Together for brass music

„Youth development is an issue for everyone,“ says Fabian Gaberthüel, „You can't just drive to the village, teach and go home again.“ The percussion teacher at several music schools in Aargau, who also plays in the Rothrist music association, says this from many years of experience. Brass music clubs need new blood, young people benefit from playing together in a club - and music schools take care of their training. As there were five brass bands in the region but only one youth band, he decided to take action two years ago. „In the five municipalities in the area, we have 4,400 schoolchildren, around one in five of whom plays an instrument,“ he calculates, „Around 80 play a wind instrument and around 90 play percussion. That gives us enormous potential." He developed a concept for regional youth music, organized meetings with music schools and music clubs to get to know each other and also presented the idea to all music teachers in person. „We wanted to get everyone on board,“ he says, „It needs everyone: the clubs, the music schools and the teachers.“ The first rehearsal with fifteen young people took place in February 2026, and the first concerts are already planned.

Close cooperation with music schools

Thanks to the three-part structure, regional youth music is closely integrated into existing programs. The „Mini“ level is held at the music schools, where children and young people can gain their first playing experience in wind ensembles. The „Midi“ level corresponds to the newly founded Regional Youth Music, and at the „Maxi“ level, young people join the wind band association. „Regional youth music is intended to be the pot from which the music clubs can finance themselves,“ says Fabian Gaberthüel. The fact that it has now worked out with the new youth music after intensive development and mediation work is the greatest reward for him.

Regional structure also in the Bernese Oberland

Marco Aebersold reports something similar. The current head of the Aarberg Music School Together with his colleague Jörg Burkhalter, both brass band conductors, he founded the Lower Simmental Youth Wind Orchestra - in short JBUS - on its feet. „The preparatory work for this was very intensive,“ he says, „It was about raising awareness and also countering fears.“ Thanks to a cross-association OC, the youth wind orchestra was able to ensure that the next generation would join the individual associations. It is important to take intensive care of the next generation, to build bridges and create a connection to the adult clubs.

A win-win situation for both parties

Even back then, the JBUS sought to collaborate with music schools - both founders also taught at the local music school themselves. As music school director, Marco Aebersold still sees this as an advantage today: „When music teachers are also involved in brass music clubs, it's an absolute win-win situation for both parties.“ Brass bands are very important partners for music schools. As they are very active musically in the catchment area of the Aarberg music school, it is all the more important that the children and young people are prepared and supported at the music school. „Brass bands are central to social cohesion,“ he says, „They bring different age groups and different people together. You can't pay enough tribute to the fact that brass music exists - it's a unifying hobby.“

The 2026 Federal Music Festival

She is a club person, says Nadja Günthör, OC President of the Federal Music Festival 2026 in Biel: „Club life is shrinking, which is a great pity.“ Accordingly, when organizing the first federal festival in ten years, care was taken to ensure that there was plenty of room for young people and that generations were brought together. „We humans live from emotions and passion - that's what music is for,“ she says. Brass music clubs, music schools, cantonal and national associations are all pulling in the same direction, which is why it is worth communicating with each other, being courageous and working together.

Music schools also took to the stage at the EMF

The deputy head of the music school, Isabelle Lehmann, is delighted that the Biel music school - like all music schools in the region - was asked to take part in the EMF. Several formations, some of which were founded especially for the event, took to the stage. In Biel, the number of wind instrument students is stable, with around a fifth of all students taking individual lessons in a wind instrument, plus twenty classical percussion students. A third of all wind instrument students are also members of JUBIS, the youth ensemble of Stadtmusik Biel. „Wind music clubs cover something that we can't,“ says Isabelle Lehmann, „Making music together in a large ensemble, the club feeling and the excursions or weekends. We can enrich each other.“

„We humans live from emotions and passion - that's what music is for. That's why cooperation is important. It needs everyone: brass music clubs, music schools, cantonal associations and sections.“

Nadja Günthör, OC President EMF 2026