Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern

The Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern e.V. (MON) is a registered voluntary association founded in 1953 by Heinz Kemenater and Ludwig Dennerlein. It serves as the umbrella organisation for organised music bands (Musikkapellen) and fife-and-drum corps (Spielmannszüge) in the Bavarian administrative regions of Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) and Lower Bavaria (Niederbayern). Originally established as the Oberbayerischer Musikbund, it adopted its current name on 9 March 1958 when Lower Bavaria joined. The MON represents its member ensembles in organisational, musical and youth-related matters. It offers advice on musical, legal, tax and constitutional questions, and it organises a wide range of continuing education for its members. Its service catalogue includes musician performance badges (Musikerleistungsabzeichen), courses for conductors, drum majors and section leaders, and seminars focusing on traditional wind music and symphonic repertoire. The association also runs competitions and maintains a sheet-music download service, a notice board and GEMA-related services for its members. As of 2018, the MON counted 690 music clubs, bands, schools, wind orchestras, youth bands, fife-and-drum corps and other music groups with more than 24,700 active musicians across Upper and Lower Bavaria. The association is divided into 13 district associations (Bezirksverbände): Amper, Bayerwald, Chiem-Rupertigau, Donau-Wald, Inn-Chiemgau, Inn-Salzach, Isar-Mangfall, Isar-Vils-Rott, Lech-Ammersee, Mittelbayern, München, Oberland and Werdenfels. Regular district music festivals and adjudication performances (Wertungsspiele) are held in each district, usually hosted by wind bands or their support associations celebrating a founding anniversary that year. Since 2000 the MON has maintained its own symphonic wind orchestra, dedicated to nurturing young talent and fostering an awareness of symphonic music within the wind-band tradition. Markus Theinert has been its conductor and artistic director since 2023. A distinctive feature of the MON is the Bläserakademie "advanced", in which ambitious and talented young musicians receive continuous training from top instructors drawn from the Munich Philharmonic and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. This academy received the Bavarian State Prize for Music in the "Laienmusizieren" (amateur music-making) category in 2017. The MON is a member of the Bayerischer Blasmusikverband (Bavarian Wind Music Association) and, through it, of the Bayerischer Musikrat (Bavarian Music Council). It also cooperates with commercial partners such as EVENTIM.Light, offering member associations exclusive ticketing conditions including a 50% discount on fees for sales via day and evening box offices. The association publishes news on topics such as music education in Bavarian primary schools, webinars, competitions (including the concertino competition 2027), the "Landmusikorte 2027" search, and concert ticket giveaways.

The Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern e.V. (MON) was founded in 1953 by Heinz Kemenater and Ludwig Dennerlein as the Oberbayerischer Musikbund, an association to organise wind bands in Upper Bavaria. On 9 March 1958, with the accession of Lower Bavaria, the organisation was renamed Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern e.V. Over the following decades the MON grew into the umbrella body for amateur wind music across the two administrative regions. It established a system of district associations (Bezirksverbände) that today number 13: Amper, Bayerwald, Chiem-Rupertigau, Donau-Wald, Inn-Chiemgau, Inn-Salzach, Isar-Mangfall, Isar-Vils-Rott, Lech-Ammersee, Mittelbayern, München, Oberland and Werdenfels. In each district, music festivals and adjudication performances (Wertungsspiele) are held regularly, typically hosted by wind bands or their support associations celebrating a founding anniversary. The association developed a broad programme of continuing education. Its service catalogue includes musician performance badges (Musikerleistungsabzeichen), courses for conductors, drum majors and section leaders, and seminars dedicated to traditional wind music and symphonic repertoire. It also provides advice on musical, legal, tax and constitutional matters, and maintains services such as sheet-music downloads, a notice board and GEMA support. In 2000 the MON founded its own symphonic wind orchestra to promote youth work and to cultivate an awareness of symphonic music within the wind-band scene. Markus Theinert became its conductor and artistic director in 2023. Another distinctive initiative is the Bläserakademie "advanced", which offers ambitious young musicians continuous training with top instructors from the Munich Philharmonic and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra; in 2017 it was awarded the Bavarian State Prize for Music in the "Laienmusizieren" category. As of 2018, the MON represented 690 music clubs, bands, schools, wind orchestras, youth bands, fife-and-drum corps and other music groups with more than 24,700 active musicians. The association is a member of the Bayerischer Blasmusikverband and, through it, of the Bayerischer Musikrat. In recent years it has also pursued partnerships such as the one with EVENTIM.Light, which gives member associations exclusive ticketing conditions, including a 50% discount on fees for sales via day and evening box offices.

• 2023

  Markus Theinert became conductor and artistic director of the symphonic wind orchestra.

• 2018

  As of 2018, represented 690 music groups with over 24,700 active musicians.

• 2017

  Bläserakademie "advanced" awarded the Bavarian State Prize for Music in the "Laienmusizieren" category.

• 2000

  Established its own symphonic wind orchestra.

• 1958

  Renamed Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern e.V. on 9 March with the accession of Lower Bavaria.

• 1953

  Founded as Oberbayerischer Musikbund by Heinz Kemenater and Ludwig Dennerlein.

Umbrella association and service provider for amateur wind music in Upper and Lower Bavaria, combining representation, education and performance opportunities.

• Musikerleistungsabzeichen

  Performance badges for musicians within the MON education programme.

• Courses for conductors, drum majors and section leaders

  Training courses offered as part of the MON's continuing education catalogue.

• Seminars on traditional wind music and symphonic repertoire

  Seminars focusing on traditional wind music and symphonic repertoire.

• Symphonic wind orchestra

  Founded in 2000 to promote youth work and symphonic awareness; conductor Markus Theinert since 2023.

• Bläserakademie "advanced"

  Academy offering continuous training for talented young musicians with instructors from the Munich Philharmonic and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra; awarded the Bavarian State Prize for Music in 2017.

• District music festivals and Wertungsspiele

  Regular events in each of the 13 district associations, usually hosted by wind bands or their support associations.

1. 1Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern – Official Websitemon.bayern
2. 2Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Musikbund von Ober- und Niederbayern – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org