The Gezeitenkonzerte in 2020 will enter their ninth year with the motto “JOY!”. This alludes to a very special anniversary, to which the musical year is devoted to globally, Ludwig van Beethoven, who saw the light of day 250 years ago in Bonn and whose ninth symphony with Schiller’s Ode “To Joy” will sound at the start of the festival in the Martin Luther church in Emden. During the course of the festival, the multifaceted genius of the composer can be discovered, in the unique marathon with all 32 piano sonatas in the Evenburg as well as in the popular “Gezeiten-Classixx”, where the charismatic ensemble reflektor has connected the eighth symphony with pop songs under the motto “Love songs”, in an encounter with Argentine tango, in the concert reading with Dominique Horwitz or in the fifth piano concerto for the festival finale.
2020 is also the year of the violin, it is the current “Instrument of the Year” and is played solo or as chamber music at Gezeitenkonzerte by world stars like Alina Pogostkina, Arabella Steinbacher, Viviane Hagner, Daniel Hope or Pinchas Zukerman. Thanks to Sharon Kam, Felix Klieser, Tine Thing Helseth, Rie Koyama, Brasssonanz, CARION or the Czech Nonet, fans of wind and brass instruments will also have something to enjoy. Furthermore, Klaus Badelt and Sven Daigger portray two composers from very different genres.
The promotion of young top talents has always been of importance to the Gezeitenkonzerte, therefore, in addition to the legendary “Lange Nächte der Gipfelstürmer” or the TONALi Tour, you can particularly look forward to the concert by star percussionist Alexej Gerassimez with the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie, who is giving a guest performance in every state on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of German unity, and for Lower Saxony has chosen to do this at the Gezeitenkonzerte. Another highlight will be the concert with Mimi & Josy, who last year won “The Voice Kids” and reached millions of people and are now coming to the EEZ for an exclusive concert.
The festival program also offers numerous highlights away from classical music, Ulrich Tukur & the Rhythm Boys, the NDR Bigband feat. Omar Sosa, Marina & The Kats, Quadro Nuevo or The Fitzgeralds offer some very special concert experiences.
Just as special as our artists are the venues of the East Frisian peninsula, intimate village churches, impressive city churches, wonderful East Frisian farmhouse courtyards and manor houses and also extraordinary things like the Emden Van-Ameren-Bad, the riding hall of the Frisian Horse Stud Brümmer or the Emden VW plant. In the accompanying culinary and cultural tours called “Streifzüge”, you can also explore the regional idiosyncrasies of East Friesland.
Again the core festival is framed by a prologue and an epilogue. You can look forward to the jazz musicians Klaus Spencker, Florian Poser and Benny Lackner, the Duo Karuna and the wonderful songwriter Tim Neuhaus. The “Oldenburger Kindermusikfestival on Tour”, this year with the Blindfische, Toni Geiling and Maria Todtenhaupt, will delight the youngsters and be stopping in Aurich and Leer.
Aristotle gave us the saying “The essence of music is to give joy!”. We want to do this with the 2020 Gezeitenkonzerte!