Without the Aue-Bad Schlema Miners’ Brass Band, the European Brass Band Festival would not exist today. It all began with the 25th anniversary of the orchestra, which was then still called the Aue Town Brass Band. To mark this anniversary, the music association organised the ‘1st Festival of Brass Music’ in 1992. Thanks to the commitment of the many volunteers in the music association, the festival has since become international. This year, more than 200 orchestras from 33 nations have been invited by the hosts to the beautiful Ore Mountains.

Since 2024, musical director and fellow mountaineer Manuel Ullmann has also been the managing director of the music association and has given the orchestra new momentum. He is also passionate about the association’s activities, which include, above all, fostering a sense of community among the musicians, who also get along well in their private lives. The hosts want to bring this breath of fresh air to the stage once again and, together with the audience, get the festival tent rocking.

The music association hosting the festival can look back on almost 60 years of history: founded in 1967 as the ‘Vereinigtes Blasorchester Wismut Aue’ (United Wind Orchestra of Wismut Aue), the instruments from the company orchestra were taken over in 1990 by the newly founded association ‘Blasorchester der Stadt Aue’ (Wind Orchestra of the City of Aue).

The musicians received support in reorganising from the Herrenberg town band, with whom they still maintain close contact 35 years later. In 1993, the orchestra returned to its roots and found a new home in Schlema. Since then, it has been known as the Kurbad Schlema Miners’ Brass Band.

Following the merger of Aue and Bad Schlema, the ensemble is now back where it started: it is the wind orchestra for the large district town of Aue-Bad Schlema, the largest town in the Ore Mountains, and proudly bears the new town name in its name and the new town coat of arms in its logo.

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“We don’t make brass music, we make music on brass instruments”

The former shawm band of VEB “Delicata” Fleischwarenfabrik Netzschkau became the orchestra in 1964, founded as the wind orchestra section of BSG Motor Netzschkau. In addition to performances on Republic Day, on election days, at garden parties, company events and residential district festivals, the band also took part in the district championships for minstrels. Participation in the GDR sports festivals in Leipzig in 1969, 1977, 1983 and 1987, but also in the IOC session, the 1973 World Festival, the youth festivals and the 750th anniversary celebrations in Berlin were particularly outstanding.

In the 1990s, the “Blasorchester des TSV Nema Netzschkau e.V.” was known for its broad repertoire. In addition to traditional brass band music such as polkas, marches and waltzes, it also includes mood pieces and modern pop and beat rhythms. They perform songs by artists such as Wolfgang Petry, Helene Fischer, Andreas Gabalier and Marius Müller-Westernhagen. The Vogtländer have been performing under the name “Netzschkauer Musikanten” since 2008 and we are still a section of the local sports club today. With around 30 active members, the ensemble has been a permanent fixture at various festivities in the Vogtland region and beyond for 60 years.

For their first participation in the European Brass Music Festival, they have created a new program, which includes well-known pieces as well as completely new interpretations.

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The Original Grüne Felder Musikanten have been around since 2019. Their repertoire includes Egerländer and Bohemian brass music, performed both instrumentally and vocally.

The ensemble consists of professional musicians and top amateurs from all parts of the Netherlands. In six years, they have made a name for themselves not only in their own country, but also in Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

In 2022, they reached the final of ‘Blow to Woodstock by WMC’ and in 2023 they took part in the biennial international festival in South Tyrol, Italy. The year 2024 was marked by their first theatre show entitled ‘Mein Leben ist die Blasmusik’ (My Life is Brass Music).

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Musical director:
Jörg Hofmann

Tradition meets modernity. The Spandauer Blasorchester from Berlin brings a wide range of music to Bad Schlema. With a mix of different musical genres – from traditional brass band music to pop and big band – the orchestra offers a listening experience for all generations. Our musicians bring passion and joy to every performance and create unforgettable moments on stage, and have been doing so for 65 years!

The musical director returns to his old home. The 32nd European Brass Band Festival is practically a home game for Jörg Hofmann. As a young tenor horn player, he gained his first valuable experience in the music corps of the mountain town of Schneeberg. He will meet many former colleagues again at the 32nd European Brass Band Festival.

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The music corps of the mountain town of Schneeberg is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year – and also at our festival. The orchestra from the neighboring town has been a guarantee for party atmosphere in the brass band arena for years. For the twelfth time, they will be performing modern brass music at the European Brass Music Festival. The band also interprets rock songs on electric and bass guitar and ensures that no listener can remain seated.

Founded in 1965 as a small sports band, in 1975 the orchestra, which had grown considerably in numbers in the meantime, was awarded the honorary title “Musikkorps der Bergstadt Schneeberg” by the Schneeberg town council – on the occasion of its 10th anniversary and because of the quality it had achieved. In 2001, the Saxon State Association of Miners’, Metallurgical and Miners’ Associations named the music corps the “Saxon State Mining Music Corps”.

The repertoire of the currently 65 active musicians includes not only the cultivation of mountain music, but also a wide variety of event projects in the entertainment sector with music ranging from big band sound and operetta to Bohemian brass music, but also rock and pop. Symphonic wind music in churches and concert halls is also of great importance to the orchestra.

Undoubtedly the greatest highlight of the orchestra’s activities is the program they put together themselves at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig entitled “Bergmannsweihnacht” (Miners’ Christmas) – which takes place in front of a sold-out audience every time.

Concert tours have taken the orchestra to the Czech Republic, France, Hungary and Japan, as well as appearances throughout Germany.

The association has been successfully training its own young musicians for years, and young musicians are increasingly shaping the image of the music corps.

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From polka to pop, from marches to mega hits: with the BRASSers, there are no musical boundaries! The goal of these young wild ones: to make every party, every event and every concert unforgettable! Twelve young, professional musicians came together in the Rhineland-Palatinate State Youth Wind Orchestra. Since then, they have been bound by a deep friendship. Since 2019, their mission has been: ‘BRASS without limits’! This is not only their motto, but also their promise to experience brass music in all its diversity.

Their repertoire ranges from traditional to modern, from the 80s/90s to disco and club sounds. They don’t shy away from new genres, creating unique medleys and focusing on specially arranged classics. They want to captivate the audience with their passion for music and turn the moment into a shared experience. Their musical roots are as diverse as their music. Whether in the Eifel, Moselle, Cologne, Saarland, Hesse or, more recently, the Ore Mountains – one thing is certain: no matter where they play, they rock every stage! 100% energy, 100% passion, 100% party!

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]]> https://www.blasmusikfest.eu/en/dom-roudnice-nad-labem-czechia/ Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:03:36 +0000 https://www.blasmusikfest.eu/dom-roudnice-nad-labem-czechia/ Musical direction:
Jaroslav Nosek & Petr Janda

The Roudnice nad Labem Youth Wind Orchestra was founded in 1976 by conductor Rudolf Fleissig, who led it successfully for 35 years. It currently brings together over 60 young players. Ondřej Šedivý took over the direction of the orchestra in 2011. He was succeeded by trumpet teacher Jaroslav Nosek in September 2019. The trombone teacher Petr Janda joined in 2021.

The ensemble is one of the best youth wind orchestras in the Czech Republic. It is admired by audiences at home and abroad. They have already won the hearts of their audiences in Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Croatia, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. In almost 50 years, more than 300 musicians from the circle of students and graduates of the music school have taken turns.

Today, married couples and parents with children sit side by side in the orchestra. Rehearsing, performing and touring together only confirms that 60 people of different ages, interests and professions can form a team whose common interest is to make good music and really enjoy it.

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The brass band “Åndalsnes Musikkforening” was founded in 1918 and has therefore been in existence for over 100 years. Originally, strings were also part of the line-up, but after a few years this was changed and the orchestra became the brass band as we know it today.

The band has around 30 members of all ages, with the youngest members aged 13 and the oldest over 80 – and they all come from the small town of Åndalsnes on the west coast of Norway or the surrounding villages. Brass music plays a major role in Norway. In addition to concerts in the cultural center, churches or at events, the Åndalsnes brass band plays every year at the big parade on May 17, the Norwegian national holiday. Special highlights are also the annual New Year’s concert, which usually ensures a full concert hall in the “Åndalsnes kulturhus” or the annual participation in the Norwegian Championship “NM Janitsjar” in Trondheim.

The repertoire is varied, with marching music on the national holiday and Norwegian and international compositions of different styles.

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