Music partnerships between choirs and town bands

Joint choir concert under the motto "Singing unites"

Under the motto "Singing unites", the Vocanta choir from Erlangen and the Singkreis Runkelstein choir from Bolzano gave a joint concert in the Franciscan church in Bolzano on May 2, 2026. Despite the sunny spring weather, the church was extremely well attended.

The two partner choirs presented a varied and diverse program of European choral literature. Under the musical direction of Judith Adamczewski and Rupert Ploner, it became clear how differently interpreted choral music can nevertheless speak a common language. It was precisely this diversity that made the evening so special and impressively demonstrated the unifying power of singing and art across national borders.

Official representatives of the South Tyrolean Choral Association and the Bolzano City Council, Erich Deltedesco and Christoph Buratti, also honored the achievements of the singers with their presence. The audience thanked both choirs with long-lasting applause.

The concert evening came to a particularly moving close with the joint canon "Da pacem Domine" by Slovenian composer Tilen Slakan (*1993). The urgent plea for peace gave the concert a strong message that seems more relevant than ever, especially in today's world. Both choirs impressively demonstrated how musical partnerships can promote understanding and community.

First joint concert by the city bands of Erlangen and Bolzano

Just a few days later, on May 9, 2026, the town twinning also became audible on a symphonic level: the Bolzano city band gave its first joint concert with the Erlangen city band in Franconia. The musical exchange had already been agreed during the citizens' trip to Bolzano in 2025.

Erlangen's Lord Mayor Jörg Volleth personally welcomed the guests from South Tyrol. The concert evening was opened by the Stadtkapelle Erlangen under the direction of Norbert Folk with a multifaceted program of symphonic wind music. In addition to works by Johann Strauss, the program also included modern compositions such as "Mountain Panorama" by Manfred Schneider and well-known film music from "Robin Hood - King of Thieves".

In the second part of the concert, the Stadtkapelle Bozen under Johann Finatzer impressed with musical precision and exceptional sound quality. The audience experienced a brilliant and well-balanced orchestra that masterfully interpreted even the most demanding works from a wide range of genres - despite a seven-hour journey on the same day.

In addition to the concert, the visit also focused on personal encounters. On Sunday, the guests from Bolzano were given a guided tour of Erlangen before the weekend ended with a joint visit to a mountain cellar. The musical connection is to be continued in the fall: A return visit by the Stadtkapelle Erlangen to Bolzano with another joint concert is then planned.