Sebastian Wildgrube can play 21 musical instruments, he arranges pieces of music for TV productions and other musicians, he conducts choirs and is one of the founders of the “Brezel Brass” band. In all these activities, he often combines traditional, Vogtland influences with modern ideas.

It all started when Sebastian was just four years old. He took to the stage with the traditional costume group in Schöneck, his mother Doris Wildgrube and the “Zuckermännlelied” (the song about the little sugar man). Thinking back to that time, he now says, “I quickly noticed that people really enjoyed it. I then learned the recorder and I seemed to have some musical talent.”

That now seems rather like an understatement. Sebastian plays about 21 instruments, but even he does not know exactly how many; they include the trumpet – he received tuition at the music school in Markneukirchen for this instrument for thirteen years – then the piano, the double bass, the organ and the accordion too.

“It was clear to me that music was my future, at the latest during my time at the grammar school in Markneukirchen.”

Sebastian helped write compositions for the musicals that were regularly performed at the grammar school. This link has remained intact to this day. The school’s head-teacher, Norbert Hildebrand, used an official speech to talk about Sebastian in this way. “He’s our own home-grown Beethoven.” Talking about his teachers at the music school or at the grammar school, Sebastian adds, “They’re role models who stirred something in me and gave me something for my whole life.”

After studying music in Würzburg, Sebastian returned to his home in the Vogtland region; it has continued to leave its mark on him and he has remained deeply attached to it. Working as a freelance music arranger, he naturally has a national network of contacts.

“I’m working with musicians and sound studios all over Germany, but I still enjoy coming home again. We arrangers are a small, limited group of people.”

Sebastian now had a large number of customers, he has helped shape CDs, he has worked for MDR (the Central German broadcaster) and has supported artists from different musical genres.

“People say that a composer writes a song, but an arranger turns it into a hit,” says Sebastian, describing his line of business. That is to say, he creates an individual piece of music from the notes by using different forms of expression.

The “Brezel Brass” band is another of Sebastian Wildgrube’s passionate interests; he plays the double bass and composes the pieces.

He and his former schoolmates, Michael Seidel (trombone), Julia Seidel (guitar), Robert Seidel (trumpet) and Susanne Pötzsch (saxophone), are fully booked until 2020 – the five put on about 70 performances every year, including various TV formats at ZDF (German national public television broadcaster) or MDR.

“Brezel Brass” is a mix of jazz, polka and brass band music.

Sebastian has also been the choir director of the Chursächsische Philharmonie in Bad Elster since 2014. The 50 men and women and Sebastian quickly became a team; the breath of fresh air provided by the young director, who has already conducted other choirs in the Vogtland region, is clearly visible at performances. Different musical styles are mixed, classical music and hits alternate with pop style – and pieces dating from the 1920s are just as likely to be on the programme as works by Michael Jackson.

“I love giving music my own signature.”

The spa town of Bad Elster has now become home for the native of Arnoldsgrün too.

Despite his success far beyond the boundaries of the Vogtland region, his origins have remained important to the 30-year-old, who is now a young father. As a result, he still takes to the stage with his mother Doris every winter for the Christmas programme known as “Be uns drhamm” (“Here at home with us”) with historical buckled shoes, Vogtland traditional breeches, an accordion and colourful brace for leather trousers.

“I uphold some traditions and we’ve retained the programme for her sake.”