Symphony concert – 40 years of the Orchestra Academy - Schedule, Program & Tickets
Symphony concert – 40 years of the Orchestra Academy
about 2 hours / a break
What do the 19 musicians in the photo have in common? Not only are they all members of the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, but they also graduated from the in-house orchestra academy. They stand for an initiative that, at the time, meant a new step in the training of top musicians. Because while large concert orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic had already begun to introduce young talents to everyday working life through a combination of practice and mentoring, the Deutsche Oper Berlin was the first opera house in 1983 to create such an offer in the field of music theater. This is still as necessary today, 40 years later, as it was then, explains violinist Kaja Beringer, who has headed the academy since 2012: »There is hardly any preparation for the special features of music theater at the music colleges – the graduates therefore often have only a vague idea of what it means to make music in the orchestra pit.« That is questionable because there are more opera orchestras than concert orchestras in Germany and the everyday life of most musicians was later shaped more by Wagner and Verdi than by Brahms and Mahler will be.
In fact, making music in an opera orchestra is something special because the works are not just rehearsed briefly for one concert and then put aside for years. The great operas from MAGIC FLUTE to TOSCA to PARSIFAL are played again and again at regular intervals and are so familiar with them that they become second nature. This is the only way to achieve the naturalness that makes it possible for hundreds of musicians to react spontaneously to a singer's breath. Beringer raves about making music together, but also knows that the university graduates have to be carefully introduced to these experiences. What is important, she says, in addition to the intensive support from mentors from the ranks of the orchestra, is the preparation time. The academists play far fewer evenings than regular orchestra members and are thus slowly introduced to the repertoire.
In 40 years, the Orchestra Academy has become a model for success: thanks in part to the financial support of the Deutsche Oper Berlin support group, there are now sixteen positions instead of the original six, and there are an average of 100 applications for each of the two-year positions. This is also due to the fact that the original offer of the Academy was expanded on the initiative of Kaja Beringer and meanwhile not only the introduction to everyday opera life, but also the mental preparation for auditions for permanent positions are on the agenda. Today, graduates of the academy not only play in the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, but also in other top orchestras from Zurich to Hamburg. For the big anniversary concert on March 18, as many as possible should come together again on the podium. And that would actually be a perfect occasion to take another group photo.
etc. Benjamin Britten [1913 – 1976]
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Subject to change.
What do the 19 musicians in the photo have in common? Not only are they all members of the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, but they also graduated from the in-house orchestra academy. They stand for an initiative that, at the time, meant a new step in the training of top musicians. Because while large concert orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic had already begun to introduce young talents to everyday working life through a combination of practice and mentoring, the Deutsche Oper Berlin was the first opera house in 1983 to create such an offer in the field of music theater. This is still as necessary today, 40 years later, as it was then, explains violinist Kaja Beringer, who has headed the academy since 2012: »There is hardly any preparation for the special features of music theater at the music colleges – the graduates therefore often have only a vague idea of what it means to make music in the orchestra pit.« That is questionable because there are more opera orchestras than concert orchestras in Germany and the everyday life of most musicians was later shaped more by Wagner and Verdi than by Brahms and Mahler will be.
In fact, making music in an opera orchestra is something special because the works are not just rehearsed briefly for one concert and then put aside for years. The great operas from MAGIC FLUTE to TOSCA to PARSIFAL are played again and again at regular intervals and are so familiar with them that they become second nature. This is the only way to achieve the naturalness that makes it possible for hundreds of musicians to react spontaneously to a singer's breath. Beringer raves about making music together, but also knows that the university graduates have to be carefully introduced to these experiences. What is important, she says, in addition to the intensive support from mentors from the ranks of the orchestra, is the preparation time. The academists play far fewer evenings than regular orchestra members and are thus slowly introduced to the repertoire.
In 40 years, the Orchestra Academy has become a model for success: thanks in part to the financial support of the Deutsche Oper Berlin support group, there are now sixteen positions instead of the original six, and there are an average of 100 applications for each of the two-year positions. This is also due to the fact that the original offer of the Academy was expanded on the initiative of Kaja Beringer and meanwhile not only the introduction to everyday opera life, but also the mental preparation for auditions for permanent positions are on the agenda. Today, graduates of the academy not only play in the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, but also in other top orchestras from Zurich to Hamburg. For the big anniversary concert on March 18, as many as possible should come together again on the podium. And that would actually be a perfect occasion to take another group photo.
etc. Benjamin Britten [1913 – 1976]
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Subject to change.
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