Austrian Wind Music Association

The Österreichischer Blasmusikverband (ÖBV), or Austrian Wind Music Association, is the umbrella body for amateur wind and brass music in Austria. It was founded in 1951 as an working community (Arbeitsgemeinschaft) and reconstituted as a registered association in 1959. Its members are the nine provincial wind music associations (Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna) together with two partner associations, the Verband Südtiroler Musikkapellen in South Tyrol (Italy) and the Liechtensteiner Blasmusikverband in Liechtenstein. Through these provincial bodies the ÖBV indirectly represents more than 2,100 wind bands with over 143,000 musicians (as of the end of 2019). The association's federal office was long housed at Schloss Zeillern in Lower Austria, which was renovated from 1984 at the initiative of ÖBV president Josef Leeb and used from 1988 as a training centre for music seminars. In September 2014 the federal office moved to Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia, where the Austrian Wind Music Youth (ÖBJ), which organises musicians up to the age of 30, is also based. Since 2008 the ÖBV has run a documentation centre within the Austrian Wind Music Museum in Oberwölz, Styria. The ÖBV sees its tasks as representing Austrian wind music at federal level, acting as a service and information centre and as a link between the provincial and partner associations, organising federal competitions for chamber music, (youth) wind orchestras and 'music of movement', running educational events for musicians and officials, and setting nationwide uniform rules, for example for performance badges and concert and march music assessments. Together with the City of Vienna it organises the annual Austrian Wind Music Festival, and since 1995 it has operated the Austrian Wind Music Museum in Oberwölz together with the town. The association also publishes the monthly Österreichische Blasmusikzeitung. The ÖBV is led by honorary officials elected every three years by the provincial and partner associations. Until 2004 the presidency rotated annually among the provincial associations; since June 2018 the president is elected for a three-year term. The association also maintains a youth structure, the Österreichische Blasmusikjugend (ÖBJ), with its own federal youth leadership.

The Österreichischer Blasmusikverband traces its origins to 1951, when it was established as an Arbeitsgemeinschaft (working community) of Austrian wind music associations. In 1959 it was reconstituted as an association on a registered basis. The organisation grew into the umbrella body for the nine provincial wind music associations of Austria, later joined by partner associations in South Tyrol and Liechtenstein. A significant institutional development was the acquisition and renovation of Schloss Zeillern in Lower Austria. From 1984, at the initiative of ÖBV president Josef Leeb and with support from the Province of Lower Austria and the federal government, the castle was renovated from the ground up and from 1988 served as a training centre for music seminars. The federal association had its seat there until August 2014, when the federal office moved to Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia. The Austrian Wind Music Youth (ÖBJ), which since 2004 has organised musicians up to the age of 30, is also based in Spittal an der Drau. In 1995 the ÖBV began operating the Austrian Wind Music Museum in Oberwölz, Styria, together with the town. Since 2008 the association has maintained a documentation centre and archive rooms within that museum. The association also took over the 'Day of Wind Music', first proclaimed by the Vorarlberger Harmoniebund in 1951 for the first Sunday in May, and it is now observed throughout Austria. Governance has evolved over time. Until 2004 the office of ÖBV president was subject to a rotation system: each year a different provincial association proposed a candidate, and the president also served as vice-president in the year before and after his term. Since June 2018 a revised rotation principle applies, under which the president is elected for a period of three years. The presidency, the federal youth board and the federal youth leadership of the ÖBJ are staffed by honorary officials elected every three years by the provincial and partner associations. As of the end of 2019, the ÖBV indirectly represented 2,163 wind bands with more than 143,000 musicians through its provincial associations. Its activities include federal competitions for chamber music, (youth) wind orchestras and 'music of movement', educational events, and uniform nationwide regulations such as those for performance badges and concert and march music assessments. Together with the City of Vienna it organises the annual Austrian Wind Music Festival, and it publishes the monthly Österreichische Blasmusikzeitung.

• 2019

  ÖBV indirectly represents 2,163 wind bands with more than 143,000 musicians (year-end).

• 2018

  Revised rotation principle: ÖBV president elected for a three-year term (June).

• 2014

  Federal office moves from Schloss Zeillern to Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia (September).

• 2008

  Documentation centre of the ÖBV established in the Austrian Wind Music Museum in Oberwölz.

• 2004

  Österreichische Blasmusikjugend (ÖBJ) established for musicians up to age 30; annual presidential rotation ends.

• 1995

  ÖBV begins operating the Austrian Wind Music Museum in Oberwölz together with the town.

• 1988

  Schloss Zeillern begins use as a training centre for music seminars.

• 1984

  Renovation of Schloss Zeillern begins at the initiative of ÖBV president Josef Leeb.

• 1959

  Reconstituted as an association on a registered basis.

• 1951

  Founded as an Arbeitsgemeinschaft (working community) of Austrian wind music associations.

National umbrella association and service centre for amateur wind music in Austria, linking provincial and partner associations and setting nationwide standards.

• Österreichische Blasmusikzeitung

  Monthly information publication of the ÖBV.

• ÖBV-Leistungsabzeichen

  Nationwide uniform performance badge for musicians.

• Bundeswettbewerbe

  Federal competitions for chamber music, (youth) wind orchestras and 'music of movement'.

• Österreichisches Blasmusikmuseum

  Museum in Oberwölz operated with the town since 1995; houses the ÖBV documentation archive.

• Österreichisches Blasmusikfest

  Annual festival organised with the City of Vienna.

1. 1Österreichischer Blasmusikverband – official websiteblasmusik.at
2. 2Geschichte | Österreichischer Blasmusikverbandblasmusik.at
3. 3Archiv | Österreichischer Blasmusikverbandblasmusik.at
4. 4Blasmusikforschung | Österreichischer Blasmusikverbandblasmusik.at
5. 5Österreichischer Blasmusikverband – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Österreichischer Blasmusikverband – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org