Centenary 2019 is a three-movement suite based on a local folksong and was commissioned by Chr. Fanfare De Lofstem, from the Dutch province of Friesland, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 2019. Awakening Village , the first movement, musically describes the waking up and coming to life of the village. Bintje Monument was inspired by a famous sculpture that was placed to honour headmaster Kornelis Lieuwes de Vries (1854-1929) who developed the well-known potato variety called bintje . The finale, Journey into the Unknown refers to the band s memorable 2011 concert trip to the United States of America, in which the composer combines elements of the folksong and fragments from The Star-Spangled Banner . The piece consists of a wide range of playful and melodic sequences as well as some galvanizing rhythmical passages.
