Press Kit: Music Education Programme

Absolutely central to what the Elbphilharmonie offers are its music education initiatives. At the heart of these is the »World of Instruments« (»Instrumentenwelt«) – a diverse series of workshops that enable children of all ages, young people and adults to gain their first experiences with music and instruments in the Kaistudios, including instruments that are rarely heard in symphony orchestras, ranging from alphorns to laptops.

The Elbphilharmonie offers a wide-ranging programme that begins with concerts for babies and expectant mothers. Meanwhile, for children and young people, there is a wide range of what we call »Twinkle Concerts« (»Funkelkonzerte«). These concerts focus on music that is neither too overwhelming nor too simplistic, giving youngsters the space they need to immerse themselves emotionally. The live gaming concert »Let’s Play« offers an exciting experience between digital and analogue worlds, with streamers performing live on stage in the Grand Hall accompanied by music. The concert is streamed online, generating an entirely new format that merges live music and gaming culture. One concert format that is especially close to the hearts of all those involved is »Klangzeit« (»Sound Time«) with Ensemble Resonanz, a steadily growing outreach project of a special kind: it reconnects people living with dementia and their relatives with the experience of music for a few hours.

A variety of ensembles invite people to get involved and make music together: the Family Orchestra encourages cross-generational exchange, while the Audience Orchestra sees amateur musicians come together to rehearse concert programmes that are then performed in the Grand Hall. The »DJ Workshop for FLINTA*«, held several times a year, gives participants aged 16 and over the chance to learn the fundamentals of DJing over the course of a weekend. Cultural integration is actively practiced in the »Chor zur Welt«, which brings together some 60 singers from 20 nations. Non-European music also features on the programme of the Gamelan Ensemble, which plays the captivating music of Bali and Java on the Elbphilharmonie’s own set of instruments.

Every two years, jazz stars gather as lecturers at the »Elbphilharmonie Jazz Academy« to meet outstanding young artists from around the world, selected by a jury of experts. The biennial »The Art of Music Education«, organised in partnership with the Körber Foundation in Hamburg, dedicates several days to pressing questions relating to the current state and future of music education. As one of the most important international industry gatherings, it is aimed at music educators, artistic directors, concert hall staff, music journalists, cultural managers and representatives from the education sector. »Elbphilharmonie PLUS« offers original event formats: in the run-up to concerts, it opens up different, often surprising and always personal perspectives on the programme.

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