Our newsletter “Der Musikus” No. 168 has been released.
This time, the featured article focuses on the 150th anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival.
In addition to numerous articles on composers, performers, musical instruments, and music venues, there is — as always — an extensive list of new stamp issues.
Take a look at the table of contents. Members of “Motivgruppe Musik” (Philatelic Music Study Group) can read the entire issue online in the members’ area.
Category: Uncategorized
Checklist Music Stamps
The list, which is constantly being expanded based on an Excel file, can be used as a want or stock list.
Yehudi Menuhin Trophy 2026 – Most popular Music Stamp 2025
Designed by Kirsten Lubach
Born in Troisdorf in 1973, Kirsten Lubach trained as an engraver at the Zeichenakademie in Hanau. She subsequently pursued further studies in Lahti, Finland, on a scholarship and qualified as a master engraver there in 1999. After working for a specialiced firm for several years, she moved to the Austrian State Printing Office in 2003, where she was initially responsible for correcting and retouching printing plates. The first stamp she engraved — part of the “Wildlife of Austria” series — was released in 2006. In 2012, Lubach became self-employed, opening her own copperplate engraving and printing studio in Vienna. Over the years, she has designed numerous stamps for various postal authorities and already received the Yehudi Menuhin Trophy in 2023 for the “Trombone” stamp — part of the “Musical Austria” series — which was voted the most popular music-themed stamp of 2022.
With 4.59% of the vote, the Christmas stamp “The Pixies’ Christmas” from the Faroe Islands — issued on October 20, 2025 — took second place. The stamp was designed by Janus á Húsagarði, a Faroese photographer and visual artist based in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
Taking third place with 4.43% of the vote was the German stamp “Semper Opera House” from the “Historic Buildings in Germany” series; for its design, graphic artist Jan-Niklas Kröger — part of Deutsche Post’s graphic design team — utilized the AI image generator DALL·E.
It is fascinating to observe the diverse graphic approaches taken with these three stamps: ranging from collage and poetic, fairy-tale-style illustration to the use of artificial intelligence — though one hopes that postal authorities will not succumb to the temptation of replacing the craftsmanship of graphic artists with AI.
Once again, stamps from 66 postal authorities were in the running for the title of “Most Popular Music Stamp of 2025” and collectors from 36 countries participated in the online vote.
Here you will find all previous winners of the Yehudi Menuhin Trophy.
New Checklists
The members only section of our website contains a collection of checklists about various topics of music philately. The collection is constantly expanding and can be read online by our members.
New enhancements:
4.2.25: Theaters, Opera Houses, Concert Halls (updated)
2.3.25: Postal Stationery of Ukraine (new)
4.5.25: Frederic Chopin (new)
31.5.25: Faust (new)
15.1.26: Postal Stationery of Bulgaria (updated)
23.4.26: Female Dancers (updated)
14.6.26: Verdi (updated)
5.7.26: Aida (updated)
7.7.26: Male Dancers (updated) / Ballroom Dance (updated)
6.8.26: Postal Stationery of Romania – Covers (updated)
4.2.25: Theaters, Opera Houses, Concert Halls (updated)
2.3.25: Postal Stationery of Ukraine (new)
4.5.25: Frederic Chopin (new)
31.5.25: Faust (new)
15.1.26: Postal Stationery of Bulgaria (updated)
23.4.26: Female Dancers (updated)
14.6.26: Verdi (updated)
5.7.26: Aida (updated)
7.7.26: Male Dancers (updated) / Ballroom Dance (updated)
6.8.26: Postal Stationery of Romania – Covers (updated)
New articles in our Library
The library of our study group contains an extensive collection of philatelic magazine articles from all areas of music philately. These articles can be read online by our members.
The new articles deal with the following topics, among others:
Carl Maria von Weber / Marilyn Monroe / Engelbert Humperdinck / Friedrich Cerha / Udo Lindenberg / German Rock Classics / Eurovision Song Contest / Finlandia Hall / Burgtheater in Vienna / The Timpany / Bayreuth Festival / “The New German Wave” / Indian Music in Philately / The Meistersinger Stamp of 1968
Carl Maria von Weber / Marilyn Monroe / Engelbert Humperdinck / Friedrich Cerha / Udo Lindenberg / German Rock Classics / Eurovision Song Contest / Finlandia Hall / Burgtheater in Vienna / The Timpany / Bayreuth Festival / “The New German Wave” / Indian Music in Philately / The Meistersinger Stamp of 1968
Please Save the Date: New Stamp Fair in Mülheim an der Ruhr, 2027
It took a while, but as a successor event to the Essen Stamp Fair, an International Stamp Fair is scheduled to take place in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany, from May 21 to 22, 2027. Please save the date; we are planning to host an information stand for the Motivgruppe Musik. Further details will follow.
General Meeting 2026 in Meiningen
Our 2026 get-together will take place
from March 27 to 29 in Meiningen (Thuringia).
The program includes the general meeting with the election of a new board, a small stamp exhibition on the theme of “Theater”, a visit to the Meiningen Theater Museum, and a concert by students of the Max Reger Conservatory in Meiningen.
Backdrop at the Meiningen Theater Museum
Get-together 2025 in Ulm
Our get-together will take place as part of
the International Stamp Fair
from October 23rd to 25th in Ulm.
Visit us at our information booth
Hall 2 / Booth A 30.
On Friday afternoon (October 24th), members of Motivgruppe Musik will enjoy a guided city tour with the Ulm Town Musician. On Saturday morning (October 25th), interested members and visitors can receive an introduction to the music exhibits on display.
Yehudi Menuhin Trophy 2025 – Most popular Music Stamp 2024
designed by Eva Wilsson
Eva Wilsson grew up in Stockholm. She studied design at the Swedish art school Konstfack and the London College of Printing. She gained professional experience in London (art books and fashion photography) and Amsterdam (visual identity). In 2008, she founded her own label, “Design Eva Wilsson”, and in 2019 opened a gallery for typography and design in Stockholm with rooms for exhibitions, workshops, and evenings with typography and music quizzes. Eva Wilsson teaches history of typography and graphic design and has also worked for the stamp department of the Swedish Post and for Postnord since 2009, for which she has designed more than 100 stamps.
This year, stamps from 66 postal administrations were up for selection. Collectors from 46 countries participated in the online voting. The Spanish stamp “The Cellist of Fene”, issued on November 5, 2024, took second place with 6.41 % of the votes. The stamp honours the mural by graffiti artist Sfhir, who won first prize at the Perla Mural Festival in 2023. Third place, with 6.09 % of the votes, went to the Norwegian stamp “Bodø – European Capital of Culture 2024”, designed by photographer and designer Kristin Slotterøy.
Here you can find all previous winners of the Yehudi Menuhin Trophy
New in our Library
Thank you very much !
The issues can be downloaded as PDF files in the members’ area.
“Il Podio” in our library (members only)