Matinée of the Friends of the Berliner Philharmoniker e. V. “Music must enchant” ‒ A Maurice Ravel matinée

Matinee of the Friends of the Berliner Philharmoniker e. V. “Introduced: New Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker”

A welcome matineeEvery orchestra is a living organism and is constantly changing: With the Berliner Philharmoniker, too, familiar faces leave and retire year after year. New musicians come in their place - and many of them quickly become audience favourites. We would like to use the summer matinee to introduce you to some of these newcomers. Among them is first principal viola Diyang Mei, who has already made history by being the first Chinese to join the orchestra. He has lived in Germany since 2014, where he won the prestigious ARD Music Competition in 2018. You can also look forward to the new principal timpanist, the young Austrian Vincent Vogel, who inherited his teacher Rainer Seegers in this position in 2022: almost a Philharmoniker dynasty. A total of four new members will be available to answer questions at this welcome matinee. And, of course, they will also inspire you with their instrumental skills.

“The 75th birthday” ‒ A matinee to celebrate the Friends of the Berliner Philharmoniker association

A matinee to celebrate the association's anniversary75 years ago, on 17 October 1949, our association was founded. Its aim was to build a new concert hall for the Berliner Philharmoniker, who had become homeless during World War II. The “Friends” formed a large citizens' initiative and, with their contributions and donation campaigns, made a significant impact on the opening of the Philharmonie, which was designed by Hans Scharoun, in 1963. But there was still a lot to do afterwards: The chamber music hall opened its doors in 1987, the orchestra received valuable instruments, and many major projects such as the Philharmoniker's Europakonzert were realised with our support. We want to celebrate this round birthday: with prominent guests and, of course, with great music played by members of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Afterwards, we will celebrate the anniversary together in the foyer.

Matinée of the Friends of the Berliner Philharmoniker e. V. The Queen of instruments

The organ in the Philharmonie, which was built in 1965 by the Schuke organ builders, is one of the most important concert hall organs in the world, with its 6,500 pipes and 90 stops. It is not only heard in symphonic repertoire, in works such as Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra, but also in the popular series of organ matinées presented by internationally acclaimed virtuosos. This instrument is one of the Friends’ most important projects: they financed a complete refurbishment between 2010 and 2012. During the past season, however, the electronic system, with which the various stops are called up in a matter of seconds, refused to do its job. Since entire key segments failed and the instrument could no longer be used, a renovation was urgently needed: it will be carried out during the summer break in 2023 and again financed by the Friends. At this organ matinée, we would like to present the “queen of instruments” with its new brilliance and sound – and offer you an exciting look at what goes on inside.

Chamber music with Berliner Philharmoniker soloists

Four soloists from the Berliner Philharmoniker and the pianist Eric Le Sage take us on a foray through the chamber-music repertoire from Viennese Classical to Modern. Along with such famous works as Beethoven’s “Gassenhauer” Piano Trio, there will also be discoveries – for example, the charming Sicilienne, which was long attributed to Mozart's contemporary Maria Theresia von Paradis, and the young Anton Webern’s highly-romantic pieces for cello and piano. The climax of the programme comes with its concluding work, Schoenberg’s visionary Chamber Symphony No. 1.

Concert-Matinée of the International Music Academy

Members of the International Music Academy perform as soloists and as part of a chamber orchestra works from baroque to romanticism.

Concert of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna

Concert of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna

Concert of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna

Concert of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna

Concert of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna