Stijn Aertgeerts

Bipolar

With 'Bipolar', the composer Stijn Aertgeerts wants to try to describe the vast feelings someone suffering from bipolar disorder can go through. It's difficult to imagine how hard it must be to live with the range of emotions of bipolarity, going rapidly from a state of hypomania to severe depression, or worse. This piece of music aims to describe those episodes, from a highly elevated mood to a great feeling of sadness; from euphoria to complete darkness. The piece starts off excited, almost overexcited, as well as a touch nervous. The mood quickly shifts to one of self-doubt, introduced by the multiple cadenza's in cornet, euphonium, flugelhorn and trombone. This grows into a haunting feeling of growing sadness. We're served with another eerie reminder of the opening shifts in the mood, with calmness, optimism and - even for just a second - complete happiness. This, however, fades instantly as you hear someone literally being dragged down by a chain. A total spiral into darkness follows, spinning more and more out of control into a heavy and dark conclusion.

The composer won with 'Bipolarity' the audience and band prize during the EBBC 2019 Composers Competition in Montreux (CH). At the request of conductor Erik Janssen, Stijn Aertgeerts has made an 'extended version' of this piece, adapted to and to be performed by Lyngby-Taarbæk Brass Band at the Danish National Championship 2019 and Rong Brass for the Norwegian National Championship 2020.