(openPR) - Award honours outstanding craftsmanship in the field of musical-instrument making in Germany

German musical-instrument manufacturers – the optimum combination of tradition and modernity

The German Musical Instrument Award 2010 goes to two musical-instrument manufacturers from the German states of Saxony and Baden-Württemberg. The Award will be presented during a ceremony at the international Musikmesse in Café Classic, Hall 1.2, on 25 March 2010. The German Musical Instrument Award is given for instruments made in Germany in two categories that are changed every year. This year, it goes to a B-flat trumpet (Ricco Kühn) and a bassoon (Rudolf Walter & Co). With the German Musical Instrument Award, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie – BMWi) emphasises 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 the its manufacturers.
In 2010, the Award in the B-flat trumpet category (piston valve) goes to Ricco Kühn, Meisterwerkstatt für Metallblasinstrumentenbau, from Oederan, for the Model T053/B B-flat trumpet. In the bassoon category, the winner is the soloist model made by Rudolf Walter & Co. Holzblasinstrumentenbau GmbH from Pleidelsheim. Both instruments are hand crafted. The awards ceremony will be held during the Musikmesse in Café Classic, Hall 1.2, at 18.00 hrs on Thursday, 25 March 2010. The certificates will be presented by Mr. Ernst Burgbacher, Parliamentary Undersecretary for State at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
The B-flat concert trumpet of Ricco Kühn is distinguished by a very high degree of flexibility. This model can be fitted with different bells and is supplied with three leadpipes. It comes in three finishes: silver, gold-plated or painted. According to Ricco Kühn, particular importance is attached to the exact fit of the leadpipes. Thus, the leadpipe and its cone are machined to ensure the mouthpiece sits perfectly.
Ricco Kühn, Meisterwerkstatt für Metallblasinstrumentenbau, will be exhibiting during the Musikmesse in Hall 1.1 (stand F33).
The bassoon of Rudolf Walter & Co. Holzblasinstrumentenbau GmbH is designed for soloists and is made specifically in accordance with customer requirements. The model entered has a silver-plated mechanism, solid-silver finger tubes and a gold-plated solid-silver water key on the boot.
Products made by Rudolf Walter & Co. Holzblasinstrumentenbau GmbH can be seen during the Musikmesse in Hall 1.1 (stand A24).
To take part in the German Musical Instrument Award, musical-instrument manufacturers submit their instruments for a three-stage testing procedure at the Institute for Musical Instrument Making. Five musicians play and assess the instruments. However, the acoustic properties of the instruments are determined "objectively, without the influence of the performer" in acoustic tests. In a third stage, an expert evaluates the instruments in terms of their handcrafted work¬manship. The assessment also takes account of the value for money offered and the instruments must be on sale in the trade or available from the manufacturer.
In 2011, the German Musical Instrument Award will be given in the categories “Bass trumpet in C with piston valve” and “Archtop guitar fitted with an electro-magnetic pickup”. The closing date for submission of entries to the Institut für Musikinstrumentenbau is 22 April 2010. Applicants can obtain the complete application pack from:
Institut für Musikinstrumentenbau
Klingenthaler Strasse 42
D-08267 Zwota
Telephone: +49 37467 23481
E-mail: post@ifm-zwota.de
Further information about the German Musical Instrument Award, as well as photographs for downloading, can be found on the internet at: musik.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/de/besucher/events/awa....
We will be pleased to send you further details and photographs of the instruments and manufacturers.

Musikmesse is the world's biggest international trade fair for musical instruments, music software & computer hardware, sheet music, music production and marketing. Around 78,000 trade visitors from the musical-instrument sector – manufacturers, dealers, professional and amateur musicians – made their way to Frankfurt for the last event in April 2009. The Musikmesse is complemented perfectly by the Prolight + Sound trade fair, which is held at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre at the same time. Additionally, Musikmesse visitors have free entry to Prolight + Sound, International Fair of Technologies and Services for Events and Entertainment.

Andreas Höflich
B74 Marketingkommunikation
Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1
60327 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Tel. +49 (0)69 7575-6866
Fax +49 (0)69 7575-6099
andreas.hoeflich@messefrankfurt.com
www.messefrankfurt.com