We are delighted to share our impressions from the very successful concert tour of the Young Masters Concert Band in Beijing.
In early July 2024, the 15- to 18-year-old musicians from the Young Masters program were invited to this adventure. The host was Beijing Universal Music & Culture Development Co., Ltd., in collaboration with the organizer Uniart Media and the Johann Sebastian Bach Music School.
Over five days, the Young Masters Concert Band performed four sold-out concerts at different venues in and around Beijing, accompanied by Johann Sebastian Bach Music School teacher Helfried Krainer and ensemble coordinators Doris Bogner (JSBM) and Karin Torky-Martin (mdw).
The highlight of the trip was the concert “The Joint Concert Featuring Young Musicians from China, France, and Austria” in the Concert Hall of the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
The nine-member ensemble, consisting of a string quartet, double bass, flute, saxophone, harp, and percussion, played various arrangements without a conductor, including works by Vivaldi, Haydn, Mozart, Saint-Saëns, and Strauss. Together with the youth orchestra of the China Conservatory of Music and the “Music Bridge” Youth Chamber Group from France, they formed the China-France-Austria Joint Youth Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Tan Xilu. The Radetzky March by Johann Strauss Sr. was a staple at every concert and received enthusiastic applause from the audience.
The Young Masters Concert Band also joyfully accompanied a children’s choir that sang the Radetzky March in Chinese (though we are unsure if the text was translated from the original 😉).
In addition to the many cultural impressions and the required flexibility during a concert tour, the young musicians will especially remember the shared music-making, the many heartfelt encounters with fellow musicians, and the views of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China.
Young Masters Concert Band Members:
- String Quartet: Finia Bogner, Nora Ratzberger, Veronika Schmalwieser, Pia Ratzberger
- Double Bass: Matthias Planegger
- Flute: Kathrin Ellinger
- Saxophone: Sofia Bachl
- Harp: Amelie Knapp
- Percussion: Florian Binder
Accompanying Staff:
- Teacher: Helfried Krainer
- Ensemble Coordinators: Doris Bogner, Karin Torky-Martin
- Ensemble Director: Hanns Stekel
- Organization: Iris Maaß, Johann Sebastian Bach Music School
- Event Hosts: Beijing Universal Music & Culture Development Co. Ltd.; Uniart Media Vienna
Foto: Helfried Krainer, Doris Bogner, Karin Torky-Martin
