“Bavarian meets Styrian” – was the slogan on Sunday afternoon for the first time this year at the 62nd St. Benno Festival in Bodenmais. Young musicians from the region demonstrated their prowess with the Styrian accordion and performed a fantastic four hour program for the delighted audience in the fully filled festival marquee. The moderator Walter Geiger, who is well known with the "Gaudi-Max", was engaged as host and conducted the afternoon program with his humor and musical expertise. Due to their capable host, the young musicians felt at home and naturally played all of their music pieces live on stage. The master of ceremonies made the right decision with six soloists between 10 and 16 years of age, and then “crowned” the afternoon with the performance from Michael Rettig from Pforzheim, who is Styrian accordion double world champion.

In the meantime it‘s the fifth musical afternoon in the course of the traditional Bodenmaiser festival, that took place in the festival marquee accompanied by the Mayor Michael Adam, 2nd Mayor Johann Sturm, the deputy TSV joint chairmen Paul Brem and Stefan Frisch, festival brewer Sepp Falter and senior head Elisabeth Falter, "da Floh" Florian Weinmann from the "Stoaberg Echo", and a huge crowd of enthusiastic song and music lovers. Walter Geiger announced as first the newcomer Annalena Lex (12) from Bad Kötzting. The Bodenmaiser Johannes Geier (13) was second on stage with his "greanen Hüadl", which he’d already performed at Sylt. The ten year old Andreas Schmid from Zwiesel grandly presented "Spaziergang an der Defernik" and the "Wasserleitungsmarsch". The perky Andreas had already attained great popularity through his television appearances with Hansi Hinterseer, as well as guest performances with Luis Plattner from Tiroler Echo.

As the 19 year old Michael Rettig reached the stage, the meeting approached its musical climax, because now the Styrian accordion double world champion was due to perform. Particularly after an invitation from Walter Geiger, he traveled with his parents from Pforzheim. Michael Rettig won his world champion titles 2007 in Sterzing and 2009 in St. Kanzian. Michael studied accordion and piano at the academy of music in Detmold, and he is also multiple German accordion champion. Above all the expert audience was impressed by his selection and his own introduction of the presentations, which required a precise prestidigitation. The Mayor Michael Adam took the opportunity and invited the "Ziach" - double world champion Michael Rettig to make an entry in the golden book of the market town of Bodenmais.

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