Guitar Night

Vocal Night

Students of the Berlin Jazz Institute present their semester's work.

Trumpet Night

Vocal Night

Students of the Berlin Jazz Institute present their semester's work.

Ana Vidovic, guitar

It sounds delightfully Mediterranean, also a bit like a holiday: the »Aranjuez Concerto« by Joaquín Rodrigo – probably the most famous work of all for classical guitar. The acclaimed Croatian guitarist Ana Vidovic does not play it in its original version with orchestra however, but as a solo version, completely exposed and with no safety net from the large ensemble behind her. It proves advantageous to Vidovic that she plays on her instrument as masterly as only a few others can currently do so. She also shows her dexterity in the rest of the programme: for instance in a daring piece by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, which quite rightly bears its title »Capriccio diabolico«. Born near Zagreb, Ana Vidovic started to play the guitar at five years old and also performed internationally early on. Today, she can look back on over 1,000 performances all over the world, among them also in many famous halls like the Wiener Musikverein and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Some things have not changed since the start of her career though: for instance, her great love of Johann Sebastian Bach. And so she also starts her concert with two Bach transcriptions. She plays the Partita in A Minor for solo flute and the famous Cello Suite No. 1.

Thibaut Garcia, guitar

At the age of 30, Thibaut Garcia has already arrived on the Mount Olympus of guitars: the Franco-Spanish musician has won many well-known competitions, performed with famous orchestras and solo in the most beautiful halls worldwide and recorded a highly acclaimed album with the countertenor Philippe Jaroussky (»À sa guitare«). He now presents his latest project at the Elbphilharmonie: a programme all about the Paraguayan composer Agustín Barrios Mangoré, who Garcia describes as the »Chopin of the guitar«. In addition to Mangoré’s own works, transcriptions that the composer produced also ring out – for instance of Beethoven’s famous »Moonlight Sonata«. Agustín Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944) was one of the greatest composers and guitar virtuosos in South America and beyond. »Today, he is one of the most important composers of guitar repertoire,« says Garcia. »His music is a fine artistic blend of South American folk music, inspired by the jungles of Paraguay and the romanticism of Chopin and Schumann – composers he admired.«

Guitar Alumni Concert

Be transported by the extraordinary sounds of the guitar with a free evening of unique arrangements of timeless classical works, performed by celebrated alumni from Guildhall School.

Xuefei Yang, guitar

»Fervent virtuosity, impeccable technique, sensitive musicality« – so enthuses the New York Times about the Chinese guitarist Xuefei Yang. This musician is a real pioneer of the guitar world: she was one of the first to start a global career as a classical guitarist from Peking after China’s cultural revolution (a period in which Western instruments and music were banned in China). When she performed in Madrid for the first time aged 14, at the epicentre of the guitar world, composer Joaquín Rodrigo came to hear her in person. She has now played concerts in over 50 countries, is not only a noteworthy virtuoso, but also constantly expands the guitar repertoire with new arrangements and commissioned works – as also in her new project that she presents at the Elbphilharmonie: »X Culture«. »X Culture is a homage to the variety and a sign of the creativity that arises if you open up to other cultures,« Yang says. Different cultures always blend in the works that she collated on her 2023 album of the same name: for instance, the Italian composer Carlo Domeniconi is evocative of a mysterious Turkish soundscape in »Koyunbaba«, there are European composers, inspired by the Far East (Steve Goss: »Chinese Garden« and Mark Houghton: »Dance of the Orient«), conversely Tan Dun’s »Seven Desires« draws from the soundscape of Spanish flamenco. »The album reflects my own intercultural journey,« says Yang. It has also always been a concern of hers to enhance the western ideas of »classical« music with Chinese traditions and sounds. She consequently also opens her Elbphilharmonie concert with arrangements of Chinese folk songs.

Sean Shibe, guitar

There is nothing boring about Sean Shibe. The Scottish guitarist had demonstrated early on in his career that he not only has extremely agile fingers, but also a keen sense of programme combinations. He makes old and brand-new music, electronic and acoustic, loud and soft come together. The supposed showpieces on the classical guitar are of little interest to him; he prefers searching for particular, even unknown pieces, makes his own arrangements or commissions new works. As a result, he had already attracted attention as a »Rising Star« at the Elbphilharmonie in January 2024 – he now returns with a new genre-busting programme. Centuries old, Scottish lute pieces encounter Spanish and Latin American guitar music of the 20th century here: while Alberto Ginastera only wrote the one, but all the more splendid, guitar sonata, Heitor Villa-Lobos played guitar himself and as a result dedicated several pieces to the instrument, which now rank among the favourites of many guitarists. After the interval, Sean Shibe switches to electric guitar and turns up his volume control slightly further again: besides music by the medieval composer Hildegard von Bingen, you can hear »Lad« by Julia Wolfe. Originally composed for entirely new (!) bagpipes, Sean Shibe has already created his own version for his album »softLOUD«, which brings early Scottish lute music full circle.

Guitar Series: SoloDuo

For lovers of chamber music the Recital Hall is the venue of choice. You can hear the musicians breathe and you can practically touch them. This hall is also cherished by musicians for its beautiful acoustics and direct contact with the audience. In the Recital Hall you can hear the best musicians of our time. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Recital Hall for yourself!