Primary school pupils next to professionals

First the Symphony orchestra under chief conductor Ivor Bolton parts from Beethoven's Prometheus-Ballet, to which children of primary school age danced, followed by a few short pieces performed by the youngest members of the Insel orchestra school. And finally, the symphony orchestra "Side-by-Side" played Beethoven's Music for a knight's ballet. The conductor was none other than the world-class pianist Lars Vogt, who has been working with his project Rhapsody in School celebrates successes.

The evening in the well-attended Musicaltheater Basel was the result of a long-standing collaboration between the symphony orchestra and music teacher Dorothee Mariani: seven years ago, she founded an orchestra school in the Insel schoolhouse in Kleinbasel, which is home to a diverse mix of nationalities. Since then, children between the ages of 8 and 12 have been able to learn a string instrument there with the support of the Basel Symphony Orchestra, which regularly sends its violinist László Fogarassy to the school.

At the concert, around fifty children showed off their skills and the concentration they had gained on stage and then in the audience. The meticulousness and sensitivity with which the children performed on stage to the brilliantly played Prometheus-music.

Photo: Benno Hunziker / Basel Symphony Orchestra

Choreographer Rebecca Weingartner, who has been rehearsing with the children since November 2019, has truly pulled off a masterstroke. Depending on the level and age of the children, all dressed in black, there were three groups moving their heads, bodies and arms to the rhythm of the music or "whirling" around the stage. Highly concentrated, following the music and without any "misfires", the young performers completed the choreography, which was peppered with entrances and exits, to the rousing music.

The short Serbian, Albanian, Ukrainian and Scottish pieces played and sung afterwards under the direction of Dorothee Mariani showed how rocky the path is from beginners to advanced players and how much the music-making relaxed after some of the symphony orchestra musicians had mingled with the children. Was this a good or a bad omen for what was to follow?

Artistic Director Hans-Georg Hoffmann, who hosted the evening in a relaxed and witty manner, was already raving about the forthcoming Knight ballet. He had a lively conversation with two musicians, the viola player Fabian and Chukwu Cherem, whose sister Happyness was already in the orchestra on the cello and was concentrating on the "side-by-side" adventure.

Dorothee Mariani had been preparing the most advanced children with the help of László Fogarassy since August 2019. "The children should have contact with string instruments, especially in such a multinational elementary school," said Fogarassy about his involvement. "The discipline required to be able to play high-quality concerts remains in the children's memories."

Lars Vogt, who put the finishing touches to the "Insel-Sinfonieorchester", consisting of the professionals and the children, in two rehearsals, was delighted with the work and the result. It was indeed touching to see the joy and enthusiasm with which the colorful mixed orchestra played Beethoven's Knight ballet-music under his lively direction.

But that was not the end of it, as Vogt then played Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto together with the Basel Symphony Orchestra, gripping and dramatic, but also lyrical and subtle. A successful finale, which the island children - now in the audience, where many of their relatives were also sitting - listened to with astonishing calm and excitement. The evening lasted almost two hours without a break. A high level of concentration and the successful combination of an education project with the dress rehearsal of the orchestra, which will then go on tour with this program - without children, but with actor Peter Simonischek as narrator.

Photo: Benno Hunziker / Basel Symphony Orchestra

Orchesterschule Insel under the direction of Dorothee Mariani