50 years of Trombone Day: Ulm becomes a sound center for 7,000 brass players!

50 years of Trombone Day: Ulm becomes a sound center for 7,000 brass players!

It will be really loud in Ulm on June 28th and 29th, 2025, because... State Trumpet Day celebrates its 50th anniversary. Around 7,000 wind players from various trombone choirs in Württemberg and beyond are expected. The sound of the instruments fills the area in front of the Ulm Minster, while the impressive building itself is currently being renovated.

A big event will be the Donauhalle, where around 2,000 young brass players will gather. These talents always present the best of trombone music and create a good atmosphere. The anticipation is huge, not only among the musicians, but also among the organizers, because the State Trombone Day has established itself as an important part of musical life in the region.

Farewell and new beginnings

But with all the jubilation there is also a feeling of farewell: the three responsible state trombone band directors, Michael Püngel, Albrecht Schuler and Hans-Ulrich Nonnenmann, are retiring. Their positions are no longer being filled due to austerity measures by the regional church, which is causing a lot of conversation. Anselm Kreh, member of the state synod and trombone choir leader, emphasizes the importance of the trombone choirs for the communities and assures that the support association for trombone work and the state synod will support the continuation of the work.

The highlight of the festival will take place on Sunday at 4 p.m. when the well-known piece “Now everyone thanks God” will be heard with fanfares from the town hall. These program items will attract music lovers from near and far, and the singing will light up the city.

A program full of diversity

The event offers a rich program that also includes numerous workshops and concerts. On the southern Münsterplatz there are from State Youth Trombone Choir in Concert There are many highlights on the agenda at lunchtime, from the “Musical Pearls of Faith” to the brass concert in the Weinhof. There is a young brass festival in the Donauhalle, especially for the younger participants. Here the talents can develop further under the guidance of experienced brass leaders.

• Münstermusik Landesjugendposaunenchor: 12.00 – 12.45 Uhr, Südl. Münsterplatz
• SO VIEL GUTES: 12.45 – 14.15 Uhr, Südl. Münsterplatz
• MÜNSTERMUSIK: 14.30 – 15.30 Uhr, Südl. Münsterplatz
• Jungbläserfestival: 13.30 – 15.00 Uhr, Donauhalle

Trombone choirs are not only popular in Germany, they also preserve culture. They are listed by UNESCO in 2016 intangible cultural heritage recognized and bring people of all ages and backgrounds together. There are over 6,500 trombone choirs with around 115,000 active musicians who perform primarily in church services and in unusual locations.

In this sense, the 50th State Trombone Day in Ulm promises to be not only a festival of music, but also a place of exchange and community. Here every note becomes part of a big story and shows how colorful and lively the trombone culture is in Germany.