Portrait

Brass bands in Kempten
The Music Association Sankt Mang, registered association, is, alongside the clubs of Lenzfried, Heiligkreuz and the Stadtkapelle Kempten, one of the four brass bands of the town Kempten (Allgäu).

The Allgaeu Schwaebischer Musikbund (ASM)
The Music Association Sankt Mang is a member of the Allgäu- Swabian Music Alliance (ASMA). And there are over 600 bands from the whole Bavarian governmental district who have combined their interests.

History of the MStM
The history of the club goes back over a hundred years. Today`s Kempten district, Sankt Mang is made up of the former villages Kottern, Schelldorf and Neudorf. Each of these villages had their own orchestra and in order to maintain the bands, they merged during the First World War. During the National Socialist Co-ordination the bands were dissolved as clubs. Nevertheless, the desire to play was kept going, as far as posssible, during the Second World War. In l945 the American occupying power did not allow any activity among the German clubs. Therefore the club was newly grounded in 1950 and straight-away re-named the Music Association Sankt Mang.

Details of the history of MSTM and Sankt Mang

Ochestra
At the moment the MStM is made up of three orchestras, as follows: brass band with 48 musicians, the youth group with 25 young talent musicians and an Alp horngroup with 8 musicians.

The MStM has a versatile repertoire:
* Concert music
* Mood music
* Marching music
* Church music
* Dance music
* Popular and modern entertainment music

The two musical "supporting legs", though, are, without doubt, concert and mood music.

Mood music
Two of the most important mood music appearances of the MStM is the anual beer festival in the restaurant "Zum Schmelztiegel" in Sankt Mang and the Allgäuer Festival in Kempten in August.

The MStM is also in demand as an entertainment band for providing mood music further afield than just the Allgäu.

* 1991 in Hamm/Sieg (Rheinland- Pfalz)
* 1992 in Eberholzen (Lower Saxony)
* 1995 in Breitenthal (District Günzburg)
* 1996 in Mutlangen (Baden- Württemberg)
* 1996 in Saarbrücken (Saarland)
* 1996 again in Breitenthal
* 1997 in Grafelde (Lower Saxony)
* 1998 in Sopron and Byk ´(Hungary)
* 2000 in Vöran (South Tyrol)
* 2001 in Quiberon (France)
* 2002 in Ölingen (Black Forest) and Sopron (Hungary)
* 2003 in Eberholzen (Niedersachsen) and Losser (Netherland)
* 2004 in Mutlangen (Baden-Württemberg)
* 2005 in Stockheim (Oberfranken)
* 2007 in Berlin auf der Int. Grünen Woche
* 2008 in Losser (Netherlands)
* 2011 in Berlin
* 2012 in Innerpfitsch (South-Tirol)
* 2013 in Darmstadt
* 2013 in Sopron (Hungary)
* 2015 in Westhausen
* 2017 in Öflingen (Black Forest)
* 2018 in Sopron (Hungary)
* 2019 in Quiberon (France)
* 2022 in Dax (France)

The repertoire goes from rock-walz to rock music. Electronic instruments (synthesizer, E- bass, E- guitars) and optical effects (light organ, nebula thrower) as well as the Alphorns completes the brass band.

Rating Performances
The Sankt Mang Music Association regularly takes part in the rating performances (Upper grade). The MStM, together with other bands, takes part in the absolute cultural highlight of the year in Kempten: The Allgäuer- Festival (mid August) by performing in the serenade concerts in the wonderful atmosphere of the inner court of the abbots residence:
* 1993 with theYouth Brass Band, Sopron (Hungary)
* 1994 with the Youth Brass Band Sonthofen ( District Oberallgäu)
* 1996 with the harmony music Welden (district Augsburg).
* 1997 with the band of Maierhöfen
* 1999 with the Youth Brass Band Sopron (Hungary)
* 2000 with the Band oft Vöran from South Tyrol
* 2001 with the Band Wildpoldsried
* 2002 with the band Excelsior Losser from Netherland
* 2003 with the band Öflingen (Black Forest)
* 2004 with the band Kiebingen (Rottenburg)
* 2005 with Musikverein Waltenhofen)
* 2006 with Bergmannskapelle Stockheim (Oberfranken)
* 2007 with Excelsior Losser from Netherland
* 2008 with Harmoniemusik Wiggensbach
* 2009 with Bihlerdorf-Ofterschwang
* 2010 with Musikverein Waltenhofen
* 2011 with Musikkapelle Innerpfitsch (South Tyrol)
* 2012 with Juventus Brass Band Sopron (Hungary)
* 2013 with Musikverein Schrattenbach
* 2014 with Musikkverein Konzenberg
* 2015 with Harmoniemusik Oy
* 2016 with Juventus Brass Band Sopron (Hungary)
* 2017 with MV Westhausen
* 2018 with the band Öflingen (Black Forest)
* 2021 with Musikkapelle Rettenberg
* 2022 with Musikgesellschaft Illereichen-Altenstadt
* 2023  with Blasorchesters Excelsior Losser aus den Niederlanden
* 2023 with Musikverein Wilhelmskirch

Concert programs

The saison ends on the first Saturday in January of the New Year´s Concert. The positions of the critical instruments such as Baritone saxaphone, bass clarinet, oboe and bassoon are filled.The revalorization of sound of the concert music was achieved by replacing horn with "Waldhorn" and extending the percussion instruments with bass drums, xylophone and chimes. This aquisition was made possible by kind sponsors.

New generation
Each year in November the MStM offers instrumental courses for children and teenagers from the age ot ten years onwards. At the moment 30 are being trained. Nine qualified instructors, for all instruments, are under contract at the moment by the MStM. The MStM takes great pains to give the trainees a solid musical background and an intact social atmosphere. The young musicians under 18 years select their own representative on the committee, who then protects their interests. The youth conductor has his own budget at his disposal from which an anual trip is financed. In previous years is was to the following destinations:

* 1991: Trip to the Europapark in Rust
* 1992: Trip to the Deutsche Museum in Munic
* 1993: Weekend at a mountain chalet
* 1994: Excursion to the "AlpaMare at the lake of Zürich
* 1995: Trip to the "Europapark in Rust
* 1996: Sledging in Immenstadt.
* 1997: Visit to the "Bavaria Filmstudios" in Munich
* 1998: Weekend at the "Naturfreundehaus" in Immenstadt
* 1999: Camping weekend in Rotkreuz
* 2000: Visit to the Salt mine in Berchtesgaden
* 2001: Trip to the "Europapark in Rust
* 2002: Excursion to the "AlpaMare at the lake of Zürich
* 2003: Leisure park Zürich
* 2004: Trip to Alpa Mare (Zürichsee)
* 2005: Trip to the "Europapark in Rust
* 2006: Trip to the "Europapark in Rust
* 2007: High rope course and coast in Immenstadt
* 2008 Bavaria Filmstudios in München
* 2009 Wild west town Augsburg
* 2010 Trip to the "Europapark in Rust
* 2011 Tramp and coast in Nesselwang
* 2012 Camping weekend Niedersonthofener See
* 2013 Galaxy Erding
* 2014 Camping weekend Rottachsee
* 2015 Trip to the "Europapark in Rust
* 2016: Camping at Niedersonthofen Lake
* 2017: Adventure Park Tripsdrill with performance
* 2018: Hut weekend at the Naturfreundehaus in Immenstadt
* 2019: tent weekend in Rotkreuz
* 2022: Adventure Park Tripsdrill with performance

Foreign policy
1. Partnerships:
* Music association Eberholzen (Lower Saxony) since 1974
* Youth Brass Orchestra Sopron (Hungary) since 1991
* Music association Mutlangen (Baden- Württemberg)
* Stadtkapelle Bad Dürkheim
* Music association Vöran (South Tyrol)
* Music association Excelsior Losser (Netherland) since 2002
* Music association Innerpfitsch (South Tyrol) since 2011

2. Trips abroad to Austria, Italy, Hungary, Netherland, France and Switzerland

Conductor

Felix Zakurin-Seebacher has been conductor at the Sankt Mang Music Association since September 2023.

Chairman
Daniel Gerlach,  since 2020 the first Chairman of the MSTM. His focus is the training of young musicians and making contacts with foreign bands.