It's raining prizes

Prima la musica: Young musicians win big

The Kreativ ensemble also had a lot of fun in Ossiach: the four call themselves "Queen of the Kings" - Romeo Prax, Alexander Egarter, Amilia Gruber and Jakob Suprun.

(Bild: EVELYN HRONEK)

Music is probably the most beautiful language in the world: until Friday, the time-honored monastery in Ossiach will be enveloped in a cloud of sound. 290 boys and girls show what they can do at the prima la musica regional competition. From the age of ten, the young talents can then take part in the national competition, which will take place from May 18 to June 1 in Brixen in South Tyrol.

"It's a new experience every year when the country's talents come to us and envelop the pen with their sounds. It is also obvious that the importance of music is growing even among the youngest children, says hostess and CMA director Marion Rothschopf-Herzog. Until Friday of this week, 290 boys and girls will be performing on the three stages of the music academy. The excitement among the participants, who are waiting in the backstage room for their performance, preparing in the practice room, running through the foyer with red cheeks after their performance and jumping for air in the CMA courtyard, cannot be overlooked. The "Kärntner Krone" has been supporting the country's young talents for years.

Colorful Smarties for Papa
Seven-year-old Johanna Sacherer, the smallest harpist, runs outside, cheering: "That was totally cool. I especially like the song 'The elf and the frog'." The little girl with the children's harp picked up a 1st prize with distinction. Her father also received one: "I'm going to give dad lots of colorful Smarties, which he loves, because dad always carries my harp."

Manfred Plessl, one of the 73 judges, is totally thrilled. The Klagenfurt native works as a composer for film, theater and advertising: "I'm totally thrilled. The teachers' commitment to the 'Music of Youth' competition is huge. The young talents are totally creative and their performance is way above their age."

The excitement is great
The little musicians wait for their performance with red cheeks and a little excitement. We meet the "Flö 3" ensemble from Gurktal. "The funniest piece was the one by Allan Rosenheck. It sounds funny, we feel like the chickens are pecking the seed off the ground when we play."

"Flö 3" won, how could it be otherwise, a 1st prize with distinction. We meet Aran Pacheco Guerrero on the second floor in the audition room. The 14-year-old is a pupil at BRG Viktring and is being guided to new heights in the music section by music professor Erwin Kropfitsch. "This was my first competition, I thought it was really cool." Edvard Grieg's Arieta "Lyrical Pieces" will be heard during the audition. "It's totally beautiful and romantic." Goosebumps run up, while the speed of Beethoven's piano sonata is equally astonishing.

Goosebumps rise when she sings AveMaria
When Hannah Gabalier-Kirschner (10), probably the smallest participant in the singing category, sings, she sings. It's reminiscent of a little bird calling loudly from a tree: "Singing is really important." The pupil at the Gustav Mahler Music School in Klagenfurt, whose great cousin is singer Andreas Gabalier, has big plans: "I really want to be a pop singer."

The highly talented singer is sure to win first prize. One room above, we meet Sophia McArdle (16). She is singing Ave Maria, which also gives us goosebumps. "Today I'm wild and angry" is a song that gets everyone's emotions running high. "We're a totally well-rehearsed team," says Sophia, who we meet before the performance. The two girls are not nervous: "Music is our life, we can't do without it."

The accordion is his bride: Paul Weinberger, from Wolfsberg, has already secured his place in the national competition. The 12-year-old achieved 92 points out of 100: "This is nothing new for me, but I'm delighted to be among the Austrian elite again."

However, participation in the Musik der Jugend national competition is only permitted from the age of ten. Johann Brunner, Federal Advisory Board Member: "It's great to see the smiling, excited faces here. The contributions of the young musicians are great. The standard is rising every year and we are really, really proud of every single one of them who is brave enough to take to the stage here."

The fan club is always there
The prima la musica state competition runs until late afternoon on Friday. The boys and girls bring their fan club with them. "I thought I had to hold my breath for 30 seconds when my daughter came on stage and played," says a mother from Upper Carinthia.

And David from the ensemble "David & the Supergirls" says: "Yes, yes, dad, mom, grandpa and grandma always have to be there, that's the way it should be." The talents are a little nervous, but don't take it too dramatically. The excitement only gets a little bigger from a more mature age with an even bigger program.