This goes to the Symphonisches Blasorchester Obere Nahe e.V. with its conductor Jochen Lorenz. The predecessor, the district youth orchestra, was founded back in 1968 and renamed the Symphonic Wind Orchestra Upper Nahe in 1994 - almost 30 years ago. For more than 20 years, the orchestra has been under the musical direction of Jochen Lorenz, who has played a large part in the ensemble's success story.
The SBO was nominated for the Culture Prize by Offener Kanal Idar-Oberstein/Herrstein e.V., the 2021 Culture Prize winner. In his justification for the nomination, Lukas Herzog writes, among other things: "The SBO is an integral part of the regional cultural and music scene and has been captivating audiences for years with high-quality musical contributions in a wide variety of formats."
When Lord Mayor Frank Frühauf gave Jochen Lorenz the good news over the phone, he was delighted. "I am very proud that the long-standing cooperation with the city and the commitment in Idar-Oberstein is being honored with the Culture Prize. Together with the municipal cultural department, numerous outstanding cultural projects have been realized in recent years, such as the Camina Burana at the trade fair, the earlier brass band days from the beginnings of Idar-Oberstein leuchtet or SBO meets Rennquintett."
Lord Mayor Frank Frühauf is delighted that this year's Culture Prize has been awarded to the SBO, as this is an outstanding orchestra that also promotes the city and the region both nationally and internationally.
The SBO's New Year's Gala Concerts are a particular success story, two of which have been held in the municipal theater and one in Birkenfeld for years. If you would like to experience the 2023 Culture Prize winner live at the beginning of next year, you can already secure your tickets now. Further information is available at www.sbo-obernahe.de.
The sponsorship prize for art and culture is awarded annually and is endowed with 2,500 euros. The prize money is sponsored by Kreissparkasse Birkenfeld. The aim of the award is to support a wide range of artistic and cultural activities and disciplines.