Junge Bläserphilharmonie Ulm (JBU) – One of Germany’s Best Youth Wind Orchestras. That is what JBU may call itself since it won the German Orchestra Contest in its category in Wuppertal in May 2008, and the second prize in 2012 and in 2016.
JBU – Wind Music at the Highest Level. In addition to the latest awards of the German championships, the JBU has been granted regional, national and international prizes. For example, JBU excelled as the best of 85 orchestras participating in the World Youth Music Festival in Zurich in 2005. In 1999 the orchestra won the first prize in the highest category in Stellenbosch/South Africa. Such success is the result of intensive and modern rehearsal with conductor Josef Christ at orchestra, melody and instrument practice, which takes place twice a week on Mondays and Fridays.
JBU – Tradition and Present. Founded as Ulmer Knabenmusik (UKM) in 1961 by Udo Botzenhart on the model of Zurich Boys’ Band, it initiated the Ulm School and Youth Music Project, predecessor of the present Musikschule der Stadt Ulm. A major part of the young JBU musicians are trained by teachers of the music school, to which the JBU belongs in terms of music. Many of the members have won prizes in the federal music contest for young people “Jugend musiziert”. JBU is organized as a registered institute, whose organs are the board and the committee. Considering that girls have joined Ulmer Knabenmusik since 2002, it has adopted a new name, i.e. Junge Bläserphilharmonie Ulm. Proof of dedication and continuity can be seen in the fact, that UKM/JBU has had only four conductors in its almost 50 years of existence: Paul Kühmstedt, Norbert Nohe, Kreso Pascuttini and Josef Christ (since 1995). During this time it has had only two presidents: The founder Udo Botzenhart was followed by Michael Leibinger, who has since run the institute.
JBU – Classic and Modern. Classic symphonic wind music represents the focus of the repertory. However, Jazz, Pop and the whole range of popular music, belong to the fixed musical programme of JBU as well.
JBU – Two Orchestras. It consists of the Young Talent Orchestra with 30 to 40 musicians and the Grand Orchestra with approximately 70 adolescents and young adults. As a rule, JBU membership ends at the age of 25 years.
JBU – Community and Leisure. Experiencing music in the large orchestra community is one thing, spending one’s free time together is the other. The two are best coupled and experienced on the concert tours on which JBU goes at regular intervals. Such tours have not only taken the young musicians to numerous European countries but also to USA, South Africa, Australia and China where they performed in the most famous concert halls such as Sydney Opera House or the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing.
