Date of Award

5-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

School

Music

Committee Chair

Dr. Ben McIlwain

Committee Chair School

Music

Committee Member 2

Dr. T.J. Tesh

Committee Member 2 School

Music

Committee Member 3

Dr. Richard Perry

Committee Member 3 School

Music

Committee Member 4

Dr. Joseph Brumbeloe

Committee Member 4 School

Music

Committee Member 5

Dr. Ed Hafer

Committee Member 5 School

Music

Abstract

The Christian Brass Band Pro Rege of Heerenveen, The Netherlands, celebrated its one hundredth birthday in 2024. As one of the most prominent community-based brass bands in the region, Pro Rege is part of a Dutch wind ensemble tradition that goes largely undocumented. While they and other bands like them function as cultural and educational institutions, academic literature remains limited, almost ignoring them completely. This dissertation wishes to address this oversight by providing an historical study of the brass band from its establishment in 1924 to the present day.

Starting out in the Dutch ensemble tradition of the Fanfare band, Pro Rege with conductor Mr. Sennema participated at national competitions, quickly rising to the highest levels within the first decade. After the Second World War, many members became inspired by the touring English brass bands and finally voted on their own restructuring in 1967 following the English tradition. With conductor and composer Jan De Haan, a youth band was started in 1968, providing musical education to local children, a tradition that still shapes the band after almost sixty years. Nowadays, the band upholds the community’s cultural traditions by participating in church ceremonies, commemorations of the Second World War, and local festivals, like The Night of the Koemarkt by the band’s affiliated ensemble De Glasblazers.

The research draws information from various sources, first from a large collection of over 1,100 newspaper articles from Dutch online archives, recordings, and archival research, which also resulted in uncovering a long-lost banner. Furthermore, personal experience is established through interviews with key figures and questionnaire responses with current and previous members. ii Through this study, the dissertation shows how Pro Rege has functioned as both a musical and social institution, contributing to cultural and educational stability. This research could serve to trigger further documenting of a tradition and musical movement enjoyed by millions, and in doing so become part of mainstream academic musical conversations.

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