6000 recorders from the Vogtland resound in Salzburg schools | free press
Every school starter in the Austrian state receives an instrument from Erlbach. How the large order for the Meinel family business came about.
Everyone is talking about the Vogtland: For those starting school in the Austrian state of Salzburg, this is true in the truest sense of the word – every girl and boy who starts school in September receives a recorder from the Meinel family business from Eubabrunn near Erlbach as a gift . Master recorder builder René Schlegel, owner of the family business that has been in existence for more than 100 years, personally delivered the 6,000 recorders to Salzburg this week. In the coming days they will be packed in bags and made available for the 5,400 ABC shooters. Because the order was for a larger number, second and third graders in Salzburg are also allowed to receive recorders.
The Vogtland recorder specialist received the major order in the spring. The conductor Elisabeth Fuchs, founder and director of the Salzburg Children’s Festival, made contact with the Musikwinkel through a business partner. A few phone calls and emails and the job was done, says René Schlegel. It was about 6000 soprano recorders in baroque fingering by the end of August. Such instruments are neither standard nor exotic in the portfolio of the manufacturer, which specializes in student instruments, explains the master woodwind instrument maker, who has been running the family business since 1986. However, the order totally blew up everyday production in Eubabrunn, says Schlegel. “Otherwise we make maybe 500 flutes a year. We had to set up the machines accordingly” – and hired another employee as an hourly worker in addition to the four identified Schlegel. “I calculated that we have to make 200 flutes a week.” Elisabeth Fuchs, who is also chief conductor of the Salzburg Philharmonic, allowed the Vogtländer to regularly take part in the developments of the children’s festival. The entire production was packed in 26 boxes, René Schlegel rented a van and delivered the order personally. Teachers in the state of Salzburg can order recorders for their school classes until August 31st.
The recorders from Vogtland fit perfectly with the aim of the children’s festival of introducing young people to classical music – and classical music promotes early childhood development, personality and emotional maturity. With this approach, Elisabeth Fuchs has made the children’s festival the largest concert organizer for children, young people and families in the state in 15 years: Since 2007, around 5,000 seminars for more than 100,000 children have taken place, in the city of Salzburg alone the organizers of the festival welcome pro Season around 25,000 visitors.
This story is now being continued with Vogtland instruments. There has never been an order like this from Germany, says René Schlegel. However, he and his employees are experienced in large-scale orders: in 2013, when the “Show with the Mouse” filmed funny and factual stories about flute construction at his place, there was already one.