Big band from Friedrichshain: Triumph at the German Orchestra Competition!

Big band from Friedrichshain: Triumph at the German Orchestra Competition!

On October 23, 2025, the big band from the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg music school won 1st place German Orchestra Competition awarded in Wiesbaden. Under the direction of Christian Fischer, an experienced trombonist, the orchestra was able to impress at the prestigious competition in the Big Bands / Jazz Orchestra category. In an exciting final, they competed against six other orchestras and were able to prepare for the competition through months of intensive rehearsals.

Participation in the Berlin Orchestra Meeting was crucial for qualifying for the state level. The district mayor Clara Herrmann congratulated the musicians on this great success. The big band's repertoire was diverse and impressive, including works such as “Wyrgly” by Maria Schneider, “Kids Are Pretty People” by Thad Jones and “La Almeja Pequeña” by Gordon Goodwin. These composers are highly recognized in the jazz scene; Schneider was the recipient of seven Grammy Awards, Jones was a major jazz trumpeter and composer, and Goodwin is a Grammy and Emmy Award winner.

The German Orchestra Competition

The German Orchestra Competition takes place every four years and brings together around 100 amateur orchestras from different musical areas. This year the competition took place from June 14th to 18th, 2025 in Wiesbaden, Mainz and Ingelheim in the Rhine-Main area and was aimed at symphonic music, plucked music, brass music, accordion music and jazz, such as went out.de documented. The big band from the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg music school performed at 1:30 p.m., alongside other talented groups who also competed for the coveted placements.

The competition is organized by the German Music Council in cooperation with ARD and aims to promote instrumental music-making by amateurs in orchestras of various configurations. Wikipedia describes that the event is intended to present and publicize the quality and diversity of amateur orchestras in Germany. Orchestras can compete in several categories – from symphonic orchestras to big bands. The evaluation is carried out by a jury of experts and the best orchestras are awarded for their musical performances.

The successful participation of the big band from the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg music school is another example of the high level of amateur music in Germany and shows the fruits that long-term rehearsals and the commitment of young musicians can bear.

For further information about the competition and participating orchestras, we recommend taking a look at the organizers' websites. Media inquiries are at the email address presse@ba-fk.berlin.de or by phone at (030) 90298-2843.