Stets treu!

Sebastian Sürgers (*1982) learned to play flute in the local music school and had his first experience as a musician and conductor in the community band. After doing his service with the military band in Dusseldorf he studied tuba at the Vocational School of Music of the Upper Palatinate region. During this time he also extended his experience with the bassoon. From 2008 until 2012 he studied tuba at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. Sürgers’ education as a conductor and his considerable knowledge of wind band music and its more recent history make him an in-demand docent and conductor.

Composing his march “Stets treu!” (Ever faithful!) Sebastian Sürgers used the folk song “Üb immer Treu und Redlichkeit” (Always be faithful and righteous). This dashing and easily playable march is intentionally written in the style of early military music – it is a perfect street march.

The lyrics of the German folk song are loosely translated:

Always be faithful and righteous
until your cool grave,
and don’t you ever depart
from God’s path.