Marching and Cycling Band HHK
The Marching and Cycling Band HHK was a marching band from Haarlem in the Netherlands . She was active from 1964 to 2014 and also performed on bicycles .
The band played pieces from the pop, musical and film repertoire.
The band
On average, the band performed 20 to 25 times a year, mostly from April to June and from September to October. Mostly cycling, there were also some marching performances.
history
In 1964, the Haarlems Harmonie Kapel (HHK) was formed from the fusion of the bands Kunstkring Apollo and Harmonie Crescendo . Towards the end of the 1960s, it was one of the largest music associations in Europe with 200 members. Later, in 1973, the idea of a member, Bram Visser, to perform with bicycles became the Marching and Cycling Band HHK . The idea was modeled on music groups from the Dutch military who had practiced this years ago. The first appearances of the MaC band finally took place on the Grote Markt (central market square) during the “March of the Musicians” in 1973, an event held annually in those days in September evenings. The performance was carried out on their own and borrowed bicycles. Due to the enormous success, it was decided to buy 41 bikes.
Because of the extraordinary way of making music, the band became known in the Netherlands and abroad. Since then she has appeared at carnival parades and international musical festivals, mostly in France , Belgium , Germany and the Netherlands , but also in England , Switzerland , Sweden and Luxembourg .
In 2009 the band started their own YouTube channel called MaCBandHHK , where videos of their performances were published.
Special appearances
During the Marching and Cycling Band HHK's existence there were a number of special appearances:
- 1989: Guest appearances on the French television show Dimanche Martin
- 1991: TV commercial for Dutch nature conservation
- 1998: The RTL4 program Ga Toch Fietsen (Go Cycling) broadcast a report on the Marching and Cycling Band HHK performance during the Bloemencorso (flower parade) on April 25th.
- 2001: the first prize by a report on the program winners Malende Zaken of TV Noord-Holland
- 2002: Presentation of the new uniforms during the March of the Musicians in Haarlem
- 2003: opening of the A5 motorway (Netherlands) by bike
- 2004: 40th anniversary with a performance on water bikes during the Haarlemse Vaardagen (Haarlem Sailing Days)
- 2007: Opening of the European wheelchair basketball championship in Wetzlar
- 2010: Opening of the Tour de France in Rotterdam
- 2010: A special role at Tattoo Delft
- 2012: Guest appearances in the RTL4 program "Wat als ?"
- 2014: Appearance in the Dutch film "Pak van mijn Hart" (recorded in 2013)
Web links
- Official website of the Marching and Cycling Band (English / Dutch)