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Köpenick Zupforchester shines at the German Orchestra Competition!
The Köpenicker Zupforchester represents Berlin at the German Orchestra Competition 2025 in Mainz and is celebrating 75 years of music history.
Köpenick Zupforchester shines at the German Orchestra Competition!
On October 26, 2025, the Köpenick Zupforchester represented the state of Berlin in the Zupforchester category at the German Orchestra Competition (DOW) in Mainz. Participation at the federal level followed a successful appearance at the Berlin state competition. The orchestra, which is based at the Joseph Schmidt Music School Treptow-Köpenick and is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, presented a demanding program. These included works such as “Impressioni orientali” by Raffaele Calace and “4 Melodies” by Chris Acquavella.
The Köpenick Zupforchester uses the tonal possibilities of plucked string instruments and thereby develops a broad musical spectrum. The repertoire ranges from chamber music elements to contemporary compositions. It combines traditional picking techniques with experimental playing styles, which not only delights the audience, but also the jury in Mainz.
Results and jury evaluation
The international jury awarded the ensemble the rating “participated with very good success”. Particular emphasis was placed on the rhythmic precision, the atmospheric density and the exciting design of the musical arcs. District councilor Marco Brauchmann praised the excellent work of the Joseph Schmidt Music School, which makes an important contribution to musical education through its three locations in the district.
The German Orchestra Competition is held every four years and is seen as an important performance comparison for amateur orchestras in Germany. The competition promotes instrumental music making by amateurs in orchestras of various configurations. The basic funding comes from the Minister of State for Culture, and the organization is in the hands of the German Music Council in cooperation with ARD.
Participants and competition categories
Overall, the competition is aimed at a variety of non-professional orchestras, including symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, wind orchestras as well as special plucked orchestras and ensembles. For the DOW 2025, the nominated orchestras were informed on December 12, 2024, and the registration period runs until January 16, 2025. National orchestras are excluded, and there are upper limits for the participation of non-amateur instrumental musicians.
The jury consists of five experts who decide on the overall evaluation. The special rating for contemporary music, which includes works from more recent times, is particularly interesting. As in previous competitions, further training events and scholarships for orchestra conductors will be offered this time in order to further promote musical training.
Overall, the German Orchestra Competition will not only showcase the quality and diversity of amateur orchestras in Germany, but will also enable valuable exchange between the ensembles. Looking at the history of the last few years and the receptions of events in Mainz, the anticipation for the upcoming event is already noticeable.