Osterholz district. One of the reasons why the Bremen State Youth Orchestra (LJO) would like to come to the Bredbeck Education Center to prepare for its traditional Easter project is that the 90-man orchestra with all the musicians and their teachers is alone there and can concentrate on rehearsal rooms. musical projects. The young musicians know that the catering is also excellent. “There have been rumors for years that the orchestra’s clothes are too tight after a twelve-day stay in Bredbeck because of the good food,” says Till Hoffmann with a laugh.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
Bremen State Youth Orchestra rehearses in Bredbeck.
So in one of the rehearsal rooms, the first violins are gathered for their voice practice. Here, 18-year-old Anna Böhmer especially prick up her ears. As concertmaster, ie leader of the first violins, she stands for the right posts in Bremen LJO. In front of the young people between 14 and 25 years stands Stefan Wagner, himself the first violinist and concertmaster of the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie. In general, a number of musicians from the Elbphilharmonie are among the young musicians’ teachers during the twelve project days.
Speakers from Elbphilharmonie
The viola players, for example, are taught by Gabriel Uhde, with whom 27-year-old Till Hoffmann takes classes. Valentin Priebus puts the finishing touches on the cellists. “We are very grateful that both Gabriel Uhde and Valentin Priebus are so committed to our project days – even though they still had professional commitments, traveled to a concert and then came back to Bredbeck at night,” says Edith Fahrenholz. Bremen State Youth Orchestra.
The double basses are also handled by a master from the Elbphilharmonie, Benedikt Kany. Along with him sits the 28-year-old music student Johannes Köppl, who due to his age can count himself among the “veterans” of Bremen LJO. Of his three double basses, he brought it with the five strings to Bredbeck because it allows the symphony orchestra to expand the range downward.
Rehearsal with the double bass players with Benedikt Kany.
In the brass rehearsal room, trombonist Michel Schwalgin pays special attention when lecturer Jens Plücker gives tips and advice, after all, Plücker is the principal horn player at the Elbphilharmonie. The woodwinds are prepared by Marco Thomas, who works as a lecturer at the Bremen University of the Arts.
Challenge Bruckner
For the first time, 14-year-old Lina Donderer plays with the Bremen State Youth Orchestra. She learns, along with the other violins from Immanuel Willmann, a member of the Bremen Philharmonic, what is important as an orchestral musician.
With Anton Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony, LJO occupies a musical heavyweight, a truly monumental work lasting 80 minutes. Edith Fahrenholz recounts that other youth orchestras asked her about the “Bruckner Challenge”: “Dare you do it?” “And without a break!”, As Edith Fahrenholz emphasizes. But the artistic director of the state’s youth orchestra, Stefan Geiger, who took over the leadership in 1996, trusts that his young musicians not only take up the challenge, but also fulfill it in the best possible way.
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