For its “50 for the Future” project, the famous Kronos Quartet asked 50 international composers to write new works. The compositions created and still being created follow a participatory approach in that the sheet music is accessible free of charge and supplemented by audio samples and interviews.
Saturday 21 May 2022 8.00 p.m.
Ehrenhof Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg !
Author: Andrea Kerner
Budapest Festival Orchestra on tour
In the coming months, Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra will be on tour in Germany and Italy. With Alexandre Kantorow, the orchestra will perform at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and at the Dresden Music Festival, along other venues. Afterwards, the BFO and Iván Fischer will return to the Spoleto Festival, which they will open as orchestra in residence in the picturesque Piazza Duomo.
Newsletter // season 2021/22 #7
International concert life has finally picked up speed again! We are looking forward to concerts with the Freiburger Barockorchester, Vox Luminis, and B’Rock Orchestra, to the first concert of the legendary Kronos Quartet in Germany in a long time,to the Elbphilharmonie debut of the Orchestra of the 18th Century, to the first collaboration between the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Sir Simon Rattle, and to the CESARE! programme by La Folia Baroque Orchestra!
With new projects to Zurich
Let yourself be inspired by some of the new projects of our orchestras and ensemblesalreday already now! We are pleased to present a selection of the versatile ideas and plans of CHAARTS, Coro e Orchestra Ghislieri, the Orchestra of the 18th Century and franz ensemble. A brand new addition is harpsichordist Elina Albach mit CONTINUUM.
Julia Larigo, responsible for sales and projects, will be there to answer your questions and share ideas.
See you in Zurich?
We look forward to meeting you at the 31st IAMA Conference in Zurich and presenting new projects of our orchestras and ensembles in a personal conversation! We will be happy to arrange an appointment with you in advance. You can reach us as follows:
Andreas Richter: a.richter@andreasrichter.berlin
Julia Larigo: j.larigo@andreasrichter.berlin
Michael Sauter: m.sauter@andreasrichter.berlin
COE // Tour March 2022
The Chamber Orchestra of Europe will begin its residency in March 2022 at Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt, the longtime home of Joseph Haydn. Robin Ticciati, with whom the orchestra enjoys a close artistic and personal friendship, conducts with soloist Fazıl Say making his first appearance with the COE. The orchestra, conductor and pianist will make a joint debut the following evening at the Isarphilharmonie in Munich, which opened in 2021. Prior to that, the orchestra and Robin Ticciati will perform in the Chamber Music Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin with cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras.
Kammermusiksaal der Philharmonie, Berlin, 3d of March 2022
Works by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Robert Schumann and Ludwig van Beethoven
Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello / Robin Ticciati, conductor
Schloß Esterházy, Eisenstadt, 11th of March 2022
Isarphilharmonie, Munich 12th of March 2022
Works by Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Fazil Say and Ludwig van Beethoven
Fazil Say, piano / Robin Ticciati, conductor
Budapest Festival Orchestra // Next tour
We are delighted to announce on short notice a tour of the Budapest Festival Orchestra under the baton of Iván Fischer for the early part of March 2022. The guest performances of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra had to be postponed due to corona. Now the BFO, Iván Fischer and outstanding soloists will present varying programs featuring Russian and European Romantic music.
EUROPA GALANTE // L’Orfeo in the Elbphilharmonie
Europa Galante and Fabio Biondi continue a personal Monteverdi tradition in Hamburg.
In April 2019 they debuted at the Elbphilharmonie with Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria (1641), now L’Orfeo (1607) follows. With the title role, Monteverdi created one of the most demanding vocal parts in the history of early opera, which is ideally cast here with the exceptional tenor Ian Bostridge. The orchestra is collaborating with the world-renowned RIAS Kammerchor for the first time on this occasion.
Claudio Monteverdi: L’Orfeo – Favola in musica Ian Bostridge (Orfeo) / Monica Piccinini (Euridice, La Musica) / Marina de Liso (Messagera, La Speranza) / RIAS Kammerchor / Europa Galante / Fabio Biondi (direction) a.o.
Babylon ORCHESTRA
Babylon ORCHESTRA, founded in 2016, is a Berlin-based urban fusion ensemble that combines European and Middle Eastern music with the sound of a big band and contemporary orchestra. Our aim is to promote intercultural artistic cooperation and thus to give different musical traditions and cultures a place in a new shared and unique sound world of the present. We bring people with their stories, songs, instruments, rhythms in the hope of providing creative impulses for new musical works.
By combining and juxtaposing classical and traditional instruments, such as oud and guitar, ney and flute, kamanche and violin, or other exciting combinations, we also aim to foster a deeper understanding of non-European cultures.
The orchestra also sees itself as a platform for exceptional musicians who do not want to squeeze their art into classical or popular musical forms and instead want to find an expression for the specificity of their countries of origin.
In 2021, the ensemble performed with the Rundfunksinfonieorchester Berlin, the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Office of the German Federal President, the Konzerthaus Berlin and the ODEON Göppingen, among others. In 2022, the ensemble performs in Greece and at several German festivals, releases an EP and makes its debut in Switzerland.
VIDEO
PRESS
“This is where the happy pigeonholing fails.”
concerti, 15th of November 2021
“A fascinating fusion concert that breaks all musical expectations as well as the fourth wall.”
Tagesspiegel Berlin, 18th of June 2019
“Babylon Orchestra is the wonder of world music.”
Berliner Kurier, 22th of November 2018
SELECTION OF PROJECTS 2026/27
Dates upon request
ECHOES OF THE MEDITERANEAN
Rebal Alkhodari, counter tenor (SYR) / Momo Djender, tenor (ALG/FRA) / Stelina Apotolopoulpou, soprano (GRC) / Basma Jabr, alto (SYR/AUT) / Babylon ORCHESTRA / Mischa Tangian, violin & musical leader
Echoes of Mediterranean is a project by Babylon ORCHESTRA which presents love songs, ballads, personal stories and newly written vocal pieces based on texts by authors who lived in the countries around the Mediterranean or have a relationship to it. Hence, the listener encounters a performance taking him through the history of the Mediterranean cultures. Two to three singers from Greece, Syria and Turkey and 7 to 16 musicians from various countries of the Middle East and Europe are performing together as a mixed ensemble with traditional and modern instruments. By using combinations of composed and improvised elements, acoustic and electric as well as electronic instruments, the ensemble creates a lively and dramatic, almost scenic performance showcasing the richness of this cultural heritage. Sephardic, Arabic, Turkish and Greek folk songs with new arrangements (like f.e. Smirneiko Minore from 1909 from Smyrna or Morena me liaman from Sephardic Jewish tradition in Spain) make the core of this concert program.
“Vital playing joy of epic passion, fueled by centuries-old music:
pure emotionality, pure presence.”
Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung, 15. Mai 2023
Dates upon request
BABYLON ORCHESTRA FEAT. NESRINE
Nesrine Belmokh, cello and voice / Babylon ORCHESTRA / Mischa Tangian, violin & musical leader
Together with cellist-singer Nesrine who combines French, Arabic and English songs in her own music fusing Maghreb styles with Jazz and classical cello, the BABYLON ORCHESTRA perform a program ranging from traditional Algerian, Moroccan and other North African styles alongside new arrangements of classical works from Renaissance and oral tradition.
“Can stories be so captivating that you just want to keep listening? In the case of the Franco-Algerian musician Nesrine, that might well be true.”
NDR Kultur, 7 November 2024
Availability on request
COOPERATION WITH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Programme example:
Johann Sebastian Bach: Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009, Bourrée I and II
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9 for string orchestra, W 449
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonoren Ouverture No. 3, Op. 72b
Babylon/Hani Mojtahedy: Improvisation
Antonín Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, B. 178, 2d movement “Largo” Mischa Tangian: The forgotten
Layale Chaker (Arr. L. Chaker/M. Tangian): Frah el Donniye
Hani Mojtahedy and Mischa Tangian (Arr. M. Tangian): Nour
Osama Abdulrasol: Sumerian harp
Isaac Albeniz (Arr. M. Tangian): Suite Española No. 5 “Asturias”
César Guerra-Peixe (Arr. M. Tangian): Mourão
Hermeto Pascoal (Arr. M. Tangian): O Ovo
Johann Sebastian Bach (Arr. M. Tangian): Flute Sonata in E-Flat major, BWV 1031: II, Siciliano
Charbel Rohana (Arr. M. Tangian): Sama’i Bayati
DOWNLOADS
PAST CONCERTS – A SELECTION
27 & 28 October 2024, Staatsoper Stuttgart / Liederhalle
THE ORDER OF TIME
Roshanak Rafani, percussion / Babylon ORCHESTRA & Staatsorchester Stuttgart / Tianyi Lu, conductor
Founder and artistic director, Mischa Tangian, has written a work for orchestra and percussion for the Staatsorchester Stuttgart, which was premiered in Stuttgart at the end of October 2024. The work, entitled The Order of Time, centers on the encounter between European and non-European musical cultures and their instruments. The soloist for the evening was Iranian percussionist Roshanak Rafani, conducted by Tianyi Lu.
Works by G. Kancheli, M. Tangian (world premiere) & A. Dvořák
Babylon ORCHESTRA © Marc Schmuck
Babylon ORCHESTRA © Marc Schmuck
“It doesn’t get more varied than this.”
Stuttgarter Zeitung, 29 October 2024
“Asian music and European sounds blended with an expressive musical language.”
Onnline Merker, 27 October 2024
14 August 2023, Berlin
WASSERMUSIK AUF DER SPREE
Babylon ORCHESTRA / Mischa Tangian, violin & leader
As part of Berlin’s Summer Festival of Culture 2023, Babylon ORCHESTRA and Sarahbanda, founded by Sarah Willis, set sail on two rafts and immerse the audience on the shores between Holzmarkt 25 and Funkhaus Berlin in rousing Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Caribbean worlds of sound. They dropped anchor at the landing stages Mercedes Benz Arena/East Side Gallery and Funkhaus Berlin on Nalepastrasse. The ensembles played half-hour concerts at both stops, two at the East Side Gallery and one at the Funkhaus.
Wassermusik auf der Spree © Markus Werner
Babylon ORCHESTRA © Markus Werner
Babylon ORCHESTRA © Markus Werner
Wassermusik auf der Spree © Markus Werner
