MUSIC FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT GUARANTEES

Future X – When Is Tomorrow?

»Der Himmel ist immer noch blau. Meine Süßen, Future is now!« [“The sky is still blue. My dears, the future is now!”], Peter Fox sings in his song »Zukunft Pink« [“Future Pink”]. If you ask him about his plans to save the world, his answer is: ice, pink grapefruit and, well, gin. Admittedly, it will not be quite as easy as that. But behind this naïve façade, he is devising a colourful future, shaped by social cohesion, tolerance and solidarity. The Elbphilharmonie community projects are based on these values. Under the heading »Future X«, 85 people from Hamburg have jointly developed their visions of the future and put them together for an entertaining evening. This interdisciplinary concert with music, speech and dance switches between sober analyses of the actual situation and extremely entertaining utopias of a better world.

A Music Kaleidoscope

Attention! All music lovers are cordially invited to a great display of virtuosity! A trumpet in one corner, percussion in another, and a piano between them. The viola, often underestimated, will try to reconcile them. Each instrument will showcase its unique capabilities. What do you think – will they perform better solo, or is it worth joining forces and playing as an ensemble? Younger and older listeners will be told about the history and construction of these instruments. We’ll also consider why they sound so dignified, while not shying away from numerous musical embellishments.

A Music Kaleidoscope

Attention! All music lovers are cordially invited to a great display of virtuosity! A trumpet in one corner, percussion in another, and a piano between them. The viola, often underestimated, will try to reconcile them. Each instrument will showcase its unique capabilities. What do you think – will they perform better solo, or is it worth joining forces and playing as an ensemble? Younger and older listeners will be told about the history and construction of these instruments. We’ll also consider why they sound so dignified, while not shying away from numerous musical embellishments.

Music for Queen Mary

The Concertgebouw’s famous Main Hall is one of the best concert halls in the world, well-known for its exceptional acoustics and special atmosphere. In the Main Hall, you will feel history. Here, Gustav Mahler conducted his own compositions, as did Richard Strauss and Igor Stravinsky. Sergei Rachmaninoff played his own piano concertos in the Main Hall. This is also where musicians such as Leonard Bernstein, Vladimir Horowitz and Yehudi Menuhin gave legendary performances. Right up to now, the Main Hall offers a stage to the world’s best orchestras and musicians. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Main Hall for yourself!

»Music for 18 Musicians«

Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" is a key work of Minimal Music. This kaleidoscopic cosmos of sound for strings, woodwinds, xylophones, pianos, and voices is presented by the all-star band of Ensemble Modern. More than 100,000 recordings of the first recording were sold in 1978. 20 years after the premiere in New York, the piece came to Europe, where Ensemble Modern studied it with the composer. A close relationship developed between Reich and the Ensemble, and they are still experts in his music today.

Classical music for Easter

Philharmonic chamber music: Sound magic for flute and harp

Flute and harp take centre-stage for this concert – both in duet and in combination with other instruments. Emmanuel Pahud, principal flautist of the Berliner Philharmoniker, and solo harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet present a programme of French music – elegant, sensuous and virtuosic – with their orchestral colleagues. Also on the programme is Rêverie française composed by Bruno Delepelaire, principal cellist of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Each concert in the series this season will feature a work by our Composer in Residence Wolfgang Rihm, who died in 2024; this time, his tautly atmospheric septet En plein air.

eResponse: Future Gardens

Students from Gymnasium Köln-Pesch and Georg-Simon-Ohm-Berufskolleg present a musical journey through flora and fauna. Their compositions, soundscapes, and visuals, guided by musicians Mathis Stier and Rie Watanabe, explore nature's mysteries and modern world challenges, inviting the audience to imagine the gardens of the future.

Stargazing: the future

Tom Service talks to Mike Roberts, Head of Electronic Music and Music Technology at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and Guildhall students about the bigger picture.