Programme Guide

Many young musicians dream of having the chance to play once in their lives in the Berlin Philharmonie. For the participants of our School Orchestra Extravaganza, this is a dream that regularly comes true. Led by members of the Berliner Philharmoniker, the different instrumental groups work on pieces which they then finally all rehearse together – under the direction of no less than chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle.

In November 2014, the programme included a very special repertoire: three film scores that probably everyone knows. Elmer Bernstein’s The Magnificent Seven was followed by the adventures of Indiana Jones and finally, the science fiction tale of E.T., the extra-terrestrial. It is particularly fascinating to see what linguistic images Sir Simon uses to inspire the young musicians – such as when he warns the brass not to fall into an “Oktoberfest” style.

But this rehearsal with Simon Rattle is not the end of the extravaganza: Selected Berlin school orchestras then show their impressive skills under the direction of their music teachers. The finale is provided by our education programme’s Creative Orchestra whose members not only play film music, but have developed their own soundtracks – an always original and often tongue-in-cheek treatment of this fascinating genre.

The programme is presented by Sarah Willis, horn player of the Berliner Philharmoniker, and Malte Arkona, who is known among other things as a presenter on the German children’s TV channel, KiKa.