For 25 years, Young Euro Classic has turned the Berlin Konzerthaus into a stage for youth orchestras from all over the world every summer. However, the renowned festival is not celebrating its anniversary with a programmatic “carry on as before”, but with an exciting expansion of its perspective. For the first time, from August 23 to 25, there will also be an opportunity to experience non-European music in depth in the concert series “re:play – Freedom of Sound”.
Eight young instrumental and vocal ensembles from Brazil, Turkmenistan, South Africa, India and Mongolia, among others, invite you to a musical journey through the cultures of the world at this “festival within a festival”. The impetus for this was the shift to the right in many countries around the world. As festival director Gabriele Minz says, “the shift to the right is often accompanied by vague ideas about ‘foreignness’, ideas that are based on opinions, not on knowledge.” How could culture position itself better in this regard than by presenting the musical wealth of this world?
Traditions must move with the times; only then can they gain depth.”
Seonaid Aitken, Curator of the Nyos Camerata
Beyond the instruments of a classical symphony orchestra, one can, for example, encounter the sounds of North Indian “Qawwali” music, a musical tradition influenced by the mysticism of Sufism. The South African “Footprint Trio” draws on jazz pioneers such as Abdullah Ibrahim and Miriam Makeba with “Township Jazz”. A Mongolian ensemble, on the other hand, takes you into the vast soundscapes of the steppe with the horsehead fiddle “Morin Chuur” and the overtone singing “Chöömi”.
© David Lee
The fact that tradition is “the passing on of the fire and not the worship of the ashes” (Jean Jaurès) becomes clear in all conversations with the various ensembles. Seonaid Aitken, curator of the Scottish program of the Nyos Camerata, says: “Traditions must move with the times, only then do they gain depth.” Therefore, the six musicians, four of whom also play in the classical symphony orchestra, dedicate themselves to the female and non-binary voices of folk music and promise a concert with jigs, reels and ballads that is guaranteed to keep no one sitting still.
© Jacob Brydon
Drummer Hu Shengnan from China also confirms: “Tradition is dynamic, it reflects the developments in society.” She enjoys being at home in both classical and traditional music and is giving a cross-genre concert with jazz pianist Clara Haberkamp in which traditional Chinese music meets jazz, improvisation meets classical. Just like her, all the ensembles are clearly looking forward to the upcoming musical and private exchange.
Mitra Behpoori, Sara Hasti and Roshanak Rafani form the “Aban Ensemble”, named after the ancient Persian goddess of water. The musicians, who were born in Iran and live in Europe, are appearing for the first time at “Young Euro Classic”. They emphasize: “Sharing our music means sharing an authentic part of our culture.” The basis for their new arrangements and improvisations is in particular the “Radif”, a centuries-old Persian music collection. Together with the recitation of stories and poems and video installations, the three musicians create something new and their own from an old tradition.
Open your ears to diversity
The one-hour concerts take place during the day in the Small Hall and the Music Club of the Concert Hall and can be attended with day passes or individual tickets. They are timed so that all concerts can be heard, which is particularly important to Gabriele Minz: “The juxtaposition of different types of music should open ears, eyes and hearts to the diversity, excellence and innovative power of young musicians in different cultural areas of the world.”