Some time ago I have discovered three new videos with the Zupforchester Ötzingen, the mandolin orchestra from Ötzingen in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. They have played pieces by Edvard Grieg, Fred Witt and Jose Antonio Zambrano during a festival of music in the city of Koblenz.
This orchestra belongs to the best mandolin orchestras in Rhineland-Palatinate. I have not found a homepage of this orchestra, but I have found some information on the homepage of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Chorverbände e. V. who have organized the music festival:
http://www.chorverbaende.de/index.php?page=zupforchester-oetzingen
Zupforchester Ötzingen – Conductor: Johannes Kölsch
Translation: Last year the mandolin orchestra of Ötzingen had its 50th anniversary. In 1960 some enthusiastic musicians founded the mandolin orchestra in the village located in the region named Westerwald. During the first years the orchestra played mainly marches and hiking songs, but today it plays many styles of music. Since 1988 when Klaus Neuroth took over the conductorship of the orchestra the repertoir has increasingly been influenced by the modern style of mandolin music (Zupfmusik). As the best mandolin orchestra of Rhineland-Palatinate the orchestra took place in the German competition for orchestras in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Well educated young players help to keep the orchestra in continuous good condition. In a special orchestra named “Die Wilden Zupfer Kids” (the wild plucking kids) the children gain their first experiences to be prepared to join the youth orchestra and main orchestra later. In September 2005 the orchestra has produced its first CD “Intoniert”.
Original text in German: Im letzten Jahr feierte das Zupforchester Ötzingen sein 50-jähriges Jubiläum. 1960 gründeten mehrere Musikbegeisterte des gleichnamigen Westerwalddorfes den Mandolinenverein Ötzingen. Während das Repertoire der Anfangsjahre hauptsächlich Wanderlieder und Märsche beinhaltete, umfasst es heute alle Stilrichtungen. Seit Klaus Neuroth im Jahre 1988 den Dirigentenstab übernahm, wurde die Musik konzertanter und in zunehmendem Maße von der modernen Zupfmusik beeinflusst. Als bestes Zupforchester aus Rheinland-Pfalz nahm das Ensemble in den Jahren 2000, 2004 und 2008 dreimal in Folge am Deutschen Orchesterwettbewerb teil.
Gut ausgebildete Nachwuchsspieler sorgen für den Fortbestand des Orchesters. Bei den „Wilden Zupfer Kids“ sammeln Kinder erste Orchestererfahrungen, um später im Jugendorchester und im Hauptorchester mitzuwirken. Im September 2005 brachte das Zupforchester seine erste CD „Intoniert“ heraus.
Zupforchester Ötzingen, “Morgenstimmung” (Edvard Grieg), Koblenz 2011
Zupforchester Ötzingen, “Morgenstimmung” (Edvard Grieg), Dir. Johannes Kölsch, Nacht der Musik im Mittelrhein-Museum Koblenz am 2. April. Tage der Chor- und Orchestermusik vom 1. – 3. April 2011 in Koblenz.
Video © 2011 Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutsscher Chorverbände (ADC) Marktoberdorf/Kamera: Bertram Maria Keller
Unfortunately the headings for the 2 other videos are not correct. The following video (titled “Yurubi” ) shows Memories of Bendigo by Fred Witt:
Zupforchester Ötzingen, “Memories of Bendigo” (Fred Witt), Koblenz 2011
I do not know the real title of the following piece – but it sounds great:
Zupforchester Ötzingen, Koblenz 2011
Additional Information
community of Ötzingen: http://www.wirges.de/default.asp?ort_id=6
post about Fred Witt with some other videos of Memories of Bendigo by Fred Witt in my German blog: