Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux

The Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux (Ufem) is a French national musical confederation founded in Paris in 1906. It is an association under the French law of 1901 and brings together 13 regional and departmental federations whose presidents form its board of directors. Its stated purpose is to foster amateur musical practice within specific ensemble types: batteries-fanfares (drum and bugle corps), harmonies-fanfares (wind and brass marching bands) and harmonies (concert wind bands). Ufem operates at the intersection of cultural heritage and contemporary musical creation. It supports the conservation of a popular musical tradition embedded in French cultural heritage while encouraging its members to explore new forms of expression such as marching band and street arts, and to build multidisciplinary partnerships with circus, dance, singing and theatre. Through these projects it aims to reach a wider audience and to keep its member societies a driving force in French live music. The confederation's missions are defined by its statutes: to give member associations access to an evolving, high-quality musical practice and to develop amateur musical practice. It works under agreements with the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Associative Life. The first agreement focuses on technical aspects such as training musicians and conductors, cataloguing and developing the existing repertoire, and encouraging the creation of new works; the second addresses the civic functions of associations, including the skills of their leaders and respect for republican values. Ufem's activities are organised around three main pillars: training, information and evaluation. It runs national and regional courses covering all levels from initiation to advanced work for both musicians and cadres such as section leaders and conductors. It publishes a quarterly bulletin, La revue Ufem, and a newsletter to inform members and provide documentation on music, associative life and interpretation advice. Its National Musical Commission, composed of professional musicians, conducts individual and collective training and evaluation, and Ufem-accredited representatives sit on juries for individual and collective examinations. Individual exams include instrumental tests (set pieces, sight-reading) and music theory, with programmes published by Ufem and mainly organised by regional federations at the end of each school year, alongside a national examination. Over its history the organisation has changed its name several times, reflecting shifts in French institutional and colonial geography. Founded as the Union des fanfares de trompettes, de trompes de chasse, de tambours et clairons de France et des colonies, it became the Union des fanfares de France et de l'Union française in 1950, then the Union des fanfares de France et de la Communauté française in 1959, and the Union des fanfares de France in 1963. It was recognised by the Ministry of Culture and Communication in 1979. From 1984 to 2014 it was presided over by Désiré Dondeyne, a composer and conductor who transformed the confederation. In 2022 it adopted its current name, Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux. Today Ufem presents itself as a modern, dynamic structure that works with the state to ensure the sustainability of its member societies, participates in the development of associative life and the wider dissemination of innovative cultural actions, while safeguarding the heritage and traditions of drum-and-bugle corps, marching bands and wind bands across France. Its website highlights training courses for association leaders, a national conducting course, ceremonial training, calls for projects and major events such as the 120th anniversary celebration planned in Mâcon in May 2026.

The Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux was founded in Paris in 1906 under the name Union des fanfares de trompettes, de trompes de chasse, de tambours et clairons de France et des colonies. It quickly sought official recognition and obtained an accreditation from the Ministry of War on 19 June 1919. Over the decades the organisation changed its name several times. On 28 January 1950 it became the Union des fanfares de France et de l'Union française. The Journal Officiel of 5 September 1959 formalised the name voted in general assembly on 31 January 1959: Union des fanfares de France et de la Communauté française. It was accredited by the Ministry of National Education on 11 December 1961. On 26 January 1963 the general assembly again decided to change the name to Union des fanfares de France. Under this name the confederation was recognised by an accreditation from the Ministry of Culture and Communication on 8 November 1979. From 1984 to 2014 the U.F.F. was presided over by Désiré Dondeyne. A composer and conductor of international renown, among other roles conductor of the Musique des Gardiens de la Paix de Paris, teacher and director of the conservatory of Issy-les-Moulineaux, he was a key figure in twentieth-century French music. He gradually transformed the confederation through his technical knowledge and his high conception of civic values and their respect within France's associative musical societies. In 2022 the organisation changed its name once more, adopting its current name: Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux. Today Ufem presents itself as a dynamic, modern structure that, in liaison with the state, watches over the sustainability of its member societies, participates in the development of associative life and the strengthened dissemination of innovative cultural actions, while taking care to safeguard the heritage and traditions of the batteries-fanfare, harmonies-fanfares and harmonies of France. The confederation is an association governed by the French law of 1901, co-presided by Éric Villevière and Jean-Claude Lamure, and is a grouping of 13 regional and departmental federations whose respective presidents form the board of directors. Its mission is to implement actions that allow the development of the association and its members. It pursues both a policy of conserving a certain tradition of popular music inscribed in French cultural heritage and an encouragement of its members to develop new forms of expression such as marching band and street arts, and multidisciplinary partnerships with circus, dance, singing and theatre. In this way Ufem intends to reach a wider public and works, through its innovative projects, to ensure that member societies remain an essential driving force of live music in France.

• 2026

  120th anniversary celebration planned in Mâcon on 9–10 May.

• 2022

  Adopted current name Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux.

• 2014

  End of Désiré Dondeyne's presidency.

• 1984

  Désiré Dondeyne begins presidency (until 2014).

• 1979

  Recognised by accreditation from the Ministry of Culture and Communication on 8 November.

• 1963

  Renamed Union des fanfares de France on 26 January.

• 1961

  Accredited by the Ministry of National Education on 11 December.

• 1959

  Name Union des fanfares de France et de la Communauté française formalised in the Journal Officiel on 5 September, following a vote on 31 January.

• 1950

  Became Union des fanfares de France et de l'Union française on 28 January.

• 1919

  Obtained accreditation from the Ministry of War on 19 June.

• 1906

  Founded in Paris as Union des fanfares de trompettes, de trompes de chasse, de tambours et clairons de France et des colonies.

A national confederation that bridges French popular musical heritage and contemporary amateur practice, working with state ministries to sustain and develop wind, fanfare and harmony bands.

• National and regional training courses

  Courses from initiation to advanced level for musicians and cadres such as section leaders and conductors.

• La revue Ufem

  Quarterly information bulletin.

• Newsletter

  Information letter for members.

• Individual and collective examinations

  Instrumental tests (set pieces, sight-reading) and music theory, with programmes published by Ufem.

• National conducting course

  Stage national de direction Ufem.

• Ceremonial training

  Training on the ceremonial of commemorative ceremonies.

• Plan fanfare
• FEIACA
• Issy en Scène 2024
• En fanfare

1. 1Ufem official websiteufem.fr
2. 2Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Union des fanfares et ensembles musicaux – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org