

Source: Golden Spiker Festival