ad libitum

Winfried Böhler Kultur Stiftung Composition Competition

Contemporary music for amateur or semi-professional orchestras, ensembles and soloists

Since 2008, the Winfried Böhler Cultural Foundation has been helping to build up an attractive, artistically high-quality repertoire of contemporary music that can be performed by children, young people and adult amateur musicians.

To this end, the Foundation organises the ‘ad libitum’ composition competition every two years. The organisation of the competition was taken over by Musik der Jahrhunderte in 2026/27.

ad libitum 2026/27

The 2026/27 expert jury–comprising composers Ulrich Kreppein and Meike Senker, a member of trio marcel (Alex Waite/Malin Grass/Benjamin Kautter) and a representative from the partner music school in Heilbronn–paid particular attention to ensuring that the selected works offered opportunities for the young musicians to improvise freely.

The partnership with the Heilbronn Music School and the 2027 Prize-Winners’ Concert form part of the programme surrounding Heilbronn’s designation as European Green Capital 2027. The City of Heilbronn and the Heilbronn Music School are thus positioning themselves as key drivers of sustainability in musical and cultural education.

In this issue, Ad libitum also aims to encourage young people to consider issues relating to the future, environmental awareness and social responsibility as they engage with contemporary music.