East Tyroleans made music successfully in Innsbruck osttirol-heute.at
23 musicians from the Lienz district took part in the state competition of “Music in Small Groups” in the Haus der Musik in Innsbruck on Saturday, April 2nd.
The competition is organized every 2 years by the Austrian Brass Band Association and usually consists of district, state and national competitions. This year, the competitions at district level had to be canceled due to corona, and so all ensembles went directly to Innsbruck for the state competition. Almost 70 groups from all over Tyrol are judged by a three-person expert jury, divided into woodwinds, brass, brass, mixed ensembles and percussion. There is no age limit for “Music in Small Groups”, which is why adult musicians can also take part and smaller groups from the music bands (association’s own ensembles) are also very welcome.
The performances of the East Tyrolean participants are probably impressive and testify to the great commitment of the musicians and their music school teachers. The flute trio Anmathanso, supervised by Barbara Hofmann, competed in the junior age group. Marie Theres Egarter from Taisten, Anna-Sophie Wieser from Kartitsch and Anita Wanker from San Candido have an average age of just 9.33 years and scored 89.67 points. It’s great that music also connects people across national borders.
The group “Osttiroler PO-TEN” performed with two trombones and two tenor horns under the direction of Manuel Wibmer and Rainer Annewandter in age group A. The rehearsal work alone was definitely a challenge, since the members come from Innervillgraten, Prägraten and Matrei in Osttirol. Doreen Berger, Jakob Steiner, Raffael Lanser and Niklas Schett were rewarded with 88.33 points. The trumpet quartet Trumpet Square with music school teacher Martin Mairer played with 94 points, the highest number of points of the entire level A in the brass section. Tobias and Matteo Landsfried, Leon Ortner and Hannah Pitterl come from Assling, Lienz and Heinfels and can be very proud of their achievements.
Helmut Beham combined his bassoon students from Anras, Nußdorf-Debant and Thurn into a trio. Jana Fuchs, Julia Theurl and Eva Schneeberger from Trio Fagottastisch achieved a pleasing 89.33 points in age group B (up to 16 years). In the mixed ensembles, the siblings Toni, Leonie and Lorenz Fronthaler played trumpet, clarinet and tuba. FronthalKlang was supervised by Christian Schönegger on the LMS Sillian and scored 95.33 points in level C (up to 19 years).
The woodwind trio LiMaLe with flute, clarinet and bassoon also comes from the LMS Sillian. The teachers Gerhard Pitterle and Christian Schönegger are happy with their music students Lisa Sint, Madlene Kraler, Lena Gietl about 90.67 points in the age group C. The competition of music in small groups gave the impetus, a bassoon quartet made up of adult musicians to justify. Under the name “Fagotttirol Ost” Michaela Fronthaler, Isabella Moser, Maria Thor-Frank and Helmut Beham from Anras, Dölsach and Gaimberg competed in the highest age group D and played 92 points.
A local musician was also instrumental in an ensemble of North Tyrolean bands. The oboist Manfred Niederwieser from Anras achieved 91.67 points in age group D with WIWA Lignum. Ultimately, most of the participants were less concerned with the exact score than with achieving and enjoying a goal and the joy of working together again being able to make music for an audience. Six ensembles are allowed to represent Tyrol at the federal competition in October in Wels (Upper Austria).
Text: Editors, photos: Tyrolean Brass Band Association and LMS Sillian