Berlin Phil forms amateur orchestra in Japan
OrchestrasThis is smart.
The Berliner Philharmoniker is calling on all interested amateur musicians from Japan to apply to join the Be Phil Orchestra at the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. A suite from Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet will be performed under the baton of chief conductor Kirill Petrenko. The programme will also include Johannes Brahms’ Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, conducted by Raphael Haeger, percussionist with the Philharmoniker. The solo parts will be played by the Berliner Philharmoniker’s 1st concertmaster, Daishin Kashimoto, and the orchestra’s 1st principal cellist, Ludwig Quandt. Both works will be rehearsed by Raphael Haeger and other members of the Philharmoniker.
The goal is to find around 100 amateur musicians from Japan, who have to apply in advance by video. The videos can be uploaded on the Berliner Philharmoniker website from 12 July 2023. The application deadline is 16 August 2023, 1 pm Berlin time. All applicants must be residents of Japan and at least 18 years old. A jury of the Berliner Philharmoniker will select the members of the Be Phil Orchestra Japan from the applications. These will be announced from 15 September 2023.
The rehearsal phase with a final concert in Suntory Hall on 26 November 2023 will take place in Tokyo from 22-25 November 2023.
Further information on the application process can be found on our website: https://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/bephil
Kirill Petrenko, chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker: “I call on all our Japanese music friends to apply for the Be Phil Orchestra Japan, I am very much looking forward to this special project and exchange!”
An impressive initiative, and somewhat unusual inasmuch as the amateur participants will *not* have to pay to play (although they will need to cover their own travel and subsistence), according to the English-language FAQ. Having said that, I think it is a pity that their criteria for “amateur” excludes professional musicians applying on a 2nd/3rd/&c. instrument that they do not perform/teach in a professional capacity (then again, such an easement may be difficult to define precisely). I wonder what the business model for this project is — in other words, who is covering the costs? Is it the television broadcasting partner (Fuji), another sponsor, or is the Berlin Phil treating it as “marketing” or “outreach” (after all, the advertisement is in the ‘Education’ section of the website) and covering it from one of its own internal budgets?
Now THAT is a great idea!
Did they also form an amateur orchestra in Germany? Just curious.
Yes they’ve done it before in Germany.
Kirill Petrenko says, ““I call on all our Japanese music friends…” Well, there are several non-Japanese professional and amateur musicians living in Japan despite the fact that the Japanese are vehemently opposed to internationalization.
That’s a really good idea! I’m always looking for helpful articles on the internet. There is obviously too much to learn about this. I think you produced high-caliber work in Functions as well. Keep up the good job!
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Am I understanding this correctly? Is this what we in the US call a “side by side” concert? Here, often students with a pro orchestra, but usually the “pro” group is not the level of Berlin, Chicago Symphony, NY Phil,etc.
The level expected for this venture seems high. I would expect in the US similar quality players would be considered individually as sub players on an as needed basis and paid.
Simon Rattle conducted the first Be Phil Orchestra in 2018 in Berlin. 1900 amateur musicians applied from around the world ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RqIDkBUkIE