Around 240 musicians, more than 100 volunteers and around 11.000 spectators. That is the impressive result of the 50th Burghauser Jazz Week. There is no question that the International Jazz Week in Burghausen is one of the major festivals of its kind. Every year since 1970, the historic town on the Salzach has been transformed into a fascinating Eldorado for jazz fans for a week in March.
Visitors to the Jazz Week experience the performances of internationally renowned jazz stars, talented young musicians and national jazz greats and bands. The guests, who have often been traveling to Burghausen from all parts of the world for the Jazz Week for decades, can listen to the concerts of the musicians in the two large venues - the Wackerhalle and the Stadtsaal - as well as in the jazz cellar. In addition, there are also the jazz night bars, where spontaneous sessions of the jazz musicians often take place.
The big concerts have been taking place in the Wackerhalle and in the Stadtsaal for several years. Traditionally, IG Jazz organizes double concerts here: two bands always perform one after the other. The main concerts are supplemented, among other things, by the nightly sessions in the jazz cellar, the finale of the young talent jazz prize and the jazz events in the pubs of Burghausen's old town. In the course of an International Jazz Week, more than 30 performances by jazz musicians can be counted. In addition to the evening events, which often extend far into the night, IG Jazz also organizes a musical morning pint on the Sunday of Jazz Week.
The history of the origins of the International Jazz Week is based on a meeting between Burghausen jazz lover Helmut Viertl and Munich-based Joe Viera in the late 1960s: Viertl had invited the Munich saxophonist and jazz teacher Viera to Burghausen as part of a series of lectures and later convinced him to organize a jazz festival together .
Together they organized the first jazz week in the spring of 1970. Bayerischer Rundfunk broadcast the festival and has been a loyal partner ever since.
Just a few years after the first event, the Burghauser Jazz Week has established itself on the international jazz scene. Well-known jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Jamie Cullum have already demonstrated their skills in Burghausen.
In the five decades since its existence, the Burghausen Jazz Week has continuously developed and has had a lasting impact on the cultural life of the city of Burghausen. Not only the jazz week, but jazz in general make a decisive contribution to the cultural identity of the city and many of its residents and companies.
In addition to its cultural significance, the International Jazz Week is a major economic and tourist factor for the city of Burghausen: the city's hotels are fully booked during the Jazz Week. Many entrepreneurs also use the days of Jazz Week for business activities. Jazz events, which take place all year round under the direction of IG Jazz, attract a large number of tourists to the city.
Burghausen has been calling itself a “jazz town” for many years.
Jazz events
“Algol. Tragedy of Power” – silent film with live music by Claus Boesser-Ferrari
anchor hall
Stadtplatz 41-42,84489, XNUMX Burghausen
Step across the border – “A Celluloid Improvisation” (Late Night Film)
anchor hall
Stadtplatz 41-42,84489, XNUMX Burghausen
Large summer jazz courses in Burghausen
Jazz Cellar (in the Mautner Castle)
In den Gruben 193, 84489 Burghausen
Large summer jazz courses in Burghausen
Jazz Cellar (in the Mautner Castle)
In den Gruben 193, 84489 Burghausen
Large summer jazz courses in Burghausen
Jazz Cellar (in the Mautner Castle)
In den Gruben 193, 84489 Burghausen
Large summer jazz courses in Burghausen
Jazz Cellar (in the Mautner Castle)
In den Gruben 193, 84489 Burghausen
"Jazz is part of the city's image and, for some of its residents, a very definite part of life."
Joe Viera, saxophonist and founder of IG Jazz
The interest group Jazz Burghausen (IG Jazz) is closely linked to Burghausen: For more than half a century, the IG Jazz has been organizing jazz concerts and festivals in the historic town. The IG Jazz has a decisive influence on the cultural life of Burghausen and has helped the city to gain its worldwide reputation as one of the jazz metropolises in Germany.
Helmut Viertl founded the community in 1971 as an association. A year earlier, together with Joe Viera, he had launched the International Jazz Week in Burghausen. Under the direction of the two founders, the festival has developed into a renowned event of international quality thanks to the numerous performances by national and international jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Michel Petrucciani, Albert Mangelsdorff and Chet Baker.
Since 2009, the IG Jazz has been awarding the renowned European Burghausen jazz prize for young talent and enabling young artists to perform on the "Next Generation Day" during the International Jazz Week.
In addition, the Big Band Burghausen is one of the figureheads of IG Jazz. Outstanding jazz musicians from the region play in the big band.
Interest group Jazz eV
Kanzelmüllerstrasse 94
84489 Burghausen
T. + 49 8677 9164630
contact@b-jazz.com
b-jazz.com
Just two years after founding IG Jazz, Joe Viera founded the study center for contemporary music. As a sponsor, IG Jazz organizes a wide variety of jazz courses throughout the year and has long been considered the leading training center in this field in Germany.
The association VzFzM supports the work of the study center together with the IG Jazz. The association was founded in 1978 and provides financial means for courses and instruments.
Talented young musicians can also apply for a grant from the VzFzM association if they want to take part in one of the jazz courses.
If you would like to support the VzFzM association, please contact the association or click on the link to the membership application.
Association for the promotion of contemporary music of the IG Jazz Burghausen eV
Kanzelmüllerstrasse 94
84489 Burghausen
T. + 49 8677 9164630
foerderverein@b-jazz.com
The Burghauser Young Jazz Prize has become well established among young jazz musicians. In 2009, the city of Burghausen, in cooperation with the interest group Jazz eV (IG Jazz), awarded the prize for the first time. The finale of the Young Jazz Prize always heralds the Burghausen International Jazz Week.
Young jazz musicians can apply about six months in advance for the up-and-coming jazz prize of the respective year. A jury selects five bands from the submitted recordings, which it receives anonymously, which then play against each other in the final round at the start of the International Jazz Week in the Burghauser Stadtsaal. Each formation gives a concert lasting around 20 minutes, after which the four-person jury always withdraws briefly to deliberate.
The finale of the young jazz musicians always enjoys a wide range and is very much appreciated by the audience. In recent years, the young jazz prize has developed into a crowd puller.
The Burghauser Young Jazz Prize is endowed with a total of 9.000 euros.
Combos with three or more musicians and big bands with a maximum age of 30 can apply. They can choose any style of jazz for their contributions. If a band applies, the specified line-up is binding.
You can find more information on the Burghauser Young Jazz Prize at IG Jazz.
All information about the program of the International Jazz Week and about tickets can be found at b-jazz.com.
Contact
Interest group Jazz Burghausen e. V
Kanzelmüllerstrasse 94
84489 Burghausen
T. + 49 8677 9164630
contact@b-jazz.com
b-jazz.com