Our 1. concertmaster Suyoen Kim will transform herself and her violin into a storytelling princess from 9 to 11 February when the Konzerthausorchester, conducted by Elim Chan, plays Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade Suite.

“One of my first orchestral pieces with the Konzerthausorchester was Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade Suite. That was a really nice introduction five years ago because there are wonderful violin solos in it for the concertmaster that are written in a very narrative way. That means I know exactly who I am at that moment, the enchanting Princess Scheherazade – in this case on the violin – from the fairy-tale collection ‘One Thousand and One Nights’. I think this is very easy for the audience to grasp, especially with a soloist on first violin. The whole suite is composed in a colourful way. Rimsky-Korsakov later distanced himself from the purely narrative nature of the piece, but I think there’s no reason for us not to let the fantasy play out anyway."

Our violist Ernst-Martin Schmidt is “truly” looking forward to a concert programme performed by the Konzerthausorchester with honorary conductor Iván Fischer on 23, 24 and 26 February. Fatma Said (soprano, Artist in Residence) and Olivia Vermeulen (mezzo-soprano) are the soloists.

“Last spring, I had already looked through the new season’s calendar to see when the concert would actually take place. I have great memories of Dvořák’s ‘Moravian Duets’ with their rubati from an earlier concert, as the epitome of Slavic romantic warmth. I have not found any other recording that equals Iván Fischer’s interpretation – you should definitely hear it live with him.
Parts of Smetana’s ‘Má Vlast’, or ‘My Fatherland’, were among the first pieces I played in the youth orchestra. It’s like your first love – you retain very special memories. We play three parts in addition to the ‘Moldau’; for example, ‘From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields’ – here the strings begin in oscillating thirds, conjuring up the idea in my mind of flying over this vast landscape like a bird. Some of my ancestors lived as German Bohemians back then. And something else is important to me: Bedřich Smetana, who grew up in the German cultural life of Bohemia at the time, only learned Czech as an adult and turned to Czech themes. Especially these days, when many people still perceive Ukraine as part of the Russian cultural sphere, this is a beautiful historical example of successful cultural independence.”

Our CRM Manager Sascha Wilczek knows a thing or two about target groups, numbers and the technology behind newsletters. His tip: Rush Hour concerts at the Music Club, which are slated to take place regularly again in the coming months. “As a schoolboy, I played guitar and electric bass in a band and still listen to many different kinds of music today. Jazz appeals to me emotionally because rhythm is really important to me. I’m happy that the Music Club is reopening for our Rush Hour concerts in the early evening, following a long break after the pandemic and the remodelling of our building. You are given the chance to get very close to the music and the bands there. Given the opportunity, you should attend all four of these very different performances until the summer! Time Rag Department, which kicks things off on January 19, is a perfect start, because they really put you in a good mood. Next is Ganna on February 9. Like in any jazz club, you can listen to the music with a drink in your hand.”

Anne Eiselein is in charge of our digital projects. Her recommendation: The concert by Nico and the Navigators on 18 February with the Konzerthausorchester. “I have already been to several performances by this ensemble under Nicola Hümpel, and I never know what to expect beforehand. Whether a tour de force with pop, rock music and opera in ‘Empathy with the Devil’, or ‘Du musst Dein Leben rEndern’ (‘You Must Render Your Life’) with innovative augmented reality glasses and digital content superimposed on the artists’ performance – these were all unique evenings. That’s why I’m especially pleased that they will join us on their 25th anniversary to perform with the Konzerthausorchester in the Great Hall. “Lost in Loops” features Wagner and Shostakovich alongside film music and contemporary pieces. I’m very excited to see how they merge these different genres!” 

Our scheduler and event manager Lydia Naumann’s recommendations already look ahead to the new year: “In January we are expecting the traditional English chamber orchestra Academy of St Martin in the Fields. They are a regular guest with us and always give first-rate, energetic concerts. I am very excited to see what they have in store this time. As a fan of early music, I always look forward to the concerts of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin – one of my favourite ensembles! They will be performing an all-Telemann programme in early February with the fantastic oboist Xenia Löffler. I am grateful to have been able to accompany this ensemble for the past few years and to indulge my passion for this type of music on the job as well."

Photos:Tobias Kruse/Ostkreuz (Suyoen Kim, Ernst-Martin Schmidt); private