To mark the 70th anniversary of the Austrian Armed Forces, the winners of a composition competition were announced on March 19, 2025, at the Lower Austria Military Command in St. Pölten. This competition offered composers the opportunity to create an anniversary fanfare and thus make a contribution to the history of the Austrian Armed Forces. The winning fanfare will be performed at the Military Music Festival on May 7 and 8, 2025, at the Salzburg Arena.
The Federal Ministry of Defense initiated this composition competition to musically honor the 70th anniversary of the Austrian Armed Forces. The goal was to create a fanfare that would sonically reflect the values, readiness, and future orientation of the Austrian Armed Forces. Under the motto "Mission Forward," the entries were to feature a modern musical language, innovative rhythms, and a thoughtful dramatic implementation of the theme.
Conditions of participation and evaluation criteria
Over 40 composers from the military and civilian sectors submitted their works. The compositions had to be between 2:00 and 3:30 minutes long and suitable for military band ensembles. A jury of experts, consisting of military bandmasters and external experts, evaluated the submissions anonymously, placing particular emphasis on contemporary musical language, modern rhythms, and a dramaturgically well-thought-out implementation of the theme.
The winners of the competition
First place went to Andreas Simbeni, a conductor, composer, and educator living in Lower Austria. His fanfare impressed the jury with its innovative interpretation of the theme "Mission Forward." Stefan Grübl, a music teacher from the Waldviertel region, took second place, while Florian Moitzi, a professor of music education in Linz, took third place.
Performance of the Victory Fanfare
Following the awards ceremony on March 19, 2025, the winning fanfare was performed under the direction of Andreas Simbeni himself. This event offered a first glimpse into the musical implementation of the anniversary theme and was received with great applause by those present.
The Military Music Festival in the Salzburgarena
The award-winning fanfare will be presented to a wide audience at the Military Music Festival on May 7 and 8, 2025, in the Salzburg Arena. This festival promises an impressive show with over 600 musicians from Austria and abroad. In addition to the performance of the anniversary fanfare, well-known pieces from the past decades will be presented, musically depicting the history and development of the Austrian Armed Forces.
Free tickets and fundraising campaign
Admission to the Military Music Festival is free, but donations are requested for the "Light into the Darkness" campaign. Free tickets will be available from March 17, 2025.
Importance of competition and outlook
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner emphasized the importance of the competition: "This composition competition has not only given us the opportunity to discover exceptional musical talent, but has also shown how music can uniquely reflect the values of the Austrian Armed Forces." She emphasized that music can act as a powerful, unifying force and the tremendous creative potential of the Austrian music scene. The award-winning works will guide the Austrian Armed Forces musically into the future.
The Austrian Armed Forces' 2025 anniversary year is themed "70 Years of the Austrian Armed Forces – 70 Years of Always Ready" and will be celebrated with numerous events throughout Austria. In addition to the composition competition, concerts, swearing-in ceremonies, and lectures will take place. Highlights of the anniversary include the Military Music Festival and the National Day celebrations, which are entirely dedicated to the motto. The aim of these events is to build a bridge from the past to the future and connect it with the Austrian Armed Forces' mission, "Mission Forward."
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