From 21 November to 30 December 2026, wind players perform on 20 days in front of Schloss Mirabell (Mirabell Palace), right in the middle of our Salzburg Christmas market at Mirabellplatz (Mirabell Square). Seven ensembles share the Mirabellplatz Advent music, from two trombone quartets to the Weisenbläser – wind players performing traditional Alpine melodies – of Postmusik. Here we introduce all seven, with their 2026 dates, so you know when to come for some Salzburg Christmas music in the open air.
What is the Advent music at Mirabellplatz? The Advent music at Mirabellplatz is the wind music in front of Schloss Mirabell at our Christmas market. In 2026, seven ensembles play on 20 days, usually on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 5.15 pm, and from 27 to 30 December at 3.30 pm. Entry is free.
The full 2026 programme is further down.
Advent music at Mirabellplatz 2026: the seven ensembles
All seven ensembles were already in the 2024 and 2025 programmes of the Advent music in front of Schloss Mirabell, each with the same leader as today. The 2026 dates come from our programme (as of 2 November 2026), and we give the leaders as they appear there. About some ensembles we know a lot, about others so far only their names and dates.
Bürmooser Blechbläser
Leader: Christina Stöger. A brass ensemble from Bürmoos in the Flachgau, as far as we know formerly known as the Bürmooser Turmbläser. Their tradition goes back to the years between the wars, when people played for the farmers in Advent in return for small gifts. They’ve been playing at Mirabellplatz since at least 2019. More about the Kletzi-Kletzi-Spielen and the Turmblasen on Christmas Eve is in our portrait of the Bürmooser Blechbläser.
- Sat 21 Nov, Sat 12 Dec and Sat 19 Dec 2026, each at 5.15 pm. On 21 November they open the Advent music 2026.
Bläserquintett Brandauer
Leader: Martin Brandauer. A quintet, so five wind players. Whether woodwind or brass, we haven’t found published anywhere.
- Sun 22 Nov and Sun 6 Dec 2026, each at 5.15 pm, and Tue 29 Dec 2026 at 3.30 pm.
D’Schmittenstoana Bläser
Leader: Mario Reindl. They play on the evening of the lighting of the Christmas tree and close the Advent music 2026.
- Wed 25 Nov 2026 at 5.15 pm, followed at 5.30 pm by the lighting of the Christmas tree.
- Wed 23 Dec 2026 at 5.15 pm and Wed 30 Dec 2026 at 3.30 pm, the last date of the Advent music 2026.
Itzlinger Posaunenquartett
Leader: Alfred Deisl. Four trombones. In 2024 they opened that season’s Advent music on 21 November.
- Sat 28 Nov and Wed 9 Dec 2026, each at 5.15 pm, and Mon 28 Dec 2026 at 3.30 pm.
Brass-Quartett-Salzburg
Leader: Gernot Höfferer. The name uses the English word “brass” (Blechbläser in German). In 2026 the quartet plays at our market twice.
- Sun 29 Nov and Sun 13 Dec 2026, each at 5.15 pm.
Weisenbläser of Postmusik Salzburg
Leader: Josef Harl. Their tradition has its origins in the Christmas wind music (Weihnachtsblasen) played at post offices. They play Alpine Weisen (traditional melodies), well-known Christmas songs and festive pieces. Postmusik Salzburg, the band they come from, first played in Mirabell Gardens in 1956 and still gives summer concerts there today. More in our portrait of the Weisenbläser of Postmusik Salzburg.
- Wed 2 Dec 2026 at 5.15 pm.
- Wed 16 Dec 2026 at 5.15 pm and Sun 27 Dec 2026 at 3.30 pm.
Posaunenquartett Bernegger
Leader: Thomas Bernegger. Four trombones; in 2026 they play, among other dates, on the public holiday of 8 December.
- Sat 5 Dec, Tue 8 Dec and Sun 20 Dec 2026, each at 5.15 pm.
Quartet, quintet, Weisenbläser: what the names mean
The names of the ensembles often already reveal their line-up:
- Quartet (Quartett): a group of four musicians (from the Latin “quartus”, the fourth). A quintet (Quintett), accordingly, is five.
- Posaunenquartett (trombone quartet): four trombones. The trombone is a low brass instrument with a slide.
- Bläserquintett (wind quintet): five wind players. According to Wikipedia, the term covers both the woodwind quintet and the brass quintet.
- Blechbläser (brass players): musicians on brass instruments such as trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor horn, trombone or tuba. For the Bürmooser, the SalzburgerLand Magazin names flugelhorn, tenor horn and tuba.
- Weisenbläser: they play Weisen. According to the German dictionary DWDS, a Weise is a melody, a smaller piece of music. In Alpine folk music, the flugelhorn and the tenor horn are part of Weisenblasen (playing Weisen, traditional Alpine melodies, on wind instruments).
Turmblasen (brass music played from the city’s towers) is something else again: here the musicians play down from towers, in Salzburg’s Old Town for example on Residenzplatz. The dates are in our article on Turmblasen and Advent music in Salzburg, where you’ll also find all 20 dates of the Advent music sorted by date.
Our tip: when and where to listen
According to the programme, the ensembles play in front of Schloss Mirabell. Come a few minutes before the start, get something warm at one of the huts and find a spot facing the palace. Here’s how best to plan:
- Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday: These are the days the Advent music usually plays, at 5.15 pm. On top of that there’s the public holiday on Tuesday 8 December.
- Thursday and Friday: no Advent music. That gives you time for the huts. Exception: on Thursday 3 December, the Krampus run with St. Nicholas at Mirabellplatz starts at 6 pm – Krampus is a horned, fur-clad figure from Alpine folklore who accompanies St. Nicholas.
- 24 to 26 December: no Advent music.
- 27 to 30 December: Advent music every day, already at 3.30 pm.
- Evenings with more on: On Wednesday 25 November the lighting of the Christmas tree follows at 5.30 pm. On Thursday 3 December, from 6 pm, the Krampusse make their way across the market in the Krampus run with St. Nicholas, and St. Nicholas hands out sweets to the children. More in Krampus in Salzburg 2026.
If you want to carry on after the music, the Old Town is close by. How to combine Advent music and Turmblasen on a Saturday is in the Turmblasen article. What’s open in the city between the holidays is in Salzburg Christmas markets after Christmas.
Christmas programme
All 20 dates for the Advent music in front of Schloss Mirabell by date, plus the lighting of the Christmas tree and the Krampus run with St. Nicholas: the whole 2026 programme at a glance.
Frequently asked questions
Seven ensembles: the Bürmooser Blechbläser, the Bläserquintett Brandauer, the D’Schmittenstoana Bläser, the Itzlinger Posaunenquartett, the Brass-Quartett-Salzburg, the Weisenbläser of Postmusik Salzburg and the Posaunenquartett Bernegger.
Usually at 5.15 pm, and from 27 to 30 December 2026 earlier, at 3.30 pm. The first date is Saturday 21 November with the Bürmooser Blechbläser, the last is Wednesday 30 December with the D’Schmittenstoana Bläser.
On Wednesday 25 November 2026, the D’Schmittenstoana Bläser play at 5.15 pm, followed at 5.30 pm by the lighting of the Christmas tree, with the traditional brass band (Trachtenmusikkapelle) of Annaberg-Lungötz, where this year’s tree comes from. At the Krampus run with St. Nicholas on Thursday 3 December, from 6 pm, there’s no Advent music, as the ensembles don’t play on Thursdays. The evening before, on Wednesday 2 December, the Weisenbläser of Postmusik Salzburg play at 5.15 pm. Entry to the market is free.
An ensemble of four trombones. The trombone is a low brass instrument. Two of them play at our market in 2026: the Itzlinger Posaunenquartett and the Posaunenquartett Bernegger.
Weisenbläser play Weisen, that is, simple melodies, in Alpine folk music mainly on flugelhorn and tenor horn. Turmbläser play down from a tower. The Bürmooser Blechbläser were very probably called the Bürmooser Turmbläser in the past. On Christmas Eve they play from the church tower in Bürmoos.
There’s no Advent music on Thursdays and Fridays, nor from 24 to 26 December 2026. On Mondays and Tuesdays it only plays on the public holiday of 8 December and on 28 and 29 December.
Sources
Retrieved on 2 November 2026: Christmas market at Mirabellplatz: programme 2026 · home page of the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz (ensemble texts) · programmes “Adventmusik vor dem Schloss Mirabell” (Advent music in front of Schloss Mirabell) 2024 and 2025 · SalzburgerLand Magazin: Die Bürmooser Turmbläser (dates as of 2019) · Postmusik Salzburg: chronicle · Wikipedia: Quartett, Bläserquintett, Posaune, Blechblasinstrument, Turmblasen, Liste von Volksmusikinstrumenten · DWDS: Weise