Oakdale Resident Conducts Germanic Band at Walton Park

Jack Bauer might not have know too much about Germanic brass music, but he does now. 

It's been 27 years since Bauer started conducting The Bavarian Musikmeisters — a 35-piece band that plays traditional German marches and ballads. The band is made up of flutes, clarinets, trumpets, tenor horns, baritones, flugelhorns, trombones, tubas and percussion.

"We had never been to Germany or researched it, so we had no idea what a real German band was like until we got into it," Bauer said. "Which is why when our audience hears us for the first time they are surprised at how big we are and what we are."

Before Bauer started conducting The Bavarian Musikmeisters in 1985, Bauer judged marching bands and played with musicians when he was in the U.S. Army.

When Bauer joined the Musikmeisters there were only 12 musicians in the band. Since then the band has grown to 35 members who are from areas as far as Minnetonka to River Falls, Wis. 

"My favorite part is the smiles on people's faces when we're done performing," Bauer said. "It’s just amazing how happy some people are when we’re done performing."

The band performs at festivals, parks or other private events. The Bavarian Musikmeisters performed in several years ago and will do so again on Wednesday, Bauer said.

"Over there (in Germany and Austria) in the village they would perform at all the functions like festivals, concerts, etc.," Bauer said. "They cover the whole range of what the village does."

The Bavarian Musikmeisters from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Walton Park as part of the city's free summer concert series. 

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