94 participants in the oboe and trombone categories will take part in the competition from 3 May

After a 14-year break, trombone and oboe will once again be heard in Markneukirchen for the 59th International Instrumental Competition. The last time the two instruments were on the programme was in 2010.
A total of 94 participants will take part in this year's instrumental competition in the categories oboe and trombone. Of the 156 applicants that were admitted to the competition, 51 participants for the oboe and 43 participants for the trombone competition aged between 14 and 30 arrived yesterday. The young musicians who have travelled here come from 25 countries on 4 continents - most of them from Germany and South Korea (both 13 participants), followed by China and Portugal (both 10 participants) and Japan, Poland and Spain (each 6 participants).
With the rehearsals taking place today, the preparations are now reaching their climax and conclusion. Until 11 May, the competition will be held over three selection rounds and a final round with orchestra. In the first round, all young musicians will present themselves to the two specialist juries with a 20-minute programme. In the oboe category, the programme will include works by Gilles Silvestrini, Clara Schumann and Robert Schumann. In the trombone category, Joseph Jongen, Eugéne Bozza or Carlos Salzédo as well as Enrique Crespo, Jean François Michel or Folke Rabe are on the programme for the first round.
The competition will take place in the Musikhalle Markneukirchen for oboe and in the Alte Schloß in Erlbach for trombone. The competition starts on Friday at 9.00 am. Visitors are welcome to attend the auditions.
The competition days in 2024 will also be accompanied by an attractive supporting programme prepared by the Markneukirchen Symphony Orchestra together with the Norwegian guest orchestra, the Telemark Symfoniorkester from Skien, as well as the Markneukirchen Wind Orchestra, the Musical Instrument Museum, master craftsmen and other institutions in town.