General Session / International/Ethnic
Alpenfest’s origins date back to 1970 in a Dickinson, TX German Restaurant named Hofbräugarten. The name Alpenfest was copyrighted in January 1984 by Mike Barker. With thousands of hours of performance since its inception, Alpenfest is well known in the Gulf Coast area of Texas. Alpenfest continues to be the busiest German band in Texas. Alpenfest performs most weekends at Rudi Lechner’s Restaurant in Houston and at festivals around the United States, Germany, and Austria.
Alpenfest is much more than an oompah band. Their specialties include four thirteen foot Swiss alphorns, a tuned set of Austrian cowbells, Holzanes G’Lächter (German xylophone), tuned musical hand saws, and yodeling.  The Swiss alphorn is rare in the U.S. It was originally used as a means of communication before the telegraph, telephone, or television. Hand carved from mountain pine trees, it takes about a month to create each alphorn.
Shepherds have used cowbells for folk music for centuries. We have a set of cowbells mounted on a brace that we play as a xylophone. This is a new twist to an old folk art.  The Holzanes G’Lächter (wooden laughter) is a member of the xylophone family. This instrument can be found only in Austria and southern Germany.
Besides these unique instruments, you can see the accordion, tuba, and all the other essentials that sound as authentic as if you were in the Alps.  Audience participation is an important part of our show with singing, dancing, swinging back and forth with the music, and performing songs with the band. The “Chicken Dance” and other fun novelty songs are always enjoyable.
Alpenfest regularly updates its shows with recently published sheet music. We refresh our instruments annually during trips to Germany and Austria.  Alpenfest Tours began in the summer of 1990. Taking couples to the Alps and the Rhine for summer tours has become an annual event. Alpenfest performs nightly in Germany and Austria for dancing.
With as few as two musicians or as many as seven, the versatility of Alpenfest’s musicians creates the sound of a much larger group. With thirty-four years of professional performance experience, you know there will always be quality and family entertainment.