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Dialogue Across Borders
The National Youth Orchestra of Germany gives ten concerts in cities including Vienna, Hamburg, London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh
Under the direction of British pianist and conductor Wayne Marshall, the National Youth Orchestra of Germany (Bundesjugendorchester or BJO) will give concerts in Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom in January 2025. Germany's youngest top orchestra will perform in some of Europe's most important concert halls such as the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Musikverein in Vienna, London's Cadogan Hall and Symphony Hall in Birmingham. The musical focus is on twentieth century works by the English-speaking composers Benjamin Britten, George Gershwin and Gustav Holst. Particularly notable is the establishment of a German-British choir academy, in which young singers from Germany and the UK perform together and strengthen cultural relations between the nations.
The BJO on 30 August 2024. Photo © 2024 Tanja Nitzke
The Bundesjugendorchester is sending out a strong signal with its planned January 2025 tour with a focus on the United Kingdom. This initiative, which offers a much-needed boost to German-British dialogue following Brexit and the end of the ERASMUS+ programme, aims to promote artistic collaboration between the countries and inspire future generations. The tour also includes political and cultural encounters in co-operation with the German Embassy in London and the Consulate General in Edinburgh as well as local offices of the Goethe-Institut. The tour is made possible by numerous supporters, such as the Goethe-Institut and the German Federal Foreign Office, the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, the Ecclesia Group and several other companies and private donors who value the project in its symbolic importance for international cultural exchange. The organising partner in Great Britain is IMG Artists.
Sönke Lentz, director of the orchestra and division manager at the German Music Council, comments:
The project will emphasise the importance of musical connections across old and new borders. By working closely with our education partner, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, we expect an intensive exchange between musicians from both countries. The project will be a prime example of how to give young artists an impulse for cultural cooperation between Great Britain and Germany and to experience it as valuable and inspiring.
Wayne Marshall
Programme:
Benjamin Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op 34
George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue for piano and orchestra
Gustav Holst: The Planets Op 32
Participants:
National Youth Orchestra of Germany
German-British Choral Academy
(in co-operation with the Royal Northern College of Music)
Wayne Marshall, piano and conductor
Concerts (all in 2025):
Thursday 9 January, 7:30pm: Vienna, Austria - Musikverein
(This concert will be recorded by ORF and can be heard online at oe1.orf.at on 28 January at 7:30pm)
Friday 10 January, 8pm: Bielefeld, Germany - Rudolf-Oetker-Halle
Saturday 11 January, 8pm: Hamburg, Germany - Elbphilharmonie
Sunday 12 January, 6pm: Ludwigsburg, Germany - Forum am Schlosspark
Tuesday 14 January, 7:30pm: Cheltenham, UK - Town Hall
Wednesday 15 January, 7:30pm: London, UK - Cadogan Hall
Thursday 16 January, 7pm: Birmingham, UK - Symphony Hall
Friday 17 January, 7:30pm: Manchester, UK - Bridgewater Hall
Saturday 18 January, 3pm: Bradford, UK - St George's Hall
Sunday 19 January, 3pm: Edinburgh, UK - Usher Hall
Further information: bundesjugendorchester.de
Posted 7 January 2025 by Keith Bramich
