Author: Andrea Kerner

With the beginning of summer, the festival season is starting for us once again. We’re looking forward to exciting and inspiring concerts with

• Freiburg Baroque Orchestra
• Phantasm Viol Consort
• Concerto Copenhagen
• Europa Galante
• Sir András Schiff & pianists of Building Bridges
• Chamber Orchestra of Europe
• Vox Luminis
• Orchestra of the 18th Century
• SWR Symphony Orchestra
• Il Giardino Armonico
• Sarah Willis & Havana Lyceum Orchestra

We are delighted to have deepened our collaboration with one of Denmark’s finest ensembles, Concerto Copenhagen, as of early June 2025. Moving forward, we will be supporting the orchestra with strategic advice and international tour planning. It is a pleasure and an honor to contribute to the exciting journey of Concerto Copenhagen, and we warmly welcome this wonderfully versatile ensemble!

The Kronos Quartet, together with award-winning Icelandic author and filmmaker Andri Snær Magnason, opens Strange Attractors on the stage of Nalen — one of Stockholm’s most historic and culturally significant venues for artistic, social, and sporting events. Strange Attractors brings together artists from all genres and scientists from diverse disciplines to explore new ideas, envision pathways toward a better future, and demonstrate how profound change is possible. On this occasion, the quartet will present their new project, A Farewell to Glaciers.

11 May 2025, Nalen, Stockholm
Andri Snær Magnason, author & filmmaker / Kronos Quartet
Works by diverse composers

Classical:NEXT has grown into one of the most important gatherings of the international classical music community. From May 12 to 15, 2025, more than 220 speakers, mentors, presenters, promoters, agencies, and artists from over 40 countries will come together in Berlin to explore the future of classical music. As in the previous year, the conference and trade fair will take place at the Colosseum, with evening events held at Säälchen and Kater Blau on the Holzmarkt.

The official Opening on Monday evening at Kühlhaus Berlin creates a shared artistic experience—an invitation to reflect, connect, and participate.

The conference program offers a wide variety of inspiring topics: new concert formats and audience development, digitalization and AI, change management, sustainability, and much more. Showcases present a broad range of outstanding artists and productions from all areas of classical music—from early to contemporary, traditional to experimental—from around the world.

Since 2024, Andreas Richter has joined the organizing company as a partner and, together with the ARCC team, is responsible for the conference segment of the event.

12 – 15 May 2025, Colosseum / Kühlhaus Berlin / Holzmarkt 25 Classical:NEXT – The Global Gathering For All Art Music Professionals Conference Sessions, Showcases, Meet Ups, Presentations, Exhibition, Mentoring and more

In the coming weeks, the diverse programs of several of our ensembles will take us to some of Europe’s most exciting musical hubs: with Stanley Dodds’ Ensemble Zemu!, we’ll take a multimedia look into the future in Antwerp; with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, we’ll celebrate the rich musical traditions of Lombardy. The ever-youthful Kronos Quartet will open a new concert series in Stockholm, while two Building Bridges pianists make their debuts in stunning venues in Vienna and Neumarkt. The circle closes in Antwerp with Concerto Copenhagen and its special tribute to a prominent anniversary celebrant.

And of course, we hope to see you at the next edition of Classical:NEXT in Berlin!

The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Kristian Bezuidenhout are popular around the globe. At the end of March, Mozart fans in Australia can look forward to a multi-day visit by the orchestra and their favourite pianist: the programme includes the Piano Concerto in E flat major and the Violin Concerto in A major as well as various arias and symphonies by the Salzburg genius.

25 & 26 March 2025, Recital Centre, Melbourne / 28 March 2025, ACO Pier, Sydney / 29 March 2025, Snow Concert Hall, Canberra
MOZART IN AUSTRALIA
Kris Bezuidenhout, piano / Siobhan Stagg, soprano / Gottfried von der Goltz, violin & musical direction
Works by J. C. Bach & W. A. Mozart

In their first collaboration, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE) and pianist Sunwook Kim combine Beethoven’s piano concertos with works by two contemporary British composers: Anna Clyne’s string piece Stride, which is inspired by Beethoven’s music, and Helen Grime’s Elegiac Inflections, which explores the diverse sonic possibilities of a wind ensemble.

“We are particularly thankful to Hyundai Motor whose generous support has made this project possible and whose headquarters are located just down the road in Offenbach am Main.” (Chamber Orchestra of Europe)

24 March 2025, Kammermusiksaal Philharmonie Berlin / 29 March 2025, Schloss Esterházy, Eisenstadt
BEETHOVEN
Sunwook Kim, piano & musical direction
A. Clyne: Stride / L. v. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, op. 37 / H. Grime: Elegiac Inflections / L. v. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major op. 58

From mid-March 2025, the Phantasm Viol Consort will be hosting its own concert series at St Elisabeth Church in Berlin-Mitte. The concerts will be dedicated entirely to polyphony and will each focus on a composer who is particularly prominent in this compositional technique. Under the title The Well-Tempered Consort, the opening concert on 14 March 2025 is dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach. Transcribed for three to five viols in various sizes, his works will plunge listeners into unimagined depths both intellectually and emotionally – even if they are already familiar with the repertoire. The concert also presents the ensemble’s latest recording, The Art of Fugue, which will be released on the same day by Linn Records/Outhere Music. Find out more here.

Before starting the series in Berlin, however, the ensemble will be travelling internationally: in a trio formation, the musicians will present Perilous Polyphonies with experimental works by English composers that were daring in their time, while in Hamburg there will be a revival of the spectacular production The Art of Being Human, a performance that combines 16th and 17th century music, dance and visuals.

22 February 2025, Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht & 23 February 2025, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam
PERILOUS POLYPHONIES
Laurence Dreyfus, treble viol & musical direction / Jonathan Manson / Markku Luolajan-Mikkola
Works by C. Tye, E. Bevin, W. Byrd, H. Purcell and others
12 March 2025, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
THE ART OF BEING HUMAN
Laurence Dreyfus, treble viol & musical direction / Alexander Polzin, visual concept / Sommer Ulrickson, choreography / dancer: Saeed Hani Moeller, Sami Similae, Yamila Khodr, Camille Jackson, Rodolfo Piazza
Works by W. Byrd, J. Dowland, W. Lawes, H. Purcell and others
14 March 2025, St. Elisabeth-Kirche, Berlin
THE WELL-TEMPERED CONSORT
Phantasm Viol Consort / Laurence Dreyfus, concept & artistic direction
Works by J. S. Bach

Dear colleagues & friends

Now that you have hopefully all arrived safe and sound in the new year, we are delighted to send you an overview of our concerts and tours in the coming weeks. We have a selection of varied programmes with the Phantasm Viol Consort, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, the Building Bridges pianists, Sarah Willis and the Sarahbanda, Europa Galante and the Oberon Trio. It’s also time to get ready for this year’s edition of Classical:NEXT!