Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra

In the organizer's words:

Program

DMITRI SCHOSTAKOWITSCH - Symphony No. 7 in C major op. 60 "Leningrad" (1941)

About the program

An international youth orchestra such as the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, whose members are selected according to the highest standards, can afford to include only one work on the program - even if Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, the "Leningrad", is a work that is as weighty as it is demanding. The very circumstances of its composition had a decisive influence on the work: Shostakovich began it in 1941 in Leningrad, which was under siege by German troops, and dedicated it to "our fight against fascism" and "Leningrad, my home town". Nevertheless, the Seventh's mixture of will to survive, mourning and grotesqueness defies a clear interpretation. Michael Sanderling, on the other hand, has all the prerequisites for an authentic interpretation of Shostakovich. After all, his father, the conductor Kurt Sanderling, was a close friend of the composer in Soviet times; his son, in turn, recorded all 15 of Shostakovich's symphonies as chief conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra. An unusual evening that is sure to resonate for a long time to come!

Young Euro Classic

Festival program

The focus of this year's program is the European idea: freedom, equality, solidarity! 17 evening concerts, six ensemble concerts and a day full of diverse activities for children await the audience at the Konzerthaus Berlin. From August 1 to 17, young musicians will bring their skills to the stage with dedication and enthusiasm: in great symphonies, new works and music from their home countries, complemented by jazz concerts and dance. In addition to presenting Western-style classical music, six young ensembles at the festival will show how they continue the artistic musical traditions of their home countries today in order to celebrate the diversity of musical creativity.