Sir Simon Rattle in rehearsal with Berlin school students

The Berliner Philharmoniker have been holding School Orchestra Extravaganzas in the Philharmonie for more than ten years. In September 2008, young musicians from ten Berlin schools rehearsed works by Berlioz and Elgar with members of the orchestra. First of all, the different sections rehearse separately before coming together for a full orchestral rehearsal and performance conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. 

“When children learn a sport, they don’t just watch, but really play football or hold a tennis racquet in their hands”, says the conductor. In this way, his young virtuosos can experience for themselves just how much concentration and sensitivity are required to bring a piece of music to life. This rehearsal – which you can watch free of charge as a registered user of the Digital Concert Hall – shows just how much fun it can be.

Members of orchestras of the following schools:

Droste-Hülshoff-Oberschule
Werner-von-Siemens-Gymnasium
Käthe-Kollwitz-Oberschule
Musikschule “Joseph Schmidt”
Musikschule “Fanny Hensel”
Musikschule Spandau
Georg-Herwegh-Oberschule
Freiherr-vom-Stein-Oberschule
Goethe-Gymnasium
Kurt-Tucholsky-Oberschule

The pre-rehearsals took place under the supervision
of the following Berliner Philharmoniker members:
Laurentius Dinca 1st violins
Axel Gerhardt 2nd violins
Matthew Hunter violas
Christoph Igelbrink violoncellos and double basses
Mor Biron woodwinds
Thomas Leyendecker brass
Rainer Seegers percussion
Axel Gerhardt full orchestra

Larissa Israel Project management

The Education Team:
Catherine Miliken Head of Education Programme Zukunft@BPhil
Larissa Israel, Annemarie Mitterbäck Project management
Franziska Noack, Alexandra Hübner Team assistant

www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/education