Johannes Schultz from our programme department is looking forward to the concert on January 20 with our former Artist in Residence, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky:

“I got to know Philippe Jaroussky through his recordings of French and Italian baroque music. I am always fascinated by his compelling phrasing and his free and improvised style, for example in his collaboration with the ensemble L'Arpeggiata. Last year, I had the opportunity to listen to the countertenor live for the first time in Marc-André Dalbavie's world premiere of “Melancholie des Widerstands” at the Staatsoper. The fact that Jaroussky not only sings old and new music, but now also a song recital at the Konzerthaus with Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven, among others, shows how versatile this artist is. I am looking forward to the second part of the concert with songs by Gabriel Fauré and Reynaldo Hahn.”

Principal cellist Friedemann Ludwig is looking forward to January 30. Then, the cello section will play together with artist in residence and cellist Sheku Kanneh Mason.

“The idea that we cellos of the Konzerthausorchester could play an ensemble concert again after 9 years came from the section itself, but also from our cello colleague and artist in residence Sheku Kanneh-Mason. We are particularly pleased that he is taking part.

At a concert like this, we find ourselves anew in the section, which also benefits us in the orchestra. The cello can play both high and low and can therefore play a four-part movement in the ensemble, which is not possible to the same extent with other string instruments.

Each of us plays together with our guest Sheku during the evening and gets to know closer musically. The number of players in the pieces varies from two to ten cellos. Our program takes us through contrasting “climate zones” and regions - from Kaija Saariaho's icy cold winter landscape “Neiges” to Villa-Lobos' tropical fugue “Bachianas Brasileiras” No. 1, from Purcell to Bach to Bartók, from Morton Gould's late romantic and at the same time jazzy piece “Cellos” to Consuelo Velázquez' famous “Besame Mucho”, which here becomes a declaration of love to the cello, arranged by our colleague Alexander Kahl.“

On February 14, Joana Mallwitz will conduct the Konzerthausorchester with the premiere of the orchestral version of “Labyrinth”, a piece by Lera Auerbach, to whom the current Creative Portrait is dedicated. One of the composer's inspirations: Mussorgsky's “Pictures at an Exhibition”. The famous musical gallery tour will be performed in the second part of the concert.

“Pictures at an Exhibition” is also an excellent way to introduce music to children. Violinist Linda Fichtner recommends the family concert on February 15:

”I am very much looking forward to presenting a family concert again.  Sparking enthusiasm for music and creating a concert experience for younger children too is a major concern and a personal challenge for me. When children say after the concert: “I want to go back to the concert hall”, then I'm happy!

I take the audience on a tour of Mussorgsky's “Pictures at an Exhibition”, but this time I don't play myself.”

What's particularly nice about this concert is that we're once again working with a screen on which pictures painted by Berlin schoolchildren are shown. They have previously worked with Mussorgsky's “pictures” set to music. I think it's great that children are involved in the concert in this way. The school classes involved are guests at the dress rehearsal and I hope that the children at the concert will also feel inspired to listen to the piece again - and perhaps start to become artistically active themselves.