Music in small groups
The Austrian competition " Music in Small Groups " takes place at the district, state and federal level, serves to promote instrumental interplay in chamber music ensembles (for wind and percussion instruments) and thus to raise the level of the brass bands. The national competition "Music in Small Groups" is organized every two years by the Austrian Youth Brass Musicians in cooperation with the regional association. Young musicians should also be given the opportunity to occupy themselves with historical and contemporary ensemble and chamber music. Instrumental wind instruments and percussion instruments from duo to octet are permitted. Choral instrumentation is not permitted.
history
In 1976, the federal competition "Games in Small Groups" was introduced as a contribution to the Austrian National Day. 24 ensembles faced the jury on October 26, 1976 at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz. Since then, the national competition has mostly been held over two days. While there were 24 ensembles at the beginning, the number of participants has increased over the years. In 2006, 55 ensembles took part in Klagenfurt. The increase in the number of participants may also have something to do with the development of the levels. For example, since 1990 percussion ensembles have been admitted to the competition, which was renamed to “Music in Small Groups” that same year. In 1998 the level D was added, in 2000 the level E. In 2006 there were some changes: The aim was to force the participation of percussionists, which is why a separate category for percussionists was introduced, combined with a fixed starting authorization for an ensemble per national association. Furthermore, a uniform special group was installed, with which the competition for the "professionals" active in the ranks of the music bands, i. H. Music students or graduates of music universities became interesting. Another declared aim of the competitions is to promote large-scale sheet metal ensembles and “ inadequate instruments ” such as oboe and bassoon.
The evaluation of the lectures changed several times over the years. At the beginning of the national competition, prizes or ranks were awarded, from 1982 to 1996 there was a switch to the awards: the ensembles achieved excellent, very good and good successes. In 1998 the decision was made to "only" award points, which two years later - in 2000 - was rejected again. Since 2004 the lectures have only been scored with points!
Each ensemble strives for the highest possible number of points. In 1992 the Upper Austrian clarinet ensemble “Clarinettissimo” in South Tyrol managed to achieve 100 out of a possible 100 points for the first time. This result was repeated at the national competition in Tulln in Lower Austria in 2010, when the Brass Boys from Carinthia received the full number of points from the jury. The latest change in the federal competition “Music in Small Groups”, the statute of which was amended in 2010, is the introduction of an additional final round on the second day of the competition. This has existed since the competition in Feldkirch / Vorarlberg in 2008. On the second day, the best ensembles from all three categories (woodwinds, brass, percussion) will be presented to an extended final jury in which the main prize winner of the competition will be chosen.
Three-tier system
The three-tier system at district, state and federal level makes the competition unique compared to similar initiatives. "Music in small groups" has a broad impact, especially through the district level: at the district level, for example, an average of 1,500 ensembles and 4,900 participants compete, at the state level there are 280 ensembles with 1,320 young people making music, and in the national competition there are usually around 200 musicians in 50 ensembles .
stages
The ensembles come in different age groups:
- up to 13 years: level A;
- up to 16 years: level B;
- up to 19 years: level C;
- from 19.1 years: level D;
- regardless of average age: level S (special group: ensembles in which half or more of the members are students or graduates from a music university or a conservatory.)
jury
The presentations will be evaluated by a jury. It is important that the ensembles present works of different characters, with a prescribed playing time depending on the age group.
The winners of the last few years
- 2006: Percussion ensemble “Voices of Percussion” from Upper Austria;
- 2008: Saxophone Ensemble “Sqeaking Reeds” from Tyrol;
- 2010: Brass ensemble "Brass Boys" from Carinthia;
- 2012: Percussion ensemble "the m & m drops" (Manuel Plattner, Michael Moritz and David Heiss, direction: Thomas Greil) from Tyrol
- 2014: Brass ensemble "Brass Boys" from Carinthia;
Web links
- Music in small groups on the website of the Austrian Youth Brass Musicians
Individual evidence
- ↑ National Music Competition in Small Groups Tulln 2010. Austrian Youth Brass Musicians , October 25, 2010, accessed on October 13, 2016 .