Windcorp Brass Band

Windcorp Brass Band was established in Gothenburg in January 2005 by Andreas Kratz and Anders Hellman and is made up of professional musicians, music pedagogues and skilful amateurs with one common denominator – the wish to play brass band at a high musical level. The home base is Gothenburg on the Swedish west coast but the band members are located all over south and middle Sweden.

In spite of its short history the band has already made an impression on the international brass band scene. Being reigning Swedish Champions they have appeared with highly esteemed conductors and artists like Garry E Cutt, Michel Becquet, Chris Houlding, Mogens Andresen, Stefan Schulz (Berliner Philharmoniker), Øystein Baadsvik and Tomas Lind (Tenor-Gothenburg Opera House).

The cooperation between the band and its Professional Conductor Alexander Hanson has been fantastic from the first moment. It was therefore absolutely natural that Alexander Hanson during 2006 was appointed the band’s first Musical Director. It is without doubt his wonderful talent and pleasant attitude that has made Windcorp Brass Band as successful as it is.

On the contest scene the band’s greatest success is the win of the elite section at the International Grenland Brass Band Festival in May 2008.

On that occasion experienced conductor Mr Garry E Cutt was in front of the band.

Musical Director

Alexander Hanson was born in Södertälje 1974. He is raised within the Salvation Army and started playing the cornet in the Södertälje Band of the Salvation Army at an early age. Eventually he succeeded his father Torgny as bandmaster for this band – a position he held for six years.

Alexander Hanson started his professional musical career as trumpet player, educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, but soon took interest in the art of conducting. He began his academic conducting education at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm in 2000, but soon transferred to the world famous Sibelius Academy in Helsinki where he studied under Professor Leif Segerstam. Also, Jorma Panula and Atso Almila has been one of Alexander Hansons teachers outside the Sibelius Academy. Alexander Hanson concluded his conducting education in October 2004 by performing among other items Edvard Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra.

Today he works frequently with ensembles like Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Opera Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Dala Sinfoniettan, Västerås Sinfonietta and Nordic Chamber Orchestra. His opera engagements also included several productions - Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte”and Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” and Donizetti’s “L'Elisir d'Amore”.

Alexander Hanson has during his career cooperated with prominent soloists like Christian Lindberg, Henning Kraggerud, Torleif Thedéen, Martin Fröst, Nils Landgren, Anders Paulsson, Martin Sturfält, Martina Dike, Anna Larsson, Sara Trobäck, Claes Gunnarsson, Kroumata, Per Enokson, Lill Lindfors, Vilde Frang Bjærke, Karl-Magnus Fredriksson, Stefan Schulz and Michel Becquet.

From January 2005 Alexander Hanson is the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the famous Göteborg Wind Orchestra.