Baltic SeaDiscovery

Tour 2016

Baltic Sea Philharmonic

WelcomeThank you for joining us for the latest chapter of our story – our ‘Baltic Sea Discovery’ tour. The journey of discovery is an important one for us all as human beings, and especially for musicians and music lovers. The end point may be finding exciting new places, people, things or knowledge, but often it’s the actual process of discovery that leaves the greatest mark on us.

The musicians of the Baltic Sea Philharmonic, together with Kristjan Järvi, will be making and offering many discoveries on this tour – travelling to new cities, collaborating with new partners, performing rarely heard music and playing to new audiences, some of whom have never heard classical music live before. But more than all of this, they will have their eyes and ears open to the world and the people around them.

As Proust said: ‘The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.’ We look forward to sharing our new vision with you.

beyondculture

beyondmusic

beyondborders

beyondcountries

Find out about our motivation and our journey, as well as about the concert schedule and the pieces you will be hearing.

Join a conversation between two of our players and meet our musicians.

Discover Kristjan Järvi’s mission and Gidon Kremer’s views about the future of music, and meet Kremerata Baltica and Lidia Baich.

Travel in time with us through our past achievements and into our future ambitions.

More than the musicnotes on the page

Crossing geographicalboundaries, we bring people and nationalities together

We have evolved froma youth orchestra intoa social movement

Borders exist only on maps:we are teaching students to be free in their thinking and in their music

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Beyondmusic

‘We create an example of unity.This is the microcosm of the harmony that can exist in a united Northern Europe of ten countries. We’re strong, if we want to be. It starts from the soil, from nature, from culture, from human relations’

Kristjan Järvi

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Join us in our‘Baltic Sea Discovery’

much-loved Swan Lake, which Kristjan Järvi has arranged for the orchestra.He explains his fascination with the bird: ‘Swans are creatures of great purity and beauty, and all the Nordic countries have them in their culture, which is why we’re focusing the repertoire in this way.’ Together, these pieces create a perfect balance, as he says: ‘We’re bringing together different elements of new, popular, and completely undiscovered music, which is why we’re calling it the “Baltic Sea Discovery” tour.’

We also continue our commitment to local communities and the future of music, with two educational concerts in Denmark, offering 6,000 young people the chance to hear classical music live, possibly for the first time. This discovery can be inspiring and even life-changing for youngsters, especially when theysee an orchestra made up of players only a few years older than they are.

25 years of the German – Polish Treaty of Good Neighbourship? We are grateful that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has agreed to be the patron of our concert in Peenemünde. Such an endorsement offers us the opportunity for morepeople to discover our project and our dream of unity.

Above all, as you can see throughoutthis programme, our tour is about discovering the ‘beyond’ – the things that happen beyond culture, beyond music, beyond borders, beyond countries. This is our ambition for the Baltic Sea Philharmonic – to offer more than just music and culture, but to be an entire social movement, a platform for change.

We hope you enjoy our journey of discovery of the ‘beyond’!

This is the second journey for Baltic Sea Philharmonic. The first, in April this year, focused on the northern part of the region and met with delighted audiences and excellent reviews. So this time, we’re going further afield, travelling the southern part: starting again in Lithuania, continuing to Russia, Poland, Denmark and ending in Germany.

As we travel further geographically, we’re also forging new relationships. We are delighted to be working for the first time with Gidon Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica, members of whom will be embedded in the orchestra in this unique collaboration, and rising star violinist Lidia Baich. Together with these violinists, we will be bringing Mieczysław Weinberg’s great but rarely performed Violin Concerto to new audiences. For all of these reasons, we have named the tour ‘Baltic Sea Discovery’.

Some things aren’t new, though. We continue to demonstrate our commitment to the environment in our choice of repertoire, which is themed around the majestic figure of the swan: Arvo Pärt’s 2014 Swansong and Tchaikovsky’s

Find out the philosophy behind our latest project

Our commitment to freedom is as important as ever, demonstrated by our work to support unity in the Nordic region, an area that was historically divided. In this spirit, our concert in Gdańsk is dedicated to freedom in Europe, and will be held in an appropriate location – the European Solidarity Centre. The centre, which opened in 2014, was designed as a symbol of the victory of the Solidarity movement and of how that triumph was achieved peacefully, by people coming together in reconciliation. It is a world centre for fostering the ideas of freedom, democracy and solidarity. The concert will send signs of peace and mutual understanding, not only betweenPoland and Germany, but also acrossthe entire region.

And we return to the Island of Usedom, where our story began back in 2008.This Baltic Sea island is partly Germany, partly Poland, so where better to celebrate

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Baltic Sea Philharmonicwith Kremerata BalticaKristjan Järvi, conductor Gidon Kremer, violinLidia Baich, violin

Arvo Pärt (1935)Swansong (Littlemore Tractus)for orchestra

Mieczysław Weinberg (1919 – 1996)Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 67Allegro moltoAllegrettoAdagioAllegro risoluto

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)Swan Lake Concert Suite, Op. 20arranged by Kristjan Järvi

15 September 2016, 6.30 pmKlaipeda (Concert Hall),Lithuaniawith Lidia Baich

16 September 2016, 7.00 pmKaliningrad (Cathedral),Russiawith Lidia Baich

18 September 2016, 7.00 pmGdańsk (European Solidarity Centre),Polandwith Gidon Kremer Kremerata Baltica

20 September 2016, 5.00 pmCopenhagen (DR Concert Hall),Denmarkwith Gidon Kremer Kremerata Baltica

24 September 2016, 8.00 pmIsland of Usedom (Kraftwerk Museum Peenemünde),Germanywith Gidon Kremer Kremerata Baltica

Baltic Sea PhilharmonicKristjan Järvi, conductor

‘Baltic Sea Discovery’Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957)The Swan of Tuonela, Op. 22 No. 2

Arvo Pärt (1935)Swansong (Littlemore Tractus)for orchestra

Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957)Svahnevit (Swan White) (excerpts)

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)Swan Lake Concert Suite, Op. 20(excerpts)arranged by Kristjan Järvi

21-22 September 2016, 9.00 am,11.00 am, 1.00 pmSønderborg (Alsion),Denmark

Baltic Sea Discovery

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music since the 1970s, and it gave his originally avant-garde tonal language a new direction. His profession of faith in the Russian Orthodox Church was a further statement, and a deeply pious tone pervades the music.

Fortunately, the music of Polish composer Mieczysław Weinberg has been rediscovered in recent years. He fled to Russia in 1939 as German forces invaded his homeland. The composer Dmitri Shostakovich subsequently became an important supporter and admirer. Because of his Jewish–Polish background, Weinberg initially encountered difficult times under the Stalin regime and was even briefly arrested in 1953. With his lengthy choral symphonies, he can be regarded as a natural successor to Gustav Mahler. His chamber music, magnificent requiem and operas are among the most impressive modern pieces to emerge from the Russian Soviet period.

The ‘Baltic Sea Discovery’ programme focuses on a royal creature – the swan. The majestic white bird is often visible on the Baltic coast, especially at sunset. For the Romantics, the swan enjoyed a particular status as a symbol of loyalty, purity and elegance. For example, a swan draws the hero’s boat in Richard Wagner’s opera Lohengrin. It appears in the Finnish national epic poetry Kalevala and in the medieval German verse romances about the knight Parzival. The final works by composers are often described as their swansong, since shortly before dying,the swan is said to sing a final, moving song – as is recounted in Greek mythology.

The hymn-like, contemplative orchestral piece Swansong, by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, was premiered in 2014 by the Vienna Philharmonic. It is based on an earlier choral composition entitledLittlemore Tractus. Pärt sets to music a text by Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801 – 1890). The theologian, poet and thinker was one of the most influential English figures of his age. Pärt, who emigrated from Soviet Estonia, has worked intensively on medieval church

Listening guideOur programme is full of well-lovedand unknown gems, with a royal theme

His Violin Concerto in G minorOp. 67 is equally fine. Shostakovich described it as an ‘exceptional piece in the truest sense of the word’. The Moscow premiere in 1961 with the famous violinist Leonid Kogan was a triumphant success. During the outer movements, the orchestra fervently drives the soloist forward. Drama, marching rhythms, melancholia, romanticism, folklore and grotesque elements ensure a variety of moods. The orchestration is full of effects, but always finely nuanced. For example, instead of ending the piece with a brilliant orchestral gesture, it is the soloist who is heard last with an ethereal pianissimo.

The world’s most popular music on the theme of swans is undoubtedlyPeter Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake.It was premiered in 1877 at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre and contains some of his most memorable melodies. Many even regard it as the ballet bar none. The piece itself is also a kind of swansong for the Russian composer, since it only became famous worldwide after his death, following a performance in 1885 with a different choreography, by the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre.

The famous swan motif paraphrases a sequence of notes in Wagner’s Lohengrin opera (1850), as the knight warns his beloved Elsa: ‘You must never question me.’ German fairy tales and the fate of Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, who built so many fairy tale castles, apparently served to inspire Tchaikovsky’s dreaming prince Siegfried. He falls in love with the enchanted Swan Queen, Odette, who glides over a magical lake together with her companions. Her rival Odile, known as the ‘Black Swan’, gives the tale its tragic turn. And yet in a moment of apotheosis, true love triumphs over death after all. The Baltic Sea Philharmonic is performing a new concert suite version by Kristjan Järvi. In his arrangement, he says he aims to ‘highlight the brilliance of Tchaikovsky’s epic work’. He therefore combines famous melodies with a number of rarer sections of the original ballet score, also using solo violin.

Beyondculture

‘Young people carry the responsibility for our future, and this also relates to music. Sure, we may not be able to change the world, but we can still have a positive impact on those people who attend our concerts. It is possible to fight many prejudices.’

Gidon Kremer

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Kristjan Järvi’s boundary-busting philosophy runs throughnot just Baltic Sea Philharmonic, but everything he does

Biography:Kristjan Järvi has ‘earned a reputation as one of the canniest, and most innovative, programmers on the classical scene.’ [Reuters] Curating and conducting his original, genre-fusing projects with individual approach and style, his concerts have been proclaimed a ‘life-enhancing experience.’ [Herald Scotland]

He realises his pioneeringideas with his four ensembles: as Music Director of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Gstaad Festival Orchestra, asFounder-Conductor of his New York-based classical-hip-hop-jazzgroup Absolute Ensemble, and as Founding Conductor and Music Director of the Baltic Sea Philharmonic. An entrepreneur by nature and a passionate educator, Kristjan Järvi leads both the oldest radio orchestra in Europe and the newest orchestra.

Born in Estonia, Kristjan Järvi now lives in the US and enjoys an international career, but his commitment to the Baltic Sea region – its society, environment and people – is still very close to his heart. ‘This is a new era for a unified Baltic region, which finds its mission in the discovery and empowerment of the self. A new entrepreneurial start-up mentality has gripped the region in everything from fashion to technology. It’s all part of our culture, which is now searching for its roots.’ This is also why the current Baltic Sea Philharmonic tour is called ‘Discovery’: ‘We’re discovering so many aspects – of ourselves, the music, the region, the possibilities.’

Kristjan Järvi is known for the energy and dynamism he brings to everything he does. His drive is always to the future, which he looks to with optimism: ‘The music world is changing all the time. If it weren’t, we wouldn’t have new artists, new repertoire, new genres, new ways of presenting it. If we look at classical music – or even pop music – the music that is still played and has passed the test of time is all by people who introduced something new: Haydn, Wagner, Stravinsky, Elvis Presley, the Beatles. They all introduced something new, which is why we still hold them very dear.’

‘I believe in music without borders,’ says Kristjan Järvi, echoing one of the themes of Baltic Sea Philharmonic – ‘beyond borders’. This vision drives so much of what the orchestra has achieved already and what it hopes for in the future, and it also lies behind much of his other ground-breaking work outside Baltic Sea Philharmonic.

As early as 1993, aged only 21 and fresh out of New York’s Manhattan School of Music, Kristjan founded the Absolute Ensemble, a band that brings together jazz, hip-hop, electro-acoustic and various other musical styles. Since then many other groups have started doing the same, but at the time such boundary-crossing was rare.

This approach also underlies his work with Baltic Sea Philharmonic. For example, one of the favourite parts of Baltic Sea Philharmonic concerts are the encores, where the orchestra performs folk music from the region where the concert is being held. The audience usually breaks into joyous clapping and dancing, showing how music forms can co-exist together, just as people can.

A man with a mission On-going guest conducting engagements include: London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Rome, National Symphony Orchestra (Washington D.C), the Minnesota Orchestra and NHK Symphony Japan. In 2012 he made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a recording artist Kristjan Järvi has more than 60 albums to his credit, from Hollywood soundtracks such as ‘Cloud Atlas’ and award-winning albums on Sony and Chandos, to his eponymous series: the ‘Kristjan Järvi Sound Project.’ Launched in 2014, the series features projects across all of his ensembles and is characterised by his unmistakable approach in taking a fresh look at the old, with concepts and presentation that transcend the borders of classical music.

Kristjan Jarvi continues to work with some of today’s brightest creative minds, from film directors Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis, to composers and artists Arvo Pärt, Steve Reich, Tan Dun, Hauschka, Dhafer Youssef, Anoushka Shankar and Esa-Pekka Salonen, with whom he started his career as Assistant Conductor at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Born in Estonia, Kristjan Järvi emigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in New York City. He is an accomplished pianist and graduated from Manhattan School of Music followed by conducting studies at the University of Michigan.

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Open eyes andopen minds

Violinist Gidon Kremer is one of the most distinctive musical voices of our time, known for the intelligence and inventiveness of his interpretations and for his championing of new music. He is also a champion of young musical talent, and in 1997 formed Kremerata Baltica, an orchestra that brings together young musicians from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. And so, a collaboration between Baltic Sea Philharmonic, Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica is a natural one. He says: ‘For me this project has great potential, so I am happy to join it, along with some of Kremerata’s leading musicians. As with Kremerata, I expect the musicians of the Baltic Sea Philharmonic to come with open eyes and open minds. Young people are usually very enthusiastic to learn, to discover and to appreciate adventure. Being and working with them keeps me young, too (despite my grey hair).’

He has an idealistic vision of what the mission can achieve, not only in the present, but for future generations: ‘For me, projects like these have a great potential to convert students and

our audiences. Sure, we may not be able to change the world, but we can still have a positive impact on those people who attend our concerts. It is possible to fight many prejudices.’

Gidon Kremer explains his passion for Weinberg‘s Violin Concerto: ‘I discovered Weinberg as a major composer of our time only a few years ago. His music undoubtedly has a signature – his dramatic life left marks on most of his scores. We can feel an incredible energy, combined with a special gift for melodically filled material. His music is very clearly emotional, and therefore accessible. The Violin Concerto is quite a “hard nut to crack” technically, but the reward of doing it is enormous.’

What is he expecting from the tour?‘I hope for discovery – not just on land and in concerts halls, but also in learning and experiencing unknown music together, and growing with it.’

Biography:Gidon Kremer has established a worldwide reputation as one of the most original and compelling artists of his generation. His repertoire encompasses both standard classical violin works and music by 20th and 21st century masters. He has championed the works of Russian and Eastern European composers and performed important new compositions, some dedicated to him.

youngsters into professionals, in the best sense of the word – I mean far away from any routine. Young people carry the responsibility for our future, and this also relates to music. I am speaking not just about becoming masterful players, but also about developing their own taste and attitude, as well as those of

This tour marks our first collaboration with violinistGidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra

He has become associated with such diverse composers as Alfred Schnittke, Arvo Pärt, Giya Kancheli,Sofia Gubaidulina, Valentyn Silvestrov, Luigi Nono, Victor Kissine, Michael Nyman, Philip Glass, Leonid Desyatnikov, Astor Piazzolla, and others, bringing their music to audiences in a way that respects tradition yet remains contemporary. It would be fair to say that no other soloist of his international stature has done as much for contemporary composers in the past 30 years.

Gidon Kremer has recorded over120 albums, many of which brought him prestigious awards in recognition of his exceptional interpretative powers. These include Ernst-von-Siemens Musikpreis, Bundesverdienstkreuz, Triumph Prize (Moscow), Unesco Prize, Una Vita Nella Musica – Artur Rubinstein Prize, and many others.

In 1997, Gidon Kremer founded Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra to foster outstanding young musicians from the Baltic States. The orchestra tours extensively, and has recorded almost25 CDs. ‘After Mozart’ (Nonesuch, 2001) received an Echo prize and a Grammy Award, ‘Mieczysław Weinberg’(ECM, 2014) received a Grammy nomination in 2015.

‘Young peoplecarry the responsibility for our future’

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Gidon Kremer’s innovative ensemble shares manyof the same values as Baltic Sea Philharmonic

The prize-winning Russian-born violinist enjoys avaried career throughout the world

Since its establishment, Kremerata Baltica has played in more than50 countries, performing in 600 citiesand giving more than 1,000 concerts around the world. The orchestra’s wide-ranging and carefully chosen repertoire is also showcased in its numerous and much-praised CD recordings. Of its recent recordings, ‘Mieczysław Weinberg’ (2014, ECM) was nominated for a Grammy Award, and ‘Shostakovich: Piano Concertos’, recorded with Anna Vinnitskaya, won the ECHO Klassik 2016, in the category of ‘Best recording 20th/21st century’.

The chamber orchestra also serves as a medium to share Gidon Kremer’s rich artistic experience with the new generation and, at the same time, to promote and inspire the musical and cultural life of the Baltics.

Founded in 1997 by the renowned violinist Gidon Kremer, the Grammy-Award winning chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica is one of the most prominent ensembles in Europe. Gidon Kremer intentionally selected young, enthusiastic musicians in order to stave off the feared ‘orchestritis’ that afflicts career orchestra musicians.

Essential to Kremerata Baltica’s artistic personality is its creative approach to programming, which often looks beyond the mainstream and has given rise to numerous world premieres of works by composers such as Arvo Pärt, Giya Kancheli, Pēteris Vasks, Leonid Desyatnikov, and Alexander Raskatov.

Kremerata Baltica Lidia Baich

Celebrated for her performances that ‘could not be more floating, elegant, virtuosic and masterful’, Lidia Baich is widely considered one of the most fascinating and versatile artists of the young generation.

Born in St. Petersburg and a citizen of Austria, she received violin lessons from the age of four and won her first international competition only four years later. In 1998 she was awarded first prize at the Grand Prix d’Eurovision and named ‘European Musician of the year’.

A soloist and recitalist on the world‘s leading concert stages, Lidia Baich has toured Japan, China, Russia, Korea, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, USA and Europe and worked with

renowned conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yuri Temirkanov, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Kristjan Järvi, Bertrand de Billy and Yakov Kreizberg. She performed with the New York Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic,NHK Orchestra, Berlin Symphony, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchestra Arturo Toscanini and the Camerata Salzburg. As a chamber musician, she plays at festivals in Vienna, Salzburg, Dubrovnik and Johannesburg. She also took part in the 10-year anniversary of ‘Pavarotti and Friends’.

Lidia Baich’s recent recordings on the Deutsche Grammophon/Universal label include a CD/DVD titled ‘Violin in Motion’ with pianist Matthias Fletzberger. She holds master classes worldwide, teaches at the Vienna University of Music and Arts and is a jury member with prestigious violin competitions.

Lidia Baich plays a violin by Joseph Guarnerius del Gesú, an ex ‘Guilet’ from 1732, made available to her by courtesy of the Austrian National Bank.

Beyondcountries

‘People in this orchestra are the same. We all have something in common – the same electricity inside. It’s a community – a musical nationality.’

Alexey Mikhaylenko,clarinet

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Musicians’ talkAlexey Mikhaylenko, a clarinettist from Russia who joinedBaltic Sea Youth Philharmonic in 2011, and Miranda Erlich,a double bass player from Germany, who became a memberof Baltic Sea Philharmonic this year, share their thoughts on what the experience means to them

MIRANDA: I agree. In the audition I got a feeling about how the orchestra is, because Jan Bjøranger, the violin coach, wanted to show me something. He had never played the double bass before, but he said, ‘Can I show you something?’ and took my bass. It was funny. I was so happy when I found out I had got in, and that it would be like that all the time. ALexey: Did you know Kristjan before the tour? MIRANDA: No, I didn’t, but I’d heard a lot about him and I was very excited. He has so much energy. It just jumps into each person and everyone is so dynamic. I don’t think I’ve ever played so actively before and with so much passion.It’s incredibly special. You’ve known him a bit longer than me?

ALexey: I’ve known him for five years. He has become a deepmusician, with his own view of musicand rehearsing – and everything. His point is to create a new generation of musicians, a new community, a new way of orchestral playing. The orchestra as an ensemble is already over two hundred years old, and it has to be changed… MIRANDA: …Yes… ALexey: … and that’s one of his points: to change the principles of the orchestra. And it works. Usually when you play in an orchestra you just do whatever the conductor says. you just try to play the right notes, with a good tone, and not make mistakes. But with Kristjan, you can make as many mistakes as you want because you’re learning and you’re trying to get out of this box. MIRANDA: Exactly. I remember when we had a sectional rehearsal and we had some new ideas for the music. Kristjan came in and we showed him, and he was so impressed. That’s special, that the musicians can have ideas and tell him how they feel about the music and he might say, ‘That’s a cool idea. Let’s try it.’ I’ve never seen that before. ALexey: Yes, it’s great that there can be that conversation between conductor and players. Which concert did you like most on the last tour? MIRANDA: My favourite was Helsinki, of course, because it’s a special place for me. It’s my dream to be in an orchestra there one day. And your favourite concert? ALexey: Definitely Helsinki.And Moscow, because I’m from Moscow.

I know the stage well, and it’s an honour to play there. Also because it was the last concert of the tour, and the last concert is always full of tears. Do you like the ideaof nature and the environment and the Baltic Sea? MIRANDA: Of course. Nature affects all of us, and it’s important to think about it. On the last tour, during the bus ride from Lithuania to Tallinn, we saw a lot of nature, and I heard people on the bus ride saying things like, ‘Look at that – it’s so inspiring,’ or ‘When I see this lake I think of Swansong.’ It’s important to think of the environment. Kristjan talks to us about it a lot when we rehearse, and players who don’t often think about nature are inspired by that. Also, the Baltic Sea is something we all have in common. ALexey: yes. Sweden is on the Baltic Sea and Russia is on the Baltic Sea, and yet these two countries are completely different. But people in this orchestra are the same. We all have something in common – the same electricity inside. I think it comes from Kristjan. He gives so much energy to everyone, so we all become part of one big chain. It’s a community – a musical nationality. Kristjan has said many times that this is a social platform for a new generation of musicians, and I think this vision is working step by step. I feel everyone in the orchestra is like a brother or sister.

Read the full interview in the storyboard section of our website, atwww.baltic-sea-philharmonic.eu

ALexey: Why did you decide to audition for Baltic Sea Philharmonic? MIRANDA: A friend of mine whom I’ve known for many years is a violinist in the orchestra. I saw all the pictures on Facebook and asked him what kind of orchestra it is. I was really interested, so I auditioned. ALexey: How was the audition? MIRANDA: It was great. It was unusual, because it was like a masterclass. It wasn’t like they were sitting there judging me. Even if I hadn’t got in I would have learnt something. ALexey: I had the same feeling. It’s not like auditions I’ve done for other youth orchestras, where you go in and play, and they say something and you leave. We were trying together to figure out ways to play, and talked about things outside of the audition. That’s how an audition should be.

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ViolinAnna Arkhipova (Russia)Vida Bobin (Poland)Ilze Gagaine (Latvia)Elisabeth Härmand (Estonia)Leila Hairova (Latvia)Dita Immermane (Latvia)Kseniia Ivakina (Russia)Lienite Kostanda (Latvia)Malwina Kulisiewicz (Poland)Kerstin Kullerkupp (Estonia)Liisi Metsvahi (Estonia)Erika Melnicuka (Latvia)Hanna Moland (Norway)Laura Muskare (Latvia)Leevi Nielson (Estonia)Benjamin Pant (Germany)Gabriella Papp (Norway)Evgenia Pavlova (Russia)Ada Schwengebecher (Germany)Kinga Streszewska (Poland)Pernille Svendsen (Norway)Anna Trukhina (Russia)Anna Walek (Poland)Laura Zimka (Latvia)

ViolaMikhail Balan (Russia)Nils Biesewig (Germany)Aleksandr Dubitsa (Estonia)Patricia Gomez Carretero (Germany)Teresa Järve (Estonia)Maximilian Procop (Germany)Maciej Rogozinski (Poland)Dalia Sakavičiūtė (Lithuania)Fabian Struwe (Germany)

French HornCesar Cabanero Martinez (Germany)Victor Cosio Lanza (Germany)Saioa Ocana Sola (Germany)Mikus Runka (Latvia)

TrumpetMihkel Kallip (Estonia)Märt Metsla (Estonia)Kristijonas Sakalauskas (Lithuania)José Ángel Toscano Fernández (Germany)

TromboneMats Hägerlind (Sweden)Niklas Joelsen (Norway)Jüri Leek (Estonia)

TubaLudwig Angerhöfer (Germany)

HarpAiste Baliunyte (Lithuania)

PianoAretas Botyrius (Lithuania)

PercussionOliver Kragelund (Denmark)Mathias Matland (Norway)Sebastiaan Molenaar (Norway)Francisco Piñero Herrera (Norway)Walter Witick (Finland)

Assistant Conductor Marlon Chen

CelloRuta Balciute (Lithuania)Ines De Juan (Germany)Lydia Eriksson (Finland)Greta Ernesaks (Estonia)Aleksandra Hermanowska (Poland)Iida-Alina Poijärvi (Finland)Annika Valkeajoki (Finland)

Double BassMiranda Erlich (Finland)Johann Nikolaus Franz (Germany)Eduard Gadea Salom (Sweden)Regina Udod (Estonia)Jack Vallinder (Sweden)

FluteKristine Beitika (Latvia)Yu-Cheng Hsu (Germany)Julia Sholokhova (Russia)

OboeIvana Jenesova (Germany)Celia Olivares (Germany)Annika Oser (Germany)

ClarinetFatima Trives Escolano (Denmark)Alexey Mikhaylenko (Russia)Gustav Wetterbrandt (Sweden)

BassoonJakob Peäske (Estonia)Nuno Rafael Pereira Azevedo (Germany)Arseniy Shkaptsov (Russia)

Kremerata Baltica*Dzeraldas Bidva (Violin)Giedre Dirvanauskaite (Cello)Iurii Gavryliuk (Double Bass)Madara Petersone (Violin)Santa Vizine (Viola)*section leaders in the concerts in Gdańsk, Copenhagen, Peenemünde

Team Baltic Sea MusicEducation Foundation Thomas Hummel (Executive Director) Jutta Loosen (Communications Director) Rita Sosedow (Production Manager) Danielle Griffin (Project Assistant)Juliane Gröger (Project Assistant) Zuzana Smetackova (Project Assistant)Katharina Wickel (Project Assistant)Alexander Datz (Press Officer) Ariane Todes (Editor) Oliver Kietzmann (Ass. to Executive Director) Thomas Hesse (Stage Manager)Andriy Lukyanets (Stage Manager)

Our musicians

Beyondborders

‘Everyone is so dynamic. I don’t think I’ve ever played so actively before and with so much passion. It’s incredibly special.’

Miranda Ehrlich,double bass

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But the adventure is more than creating great music, and aims at no less than changing the way we live and the future of the planet. Bringing together players from across the region and playing throughout the area, the orchestra is serving as a beacon. As Kristjan Järvi says, ‘Baltic Sea Philharmonic is a force for awakening and uniting the whole region. We’re creating a movement that brings people together from Norway to Russia. The stronger we all are, the stronger we are as a region. Then we can set an example for the whole world. As a worldwide Nordic ambassador, touring internationally, the orchestra is now a catalyst and mover for societal and environmental causes and is synonymous with the different and the creative.’

This sets it apart from other musical ensembles: ‘We are going beyond any expectation of what an orchestra should be. There should be a reason for having an orchestra – not just to play music.’

Understanding our connection to the environment is central to the mission, he says: ‘We all come from one region, with the same nature, forests and wildlife, and a sea that gives us the power to

do anything. Everything is shaped by our environment – our food, language, architecture, fashion. If we don’t have that connection to that environment then we don’t have ourselves, our own identities. We are trying to establish this connection through culture.’

The orchestra’s innovative streak even runs through the way it is organised, explains Kristjan Järvi: ‘At the same time, we are creating a new model of an orchestra as we’re trying to instil entrepreneurship and creativity, to create a synergy between musicians, where they have the power to be heard and their ideas are as important as their colleagues. They’re a team. It becomes a lifestyle.’

Baltic Sea Philharmonic has already left its musical mark, with its debut recording of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, arranged for orchestra by Henk de Vlieger, released this September on the Sony Classical label. Chosen highlights of Wagner’s monumental work explore his connections with Nordic mythology.

The idea for the Baltic Sea Philharmonic was born out of the success of the Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic, which was founded in 2008 as a youth orchestra. Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic was awarded the European Culture Prize 2015 by the European Culture Foundation ‘Pro Europe’. The prize was presented by former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher. The jury cited the orchestra’s ‘passionate and thrilling performances as an example to others to inspire worldwide audiences and foster cultural understanding in Europe and beyond’. Thomas Hummel, Executive Director, says, ‘We are proud to have received this award. When we started our project in 2008, with only big dreams and ambitious schemes, we were uncertain as to whether we could achieve them. This award is a wonderful vindication of our hopes and acknowledges the hard work of everyone involved in the organisation. And with Baltic Sea Philharmonic we are proud to take our idea even further and become a global model for change and innovation.’

This is the second outing of theBaltic Sea Philharmonic since it was formed in 2015, and made its first tour in April, but already it has a distinct and important voice – musically, politically and socially. Kristjan Järvi says: ‘It is a new living breathing creature, with boundless energy and enthusiasm for the new – an adventure in itself.’

What are the aims and hopes of the Baltic Sea Philharmonic?

A Nordic vision

Part of the adventure lies in bringing people together in the joy of experiencing music: not only players from across the ten Baltic Sea countries, but also various musical genres, and different disciplines. Kristjan Järvi explains, ‘Led by the vision of strength in the diversity and uniqueness of identity, our cultural roots are united in various artistic disciplines on stage, from design to technology, creating truly life-enhancing concert experiences that open up the limitless possibilities and the creative powers that lie within us all.’

‘We are going beyond any expectationof what an orchestra should be’

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Part of our mission lies in sharing the chance to discoverthe benefits of music with as many people as possible

This year, we are expecting up to 6,000 pupils, aged 16 and above, from the Jutland region, who will all have the opportunity to experience symphonic music performed by a professional orchestra in a major concert hall, sometimes for the first time.

As part of Baltic Sea Music Education Foundation’s unique teaching ecosystem, each year the foundation holds an Academy LAB, an intensive series of workshops and seminars. The brainchild of Kristjan Järvi, who oversees all its activities, it is run by a team of renowned international coaches, all acclaimed soloists in their own right. The Academy LAB’s original approach brings together numerous educational activities: from orchestra rehearsals,

Damien Bassman, percussion coach, explains the professional and musical benefits of this audition process: ‘When you go to an audition, there are 500 people at that audition, of whom 50 are technically fantastic, and 10 who are technically better than everybody else. But of those 10, what separates those people for the others? What that is, is unique, individual musicianship. Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic is the only music festival that can teach you that.’

And the educational message goes further than the players and schoolchildren. Chairman of the Baltic Sea Music Education Foundation, Dirk von Ameln says: ‘In Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic you see young people who are dedicated and successful, but they also have fun. They are a lesson to us all, and also to industry. They prove that doing a job well can be the most fun you can have in life.’

sectional coaching and chamber music projects, to workshops on rhythm, as well as programmes for assistant conductors and composition students. These activities, which embrace music of all genres, enable the young musicians to stretch their artistic boundaries in an environment that celebrates exploration and experimentation. The Academy LAB also promotes entrepreneurialism, and develops individual and team creativity, offering students the best possible skills for a fulfilling career in music.

Percussionist Sebastiaan Molenaar feels the professional benefits of his experience: ‘Kristjan and the coaches are not so interested in what we call “perfect playing”. There’s a lot of freedom, which makes it much more interesting, and makes you more relaxed when you perform. This helps me in other situations, too: in other orchestras and at auditions. I can show more of myself without being too stressed.’

Auditions follow Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic’s innovative formula of being both mini masterclass and audition, offering everyone who attends the chance to benefit in some way, even if they aren’t selected, and making sure that the most talented and responsive players are chosen for the orchestra.

Education has always been at the heart of the Baltic Sea Music Education Foundation’s mission – whether for the students who play in Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic, the young professionals who are part of Baltic Sea Philharmonic, audiences across the region, or youngsters who may never have hadthe chance to engage with classicalmusic before.

As on previous tours, during ‘Baltic Sea Discovery’ the orchestra will work with schoolchildren, during its visit to Denmark. The players will take part in Danish Radio’s ‘Into the Music’ project in Sønderborg. This is the second time we have worked with the scheme. In 2015, Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic played to 3,700 Danish schoolchildren. Leif Lønsmann, from Danish Radio, says of that collaboration: ‘The pupils were very excited about both the programming and the orchestra. When a young orchestra is performing on stage it bridges the gap between the students and the music.’

Passing it on

‘When a young orchestra is performing on stage it bridges thegap between thestudents and the music’

EditorsAriane Todes, Matthias Corvin

DesignBrousse & Ruddigkeit, Anna Kusnier

PhotosAll photographs by Peter Adamik,except page 11 Petri Porkola, page 18 Alberts Linarts, page 20 Andreas Malkmus, page 21 Petra Benovsky

AcknowledgementsBaltic Sea Music Education Foundation is grateful for all the support received throughout the year by individual persons, companies and institutions, as well as all music lovers. Many thanks to all of them!

We offer our sincere gratitude toProf. Dr h. c. Cornelia Pieper, Consul General in Gdańsk, for her support in realising our Concerts for Freedom, both in Poland and Germany. We would also like to thank our additional envoys for their support throughout the year and for their enthusiasm for Baltic Sea Philharmonic.

We would especially like to thank the team of Kintai Arts, Lithuania, for their collaboration during our rehearsal period in 2016.

A great thank you to all the music academies involved in our 2016 projects for their support and help.

Published byBaltic Sea Music EducationFoundation e. V.Strasse der Pariser Kommune 3810243 Berlin, GermanyPhone: +49 30 297 702 90Fax: +49 30 297 702 92Email: contact@bmef.euwww.bmef.eu

Dr Dirk von Ameln, Chairman of the BoardJan Lundin, Deputy ChairmanRolf Seelige-Steinhoff, Deputy ChairmanFrank Häuser, TreasurerMatthias Warnig, President of the Boardof Trustees

Kristjan Järvi, Founding Conductor and Music DirectorThomas Hummel, Executive DirectorJutta Loosen, Communications Director

Artistic CouncilValery Gergiev, Marek Janowski,Mariss Jansons, Kurt Masur (†), Esa-Pekka Salonen

EUROPE

Baltic Sea Philharmonic

Baltic Sea Music Education Foundation is supported by