Brass Meets Rock
Brass Meets Rock; a musical collaboration between "Het Rockkoor Enschede" and "Brasset Linköping".
We are here to demonstrate the true value of an active international network of Twin cities: to meet different cultures and create deeper understanding. The meeting of our choir and brass band is a testament to the strong connections from sister city organization ¨Neighbors Abroad of Palo Alto¨ (California, USA) with both Linköping (Sweden) and Enschede (The Netherlands) since the 1980ies.
The resulting concert, that we are calling "Brass Meets Rock", is set to take place on May 20, 2026 in Linköping, Sweden.
City Connection
Enschede
Enschede is the largest city of the Twente region and of the Overijssel province. About 162,000 people and 160 nationalities live in this eastern part of the Netherlands near the German border.
In 2025, Enschede celebrated its 700 years of city rights. Enschede's position as a former center of the textile industry colors its history and its modern streets.
Enschede is home to the football club FC Twente, a one-time Dutch champion, the University of Twente, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Grolsch beer-brewery, and the last Polaroid film factory.
In May 2000, a spark in a fireworks depot located in the lively Roombeek neighborhood led to what is now known as the Vuurwerkramp (Fireworks disaster), resulting in 23 deaths and leaving a scar in the city landscape. Since then, the city has undergone a major reconstruction and healing process. Today, the city displays contemporary Dutch architecture, particularly in the Roombeek neighborhood and at the University of Twente.
Enschede has rebuilt itself before. After the fall of the textile industry, Enschede worked hard to become a center of business, innovation, and technology. The innovative campuses, Business and Science Park Twente, Technology Base, and Connect-U are home to a lot of companies and start-ups shaping the future. Think of healthcare, sustainable energy, and high-tech materials. These places form communities where business and education come together. A lot of well-known companies, such as Ericsson (R&D), Booking, Cheaptickets, Just Eat Takeaway, and Demcon, are linked to Enschede.
Enschede has a vibrant music scene, from the symphonic orchestra to rock, metal, and electronic music, and is known for producing and hosting various artists. It is also the hometown of Ad Vandenberg, the rock guitarist and former member of the bands Vandenberg (Burning Heart) and Whitesnake (Here I go again).
The nightlife, cultural vibrancy, and shopping options of Enschede draw crowds from the Twente region as well across the German border.
Palo Alto
Palo Alto is a city in the San Francisco Bay Area in Santa Clara County, California, and has a population of about 68,500 people. Palo Alto is twinned with both Enschede and Linköping and the Neighbors Abroad of Palo Alto sistercity organisation is the glue of our inter-city connection.
Palo Alto, Spanish for "tall tree", is named after an 1080-year-old redwood tree that features prominently on the city's seal. For most of its long life, the tree grew on Ohlone, or other native peoples', lands. It had lived for over eight centuries when Spain laid claim to the region, under the administration of the Mexican viceroyalty. Along with Mexico, the land gained its independence in the 1820s, but was seized in the 1840s during the Mexican-American War.
Many local names remember the people who made the grounds around the redwood their home, but the city needed another impulse to make its start. A couple wishing to memorialize their teenage son established a university in his name. The Stanfords' efforts endured, resulting in a famous university founded in 1891. In 1994, Palo Alto celebrated its centennial as a thousand-year-old tree stood proud.
Palo Alto is at the center of global computing innovation, now known as Silicon Valley, and includes Stanford University. It was and is the home of many innovators and entrepreneurs, such as Steve Jobs, Bill Hewlett, and Vance Packerd and prominent Silicon Valley companies such as Facebook, Tesla, PayPal, and Google. Many of these major companies have since outgrown Palo Alto and spread across the region, the United States, and the world.
Palo Alto was part of the 60s San Francisco Bay Area music scene, which included bands like Jefferson Airplane and Santana. Famous musicians such as Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac and Joan Baez, a singer-songwriter and activist, are strongly linked to Palo Alto.
Today, a diverse population thrives in a city known for its schools, parks, libraries, restaurants, and mild climate.
Linköping
Linköping is the capital of Östergötland County, with around 167,000 inhabitants. It is also the episcopal see of the Diocese of Linköping.
The city's name could be an indication that this prominent position has a long history. The Lionga ting (thing) was the most important assembly of free peoples in Östergötland since the viking age, a place of government and justice. After the region was Christianized, documents list the diocese as 'Lionga. Kaupinga', with -köping refering to it being a market place, an economic hub, as well.
The Christian presence in the region dates back further, but the diocese was established in the 11th century, with parts of the Domkyrkan (Cathedral) that still dominates the modern cityscape hailing back to the 1100s. The transition from pagan to Christian rituals, and mutual integration, is demonstrated in the archeological finds of the region. The ground beneath and around a, seemingly Christian, ninth century inhumation burial, found in 2022, shows signs of earlier cremation burials, associated with Iron Age pagan rites. The gravesite was contained in an unusual stone circle. The Kallerstad runestone, raised by a son mourning his father in the early 11th century, bears both a cross and a serpent, the traditional protector of memories.
Linköping celebrated its 700th anniversary in 1987, though it had been a small town until the 1930s. In 1940 the arrival of the Saab aircraft industry launched a period of growth. Linköping University, established in 1969, has since grown to one of the largest in the country.
Today the city is a center of the high-tech and software industry. Saab remains one of the biggest employers. IT also has a strong presence in Linköping, with the headquarters of IFS, Sectra, Cambio Healthcare Systems, as well as the presence of Motorola, Ericsson, Infor and many other companies. Linköping strives for sustainable development of the city and in 2011 adopted the ambition to be carbon-neutral by 2025.
Linköping is also the home of prominent sportsteams in floorball, volleyball, ice hockey, and women´s football. Musically, the Linköping Symphony Orchestra, theatrical heavy metal band Ghost and rock band the Pusjkins all have their roots in the city. Residents and visitors are able to enjoy art, museums, theatre, history, concerts, markets, festivals and sporting events.
The Concert
On 20 May 2026 , in the historic setting of Ryttargårdskyrkan Church in Linköping , the two ensembles will share the stage for a joint concert that celebrates musical diversity, international friendship, and cultural exchange.
With more than sixty singers from Rockkoor Enschede joining forces with the brass musicians of Ryttargårdskyrkan, the audience can expect an energetic and moving program that blends the intensity of rock with the richness and depth of brass arrangements. Carefully selected repertoire and specially prepared arrangements will create a concert experience that is both powerful and memorable.
Brass Meets Rock is more than a performance. It is a celebration of collaboration across borders, generations, and musical traditions. Together, we aim to create an unforgettable evening of music that connects communities through shared passion and artistry.
When
The concert will be held on the 20th of May 2026
Where
In the " Ryttargårdskyrkan" church in Linköping, Sweden
Djurgårdsgatan 97
582 29 Linköping Sweden
