Jugend musiziert is the largest and most traditional competition for the promotion of young musical talent in Germany. The Savings Banks Finance Group has supported this series of events for cultural youth education since its inception in 1963 and has been the main sponsor since 1991. It is therefore fitting that the competition has a three-tier structure, just like the Savings Bank organisation.
Whether classical or pop, solo or in an ensemble – “Jugend musiziert” brings together thousands of young musical talents every year. The successive competitions at local, state and finally national level are all about young musical talent and discovering early potential. Participants must qualify for each competition level. The first prize winners of the regional competitions take part in the state competitions. In turn, the state winners are forwarded to the national competition. This means that “Jugend musiziert” can be ideally promoted in line with the Savings Bank structure: Around three quarters of the 170 or so regional competitions are supported by local Savings Banks. The share of the higher-level regional associations of the Savings Banks in the sponsorship of the 16 state competitions is just as large. Finally, the national competition is sponsored by the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) as the umbrella institution of the Savings Banks Finance Group.
Broad range of funding
The support itself varies greatly: In addition to financial subsidies for the organisation of individual
competitions, this also includes the offer of premises or joint performance opportunities. Individual
Savings Banks also award individual scholarships as well as cash and non-cash prizes for successful
participants. Since 1994, the German Savings Banks Association has also awarded an annual special prize of
EUR 5,000 to outstanding family ensembles as part of the national competition. In the anniversary year 2023,
it was awarded for the 30th time.
Competition is open to all
“In view of the current economically challenging situation for many people, youth competitions are
more important than ever for society. “Jugend musiziert” is open to everyone – provided they are
hard-working and ambitious – not just ‚child prodigies’ from privileged households. This event
therefore also contributes to the preservation of cultural institutions on a broad basis,” explains
Dr Heike Kramer, Head of Social Engagement and Event Management at the DSGV. This also includes the
appropriate follow-up funding, which is intended to make it easier for national prizewinners to take
their first steps towards becoming professional musicians.
To this end, the Savings Banks Finance Group established the specially created concert format “Meisterschüler – Meister” in co-operation with the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in 2009. It enables outstanding young talents to share the stage with internationally renowned classical music stars such as oboist Albrecht Mayer and clarinetist David Orlowsky. A success story with great appeal, as the concert series has also found an enthusiastic audience in the programmes of the Rheingau Music Festival, the Mozartfest Würzburg and Schloss Neuhardenberg since 2011.
In its 60th anniversary year, the 2023 national “Jugend musiziert” competition took place from 25 May to 2 June in Zwickau and the surrounding areas. Around 2,200 young participants qualified for the final round, most of whom had travelled with their families. A total of around 20,000 children and young people originally started the first round.
In addition to the Savings Banks Finance Group, the federal, state and local governments as well as numerous other private and public donors once again provided the necessary funding for this huge number of participants in 2023. In the course of its success story, “Jugend musiziert” has been able to support countless young talents. For many of them, taking part was their first step on the path to a great musical career.