On Wednesday (3/19) at the website of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Marita Berg writes, “On September 19, 2014, pupils from the fifth to 12th grades throughout Germany will have a chance to take in a classical concert simultaneously. Antonin Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9, the ‘New World’ Symphony, will sound out in classrooms via video live streams and radio broadcasts. Performing is the NDR (North German Broadcasting) Symphony Orchestra with conductor Thomas Hengelbrock. ‘The project targets all pupils in Germany and is intended to bring them closer to classical music,’ said Hengelbrock, the orchestra’s principal conductor. … [For] the Dvorák concert … Hengelbrock will act as a master of ceremonies…. Pupils will have the chance to speak directly with Hengelbrock…. The musicians involved are staging a number of events such as workshops, video projects and work groups… Projects include a ‘Super Dvorák Orchestra’ made up of around 250 members of school orchestras.… Musicians from the WDR Big Band will talk to high school students and members of a school choir about their response to Dvorák, and then the musicians will improvise with them on themes from Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9.”
Posted March 21, 2014
