The brass band in Dorf Mecklenburg is struggling with young talent. With Corona, the interests of young people have shifted. Many turned their backs on the ensemble. The repertoire does not only include marching songs.
Dorf Mecklenburg. Anyone who thinks that brass band music is only for beer tents and sounds like grandpa’s old records is very wrong. This reputation can be clearly refuted, at least in Dorf Mecklenburg. There are also melodies by Michael Jackson or Abba, from musicals or operettas that can be heard on flutes, clarinets, tubas, saxophones and French horns. And these instruments are played not only by seniors, but also by young people. In short: Brass band music is far from just something for oldies.
Lilli Krtschil laughs. “No, absolutely not,” says the 14-year-old. She is one of the youngest players in the village Mecklenburg wind orchestra. She has been there for two and a half years. The French horn has done it to her. Lilli significantly lowers the average age in the orchestra. Nevertheless: Concerns regarding young talent do not go unnoticed by this ensemble. “Corona has left its mark,” says orchestra leader Volkmar Tiede in a nutshell. “We weren’t allowed to rehearse for a long time. Unfortunately, the interests of young people have changed somewhat. We’re running out of youngsters,” he regrets.