Collaboration and Camaraderie with the Karajan-Akademie

By UMS

Earlier in March, UMS hosted a weeklong residency with the Karajan-Akademie, the Berliner Philharmoniker’s prestigious training program that provides talented young musicians from around the globe with hands-on experience and scholarships to prepare them for professional orchestral careers. The week featured musical interactions, collaboration, and camaraderie between the 12 Akademie fellows and students from the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD). While rehearsing and preparing a dynamic and varied chamber music program, the visiting musicians also participated in campus and community engagement opportunities.

Enjoy a recap of some of the many activities across their residency week:

The Healing Power of Music

Six Akademie fellows visited Sophie’s Place at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, livestreaming a performance that could be enjoyed by patients across the hospital’s CCTV network.

Enjoy this brief clip of Mozart’s horn quintet in E-flat Major:

During their time on campus, Akademie musicians also performed a pop-up “Health & Wellness” concert at the U-M Shapiro Library.

Classroom Visits

Three distinguished Berliner Philharmoniker musicians joined the Akademie fellows on their UMS residency: Simon Rössler, percussionist and Managing Director of the Karajan-Akademie; Wenzel Fuchs, principal clarinet; and Christophe Horák, principal second violin. Each led masterclasses at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Simon Rössler with U-M professor Doug Perkins’ percussion studio.

SMTD violinist Jerusha Taylor playing in a masterclass with Christophe Horák

Wenzel Fuchs coaching Erie Johnson-Liang in a clarinet masterclass.

A Special Michigan Homecoming

Composer and University of Michigan alumna Julia Wolfe returned to Ann Arbor for the residency, as the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance commissioned a new arrangement for a large ensemble. Big Reeling, which debuted in the Akademie’s UMS performance, was planned for a combined ensemble featuring Akademie fellows alongside SMTD student musicians.

Composer Julia Wolfe working with U-M percussion student Paige Madden

A Sold-Out Performance

The Karajan-Akademie’s sold-out performance in Rackham Auditorium began with Beethoven’s Septet in E-Flat Major for Winds and Strings, featuring Berliner Philharmoniker’s Christophe Hórak (principal second violin) and Wenzel Fuchs (principal clarinet).

The second half of the program began with huge enthusiasm for Julia Wolfe’s Big Reeling, an energetic new arrangement commissioned by U-M SMTD. Six SMTD musicians accompanied the Akademie fellows on stage during the performance and joined the audience in applauding the composer’s brilliant work.

The Akademie’s performance of Shostakovich’s haunting Two Pieces for String Octet captivated the entire auditorium.

To close the program, SMTD musicians returned to the stage again, joining director Simon Rössler and the Karajan-Akademie for Bartók’s Divertimento for String Orchestra.

A Big, Fond Farewell

The Karajan-Akademie musicians ended their week in Ann Arbor with a special visit to another iconic University of Michigan venue…The Big House!

Wenzel Fuchs, principal clarinet of the Berliner Philharmoniker, even got to test out Michigan Stadium’s acoustics with a little Mozart…

 

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Special Thanks

We wish our visiting musicians a wonderful rest of their performance season in Berlin, and look forward to our continued work with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Karajan-Akademie in future seasons!

Thank you to the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Simon Rössler, Christophe Hórak, and Wenzel Fuchs; composer Julia Wolfe; professors Matt Albert and Doug Perkins, and our colleagues at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

The Karajan-Akademie’s residency in Ann Arbor exemplified the unique opportunities that UMS supporters make possible for Michigan — bringing together world-class artists, fostering next-generation talent, and creating engaging, community-building experiences on campus and beyond. Please join us in recognizing their incredible generosity:

Title Sponsors

Menakka and Essel Bailey

Principal Sponsors

Michael and Suzan Alexander, and an anonymous gift

Supporting Sponsors

Maurice S. and Linda G. Binkow Philanthropic Fund, and Claudio and Simona Zampa

This performance was also funded in part by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan

Media Partners

WGTE Public Media