German Music Instrument Award

German Music Instrument Award 2012 in the cello und Renaissance lute categories

Award given by the German Ministry of Economics and Technology for musical instruments distinguished by outstanding craftsmanship and musical qualities

This year, the awards go to six workshops, five from Bavaria and one from Saxony, for instruments in the categories cello and Renaissance lute, 8-course, in G. The awards will be presented during the international Musikmesse at a ceremony in the ‘Rotunde’ of the ‘Festhalle’ on Friday, 23 March 2012. The award winners are:

In the cello category

‘Violoncello after Stradivari around 1700’, Robert König, Markneukirchen, Halle/Saale (Saxony)

‘Cello Modell Stradivari B-PA’, Meisterwerkstätte für Geigenbau Georg Gerl, Bichl (Bavaria)

‘Meister-Cello T.S., Modell Stradivari”, Geigenbaumeister Thomas Stöhr, Igelsdorf (Bavaria)

In the Renaissance lute, 8-course, category

‘Renaissancelaute after Venere, Padua 16^th century, Dieter Schossig, Historische Instrumente, Grossmehring (Bavaria)

Renaissancelaute ‘Venere 8c’, Andreas von Holst, Munich (Bavaria)

Renaissancelaute, ‘Modell MD 600 S’, Günter Mark, Bad Rodach (Bavaria)

With the German Musical Instrument Award, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundes­ministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie – BMWi) aims to emphasise the significance of musical-instrument making in Germany for the musical-instrument sector, and draws attention to the cultivation of tradition in Germany and the innovativeness of its manufacturers. Germany’s musical-instrument manufacturers can look back over a long tradition and lead the world in many instrument categories, especially when it comes to combining tradition, craftsmanship and individuality with modern technologies and innovations. This is particularly evident in the cello and Renaissance lute categories where the instrument makers not only attach great importance to tradition but also use new information to reinterpret old classes of musical instrument.

The award-winning instruments in the cello category

In the cello category, three workshops came top, each with the same number of points, and thus share the German Music Instrument Award. The instruments achieved equal ratings in all three evaluation categories (playing test by musicians, results of the physical measurements, craftsmanship examination). Therefore, the Board of Trustees decided to give the prize to all three of them.

The award-winning instruments in the Renaissance lute category

Three instruments also came out top in the Renaissance lute category. In this case, too, all three instruments received the same number of points. Moreover, they were in a class of their own compared to the other instruments entered for the competition.

The selection procedure

To take part in the German Musical Instrument Award, musical- instrument manufacturers from all over Germany submit their instruments for a three-stage selection procedure conducted by the Institute for Musical Instrument Making (Institut für Musik­instrumenten­bau) in Zwota. In this procedure, musicians, all experts for their instrument and active in a renowned orchestra or ensemble, test the instruments for playability, sound and responsiveness. The acoustic-quality tests are objective, i.e., the players have no influence, thanks to acoustic measurements. In the third stage, an expert evaluates the instruments in terms of craftsmanship. The assessment also takes account of value for money. Additionally, it must be possible to purchase the instruments via the trade or from the manufacturer.

Next year, the German Musical Instrument Award will be given in the categories tenor horn with piston valves and E-flat clarinet. The deadline for receipt of entries by the Institute for Musical Instrument Making is 20 April 2012. Entry forms and complete information can be obtained from:

Institut für Musikinstrumentenbau

Klingenthaler Strasse 42

D-08267 Zwota

Telephone: +49 37467 23481

E-mail: po st ifm -zwota .de