Luis Abler is looking forward to the music school moving into the completely renovated building on the northern side of Marienplatz. “I hope I get a nice classroom,” says the 16-year-old tubist. He is one of the ambitious students who come and go there several times a week.
He has private lessons, plays in a quintet, the music school’s youth symphony orchestra, and is also active in the youth wind orchestra, the city orchestra and the tower musicians. He will also be performing at the open day on Saturday, September 28. “I’m looking forward to passing on my enthusiasm,” he says. Because that’s how his path to music began.
Luis Abler from Ravensburg tried out the tuba as a small child, and today he is one of the best tuba players in his age group in Germany. (Photo: Anton Abler)
As a small child, he used to play a tuba with great enthusiasm. As a fourth-grader, he was still fascinated by the instrument at an open day at the music school because it was so huge. He thought it was cool, somehow powerful, as he remembers. Today, Abler plays the instrument better than almost anyone else in Germany in his age group. The 16-year-old achieved the third-best result in the national “Jugend musiziert” competition in Lübeck. A huge success for the student, whose daily life hardly involves a day when he doesn’t make music.
As a tuba player he leads the group with drummer
When he is not preparing for such a challenge, he likes to watch videos of his role model, the professional Florian Hatzelmann. As “_tubaflo” he gives technical tips on Instagram. “I find the videos motivating. He shows that the tuba is a versatile instrument,” says Abler. Sometimes the 16-year-old also tries to play melodies from current songs that he likes. In the orchestra, he likes to be a leading instrument together with the drums, playing a line that runs through every piece, as he says.
Without music, his life would be completely different. He has learned to prepare himself in a structured and efficient way through making music (alongside his school life and his hobby of playing football). “Music clears your head, you get into a flow.”
Luis Abler at the national competition “Jugend musiziert” in Lübeck. He finished third in his age group. (Photo: Anton Abler)
His father Anton Abler underlines this: “I think it’s extremely important that children make music.” He is convinced that this creates a different way of thinking. “You make mistakes now and then, but then you carry on,” says Anton Abler. He has also learned to play an instrument, and soon he wants to play again with Luis in his old music club in Kirchberg an der Iller.
First solo journey through music
The 16-year-old is currently preparing with dozens of other teenagers and children for the Musical “Sister Act”, which will be performed on three days in September at the OberschwabenhalleLuis Abler is familiar with big stages, having performed in the Croatian twin town of Varazdin two years ago with the music school’s youth symphony orchestra. “That was my first trip alone.” Music and friends, the perfect mix for him. “That brought us closer together.”
His teacher is music school director Harald Hepner. He relearned the fingering of the instrument with him for the third time, because he switched from the Eb to the F tuba. This instrument is better suited for solo performances such as at “Jugend musiziert”. He originally started with a Bb tuba. “Luis is a very talented, clever young man who can do things like this quickly and who also has a certain amount of hard work,” says Hepner. He thinks that young people should be given challenges – because if they are ready for them, they can get a lot out of themselves.
But music should remain a hobby
Luis Abler is in the 11th grade and is slowly starting to think about his career aspirations. “I don’t plan to study music, but I want to continue at a high level,” he says. His main career, however, is to be a doctor.
The Ravensburg Music School: At the Ravensburg Music School, 45 teachers teach 2,500 students. In September, they will move from Friedhofstrasse to the old town with sheet music and instruments, including 20 pianos and three grand pianos. The Ravensburg Music School has existed since 1971. It is organized as an association. The operation is supported by 14 member communities and the district. The director is Harald Hepner.
