FINAL OF THE 2ND PIANO CONCERTO COMPETITION - BRANDENBURG

12TH SPECIAL CONCERT

Pure piano concertos: The best young pianists from public music schools in Brandenburg, Berlin, and Saxony-Anhalt compete in an exciting competition finale, accompanied by the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra. In this joint event of the Association of Music and Art Schools Brandenburg and the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra, the most beautiful piano concertos from classic to modern will be performed. The main prize is sponsored by the company Carl Bechstein, and the audience will award a prize for the most popular performance.

The piano concerto – a multi-movement work for a piano soloist and accompanying orchestra – is the highest form of solo and ensemble playing for pianists. Taking on the solo part in such a concert with a large orchestra is often the touchstone of a still young soloist's career. For the audience, a piano concerto, such as one of the highly renowned works by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, or Tchaikovsky, is often the highlight of a concert visit, if not of the entire concert season.

Now, aspiring pianists very rarely come into contact with this genre during their music school training: too much literature already exists for solo piano or as accompaniment for other instruments, and the rehearsals would be too elaborate, requiring at least a second piano, or ideally, an orchestra.

While in violin or cello lessons, as well as in competitions like "Youth Makes Music," it is almost taken for granted that violin and cello concertos are performed, young pianists never have the opportunity to present a piano concerto.

We want to counteract this shortcoming in education jointly with the Association of Music and Art Schools Brandenburg e.V. with a piano concerto competition.

The participants of the competition will perform exclusively piano concertos, in the first round accompanied by a second pianist, in the final round by the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra.

The participants – this is a special feature in the field of musical competitions – will compete across all age categories – the only requirement: They are students of a public music school in Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, or Berlin.

This creates an interesting tension between different generations in the participant field, which is seldom experienced.

Conductor: GMD Mark Rohde
Performed by the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra.

Admission is free, but registration is necessary.

Doors open 1 hour before the performance, and entry to the hall is approximately 20 minutes before the performance.

Remaining tickets may still be available at the box office or by calling 03381/511111

"Sovereign is the one who decides on the state of exception." – Carl Schmitt was such a big mouth, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up with Göring’s Advocaat. Germany's most aggravating lawyer wrote the famous sentence in 1928, and since then we've been chewing on it. Barely a hundred years later, the state of exception is everywhere – but who is Sovereign?

Some say this, others that: the people, the truth always lies somewhere completely different. Mathias Tretter once again finds it with his friend Ansgar: "Being stoned is a state of exception, and I have chosen it." Democracy may gradually be losing its rule, but that doesn't mean losing self-control. Unless you wet yourself from laughter – but isn't that the most sovereign thing of all?

"You will neigh," says Tretter, who since the SalzburgerStier in 2023 has now been definitively awarded every cabaret prize. Nevertheless, he claims his newest piece to be his funniest: "You will chuckle, chortle, gasp for breath, and in the end, go home invincible." In other words: Sovereign. The name says it all.

Where is my balloon?
Theater with flat figures in moving images

Emma's balloon dances in the wind.
Suddenly it flies away.
After it!
Emma's journey through the world begins.
She finds friends, travels to foreign places, and discovers an even bigger, red balloon in the sky …

A story about searching and finding, which relies entirely on the power of colors, images, and play.

Fly, my balloon, swiftly,
gently rocking you in the wind,
fly high, fly high,
fly high to the sky.

Concept and performance: Anne Swoboda
Stage and figures: Annekatrin Heyne
Directing advice: Meike Kreim

From 3 years
Duration: approx. 45 minutes

A performance by Theater7Schuh, Görlitz

Entry to the house 1 hour before the performance, into the hall about 10 minutes before the performance

Where is my balloon?
Theater with flat figures in moving images

Emma's balloon dances in the wind.
Suddenly it flies away.
After it!
Emma's journey through the world begins.
She finds friends, travels to foreign places, and discovers an even bigger, red balloon in the sky …

A story about searching and finding, which relies entirely on the power of colors, images, and play.

Fly, my balloon, swiftly,
gently rocking you in the wind,
fly high, fly high,
fly high to the sky.

Concept and performance: Anne Swoboda
Stage and figures: Annekatrin Heyne
Directing advice: Meike Kreim

From 3 years
Duration: approx. 45 minutes

A performance by Theater7Schuh, Görlitz

Entry to the house 1 hour before the performance, into the hall about 10 minutes before the performance

ESTHER RÖLZ
FREIE WAHL

On an afternoon in the not-so-distant future. A coalition of "eco" and "right-wing" parties is in power. More and more freedoms are being restricted. Resistance is forming on the streets of the country. The 16-year-old school dropout Denise is among the demonstrators. When the protests outside her former school escalate, she seeks refuge in a classroom where her former favorite teacher Bruno is correcting papers. During this seemingly coincidental encounter, strong contrasts soon become apparent, as Bruno, whose wife works in the government, defends their decisions regarding climate protection and the well-being of future generations. However, Denise is not only concerned with political convictions. She has a very different plan, and the meeting between the two develops into a true thriller.

In a fictional political scenario, these two individuals struggle with their stance between ideals and interests, responsibility and betrayal. It also involves a life maxim that Bruno owes to his grandfather: "Every person has a choice. Does he close his eyes and keep his mouth shut, or does he look and act?"

Director: Caro Thum
Stage / Costumes: Dorit Lievenbrück
Dramaturgy: Nina Rühmeier

With
Arne Lenk
Sophia Hahn

Ages 13 and up

A performance by the Hans Otto Theater Potsdam as part of the Theater Alliance

Doors open 1 hour before the performance, the auditorium approximately 20 minutes before the performance.

Relationships
5th Symphony Concert

Johannes Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn op. 56a
I. Theme. Chorale St. Antoni. Andante
II. Variation I. Poco più animato
III. Variation II. Più vivace
IV. Variation III. Con moto
V. Variation IV. Andante con moto
VI. Variation V. Vivace
VII. Variation VI. Vivace
VIII. Variation VII. Grazioso
IX. Variation VIII. Presto non troppo
X. Finale. Andante

Joseph Haydn: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra No. 1 in C Major Hob. VIIb:1
I. Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Allegro molto

Intermission

Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 2 in C Major op. 61
I. Sostenuto assai – Allegro ma non troppo
II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
III. Adagio espressivo
IV. Allegro molto vivace

Conductor: Andreas Spering
Cello: Astrig Siranossian

Brandenburger Symphoniker

"The composers of this program, purely from an inspirational perspective, live in an extremely fruitful ménage-à-trois. Various testimonies show that Joseph Haydn was one of Johannes Brahms' most important sources of inspiration - notably for his first major orchestral masterpiece, the Haydn Variations. Robert Schumann was also strongly influenced by Haydn, particularly in his second symphony, which directly references Haydn's Symphony No. 104. Schumann, in turn, was - not only through his wife Clara - a significant enrichment in Brahms' creative life." (Andreas Spering)

Astrig Siranossian was admitted to the Regional Conservatory of Lyon at the age of 8 and later continued her studies at the National Conservatory of Lyon. At just 18, she graduated with honors. Astrig Siranossian, winner of the First Prize and multiple special awards at the International Penderecki Competition, regularly performs as a soloist with leading orchestras. She is frequently invited by Daniel Barenboim and regularly performs with prestigious colleagues such as Simon Rattle, Martha Argerich, or Yo-Yo Ma. Among her critically acclaimed recordings is the album "Duo-Solo," an alchemy of traditional melodies and dances with the classical repertoire, as well as the 2021 release on Alpha Classics of Camille Saint-Saëns' first cello concerto. In the same label, "Dear Mademoiselle," a tribute to Nadia Boulanger with pianists Nathanaël Gouin and Daniel Barenboim, was released in 2020, garnering significant international attention. Since 2015, Astrig has been the artistic director of "Musicades," a festival in her hometown of Romans sur Isère. This year, she also directs the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Festival in Trouville.

Concert introduction at 6:45 p.m. in the Grand House's foyer

Concert introduction at 6:45 p.m. in the Grand House's foyer

Relationships
5th Symphony Concert

Johannes Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn op. 56a
I. Theme. Chorale St. Antoni. Andante
II. Variation I. Poco più animato
III. Variation II. Più vivace
IV. Variation III. Con moto
V. Variation IV. Andante con moto
VI. Variation V. Vivace
VII. Variation VI. Vivace
VIII. Variation VII. Grazioso
IX. Variation VIII. Presto non troppo
X. Finale. Andante

Joseph Haydn: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra No. 1 in C Major Hob. VIIb:1
I. Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Allegro molto

Intermission

Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 2 in C Major op. 61
I. Sostenuto assai – Allegro ma non troppo
II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
III. Adagio espressivo
IV. Allegro molto vivace

Conductor: Andreas Spering
Cello: Astrig Siranossian

Brandenburger Symphoniker

"The composers of this program, purely from an inspirational perspective, live in an extremely fruitful ménage-à-trois. Various testimonies show that Joseph Haydn was one of Johannes Brahms' most important sources of inspiration - notably for his first major orchestral masterpiece, the Haydn Variations. Robert Schumann was also strongly influenced by Haydn, particularly in his second symphony, which directly references Haydn's Symphony No. 104. Schumann, in turn, was - not only through his wife Clara - a significant enrichment in Brahms' creative life." (Andreas Spering)

Astrig Siranossian was admitted to the Regional Conservatory of Lyon at the age of 8 and later continued her studies at the National Conservatory of Lyon. At just 18, she graduated with honors. Astrig Siranossian, winner of the First Prize and multiple special awards at the International Penderecki Competition, regularly performs as a soloist with leading orchestras. She is frequently invited by Daniel Barenboim and regularly performs with prestigious colleagues such as Simon Rattle, Martha Argerich, or Yo-Yo Ma. Among her critically acclaimed recordings is the album "Duo-Solo," an alchemy of traditional melodies and dances with the classical repertoire, as well as the 2021 release on Alpha Classics of Camille Saint-Saëns' first cello concerto. In the same label, "Dear Mademoiselle," a tribute to Nadia Boulanger with pianists Nathanaël Gouin and Daniel Barenboim, was released in 2020, garnering significant international attention. Since 2015, Astrig has been the artistic director of "Musicades," a festival in her hometown of Romans sur Isère. This year, she also directs the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Festival in Trouville.

Concert introduction at 6:45 p.m. in the Grand House's foyer

Concert introduction at 6:45 p.m. in the Grand House's foyer

What happens when an optimistic physics teacher and a depressed musician meet in a Buddhist sect in the Soviet Union and marry on April 1st? The April fool's joke lasts 40 years, gives Liza Kos and her siblings life, and ends with a divorce on Valentine's Day. True story!

They were searching for God but found Christianity.

As a child, Liza Kos is very religious and determined to become the mother of God, but the plan doesn't work out: Jesus has already been born and has a mother. So she must go to school instead.

As a teenager, she moves to Germany with her parents and tries to integrate, but what does it even mean to be German? Liza tries on a headscarf, then a dance maiden costume. She learns Turkish and German, and many döner kebabs and bratwursts later, she feels like a multicultural flatshare where a Russian, a Turk, and a German live together, who not only differ and argue but enrich and complement each other. Solidarity is important when you only share one body.

Liza Kos's new solo program is characteristically musical, pointed, and versatile. Afterwards, we invite all guests to celebrate International Women’s Day with us while dancing to good music.

Four times a year, the new late-night store opens in the Fontane Club: Guaranteed local, seasonal, satirical, and with a ruthless look at our dearly cherished focal point on the Havel. The hard-hitting quarterly reckoning with illustrious guests. From music to politics, from city life to sports and culture: Whoever is currently important, funny, and/or otherwise trending in Brandenburg an der Havel is invited for a drink in our focal point late-night store.

Hosts: Michelle Schmidt, Steffan Drottleff, Oliver Geldener

Online booking unfortunately no longer possible!

Some say this, others say that, and the rest wonder: "Is that really all there is?" But apparently, for us, it's only "black or white" and nothing in between. Young versus old, city versus country, West versus East, and always head against the wall.

But how lucky we are to have HG. Butzko, the inventor of buddy cabaret, awarded with all the significant cabaret awards and constantly featured in all satire shows. One man, one standing table, one opinion! No frills, no fuss!

ALADINA

Aladina no longer understands the world. Everyone around her is only busy with themselves and their phones. Sadly, she is left alone. When she gets her hands on a fascinating golden lamp, she experiences something amazing. As she strokes the beautiful ornaments of the vessel, a spirit appears as if from nowhere. Although he is a bit older, he offers her his help and promises that he can fulfill all her wishes.

But not only the lamp spirit, but also a calculating wizard has noticed Aladina. He is also very interested in the magic lamp. Aladina has no choice but to flee. With the help of the magic lamp and the lamp spirit, she eventually succeeds in freeing herself from the clutches of the wizard spirit, and she lands in the East. However, the Orient is not the only stop for Aladina, who must also meet many new people and master dangerous situations on her thrilling journey. In the end, she realizes what is most important to her.

Idea / Choreography / Design: Inga Lehr-Ivanov

Danced by the ensemble of the Kasmet-Ballett-Company and students of the Kasmet-Ballett-School

A performance by the Kasmet-Ballett-Company

Admission to the house starts 1 hour before the performance, and to the hall about 20 minutes before the performance.

ALADINA

Aladina no longer understands the world. Everyone around her is only busy with themselves and their phones. Sadly, she is left alone. When she gets her hands on a fascinating golden lamp, she experiences something amazing. As she strokes the beautiful ornaments of the vessel, a spirit appears as if from nowhere. Although he is a bit older, he offers her his help and promises that he can fulfill all her wishes.

But not only the lamp spirit, but also a calculating wizard has noticed Aladina. He is also very interested in the magic lamp. Aladina has no choice but to flee. With the help of the magic lamp and the lamp spirit, she eventually succeeds in freeing herself from the clutches of the wizard spirit, and she lands in the East. However, the Orient is not the only stop for Aladina, who must also meet many new people and master dangerous situations on her thrilling journey. In the end, she realizes what is most important to her.

Idea / Choreography / Design: Inga Lehr-Ivanov

Danced by the ensemble of the Kasmet-Ballett-Company and students of the Kasmet-Ballett-School

A performance by the Kasmet-Ballett-Company

Admission to the house starts 1 hour before the performance, and to the hall about 20 minutes before the performance.

THE ARTISANS TELL WITH COLORS, SOUNDS, WORDS, LIGHT AND SHADOWS THE PERHAPS MOST FAMOUS STORY SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN DREAMERS – BASED ON THE CHILDREN'S CLASSIC BY LEO LIONNI

What truly makes one happy in life?
What makes the gray days colorful?
What touches our hearts?

Instead of working hard like the rest of his mouse family in summer to hoard food for winter, Frederick collects sunbeams, colors, and words.

As the long winter increasingly weighs on the minds of the mice, Frederick can bring the sunbeams, colors, and words of summer into the cold cave of the mice, thus warming their hearts.

A story about life, the ordinary, happiness, and change.

Conception: Artisans
Direction: Inga Schmidt
Performance/Equipment: Stefan Spitzer
Music: Astrid Graf, Inga Schmidt
Animation Film: Thurit Antonia Kremer
Trailer: Alexander Hector
Co-production: Puppet Theater Grasshopper
Performance Rights: Copyright © 1967 by Leo Lionni

A performance by the Artisans, Berlin

For dreamers aged 4 and up
Duration: approximately 45 minutes

A performance by the Artisans, Berlin

Admission to the house 1 hour before the show, into the hall about 10 minutes before the show

THE ARTISANS TELL WITH COLORS, SOUNDS, WORDS, LIGHT AND SHADOWS THE PERHAPS MOST FAMOUS STORY SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN DREAMERS – BASED ON THE CHILDREN'S CLASSIC BY LEO LIONNI

What truly makes one happy in life?
What makes the gray days colorful?
What touches our hearts?

Instead of working hard like the rest of his mouse family in summer to hoard food for winter, Frederick collects sunbeams, colors, and words.

As the long winter increasingly weighs on the minds of the mice, Frederick can bring the sunbeams, colors, and words of summer into the cold cave of the mice, thus warming their hearts.

A story about life, the ordinary, happiness, and change.

Conception: Artisans
Direction: Inga Schmidt
Performance/Equipment: Stefan Spitzer
Music: Astrid Graf, Inga Schmidt
Animation Film: Thurit Antonia Kremer
Trailer: Alexander Hector
Co-production: Puppet Theater Grasshopper
Performance Rights: Copyright © 1967 by Leo Lionni

A performance by the Artisans, Berlin

For dreamers aged 4 and up
Duration: approximately 45 minutes

A performance by the Artisans, Berlin

Admission to the house 1 hour before the show, into the hall about 10 minutes before the show

Linzer Schnitte
6. Symphoniekonzert

Georg Friedrich Haas: Encore

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony in C Major KV 425 "Linz"
I. Adagio – Allegro spiritoso
II. Andante
III. Menuetto
IV. Presto

Break

Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor WAB 101
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Scherzo. Fast
IV. Finale. Moving, fiery

Conductor: Andreas Spering

Brandenburger Symphoniker

“As a belated birthday serenade for Anton Bruckner, whose birthday will be celebrated for the 200th time in 2024, we perform his first symphony in the Linz version, which he later referred to as a ‘cheeky little piece.’ What could be more fitting than to combine this work with Mozart’s symphony, which was composed just a few days earlier in Linz? Oh, and then there’s also an encore – but unusually at the beginning of the program. The composer of the encore – Georg Friedrich Haas – does not have a direct connection to Linz, but he has engaged intensely with the city’s most significant son, Anton Bruckner, in his work. And thus, the circle closes.” (Andreas Spering)

As part of our FAMILY CONCERTS WITH CLASSICS AND CAKE, we offer a music educational introduction on April 13, 2025, which playfully introduces children to the world of classical music. Musician and music educator Bernadett Kis (Puppenphilharmonie Berlin) provides elementary school students in grades 1-6 with child-friendly and creative insights into the backgrounds and peculiarities of the pieces that will be heard in the second part of the concert together with their older siblings and parents.

Concert introduction at 6:45 PM on Friday and Saturday and at 3:15 PM on Sunday in the foyer of the Great House

Concert introduction at 6:45 PM in the foyer of the Great House

Linzer Schnitte
6. Symphoniekonzert

Georg Friedrich Haas: Encore

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony in C Major KV 425 "Linz"
I. Adagio – Allegro spiritoso
II. Andante
III. Menuetto
IV. Presto

Break

Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor WAB 101
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Scherzo. Fast
IV. Finale. Moving, fiery

Conductor: Andreas Spering

Brandenburger Symphoniker

“As a belated birthday serenade for Anton Bruckner, whose birthday will be celebrated for the 200th time in 2024, we perform his first symphony in the Linz version, which he later referred to as a ‘cheeky little piece.’ What could be more fitting than to combine this work with Mozart’s symphony, which was composed just a few days earlier in Linz? Oh, and then there’s also an encore – but unusually at the beginning of the program. The composer of the encore – Georg Friedrich Haas – does not have a direct connection to Linz, but he has engaged intensely with the city’s most significant son, Anton Bruckner, in his work. And thus, the circle closes.” (Andreas Spering)

As part of our FAMILY CONCERTS WITH CLASSICS AND CAKE, we offer a music educational introduction on April 13, 2025, which playfully introduces children to the world of classical music. Musician and music educator Bernadett Kis (Puppenphilharmonie Berlin) provides elementary school students in grades 1-6 with child-friendly and creative insights into the backgrounds and peculiarities of the pieces that will be heard in the second part of the concert together with their older siblings and parents.

Concert introduction at 6:45 PM on Friday and Saturday and at 3:15 PM on Sunday in the foyer of the Great House

Concert introduction at 6:45 PM in the foyer of the Great House