Buma Blaasmuziek Awards 2023 have been awarded

Just like the Buma NL Awards, the Buma Blaasmuziek Awards 2023 have also been awarded. This year the winners are Peter Kleine Schaars and Ray Farr. Both have made a major and positive contribution to the development of brassmusic within and outside the Netherlands. The sculpture that comes with this award, will be presented on Saturday, November 25, during the Fanfare Repertoire- en Netwerkdag in Nunspeet. The Nationaal Jeugd Fanfare Orkest will perform several arrangements by Ray Farr during the HRFSTWND concert.

Peter Kleine Schaars

Peter Kleine Schaars played in various orchestras from an early age. He completed his conservatory studies with no fewer than four diplomas, after that he joined the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine. Over the years he held various positions there. Since 2017 he has been conductor of the Orkest Koninklijke Marechaussee. He also leads the Dutch Politie Orkest en Gruno’s Postharmonie uit Groningen.

Peter has more than 100 compositions and arrangements to his name in the professional sector. The amateur sector also began to appreciate his innovative style and his first works were published in 1996. Nowadays he developed himself also as a coach with an emphasis on light music. His booklet ‘Het Mysterie van de lichte muziek’ has become a standard for conductors and eager-to-learn musicians.

Ray Farr

Ray Farr started his music career as a cornetist at the age of 5 in England. After studying at the Birmingham School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, he played, among others, with the BBC Midland Light Orchestra and the BBC Radio Orchestra. After encouragement from Elgar Howarth, he started writing music. One of his first arrangements was Star Wars by John Williams. It gave him a series of successful and popular arrangements in light music.

He made his international breakthrough with his arrangement of Bach’s Toccata. After England, Ray started in Norway as chief conductor of the Trondheim Military Band and the National Youth Windband of Norway. Orchestras all over the world play his works that he created as an arranger and composer. He was also working on a doctorate in music. He wrote the book ‘Introduction to Conducting’.

Deserved recognition

It can be said of both men that they have devoted themselves to light music for many years. They contributed to brassmusic at national and international level. A deserved recognition.

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