Cello Christmas

Some believe that one needs to be of a certain age to be receptive to classical music. That this is not necessarily the case was demonstrated at this concert in the Philharmonie in Berlin which was packed with inquisitive, marvelling, laughing children – and their parental escorts. Together they heard and enjoyed the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker who had invited them to a Christmas concert.

“The 12 Cellists open their music box”: Under this motto, the world-famous ensemble presented highlights of their repertoire. Duke Ellington’s Caravan was one of them, like the evergreen “The bare necessities” from Disney’s Jungle Book. Anyone who has experienced such a family concert of the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Education Programme knows that they involve not only music but are also both fun and informative. In this case, the 12 Cellists brought a colleague with them, the horn player Sarah Willis, who guides us through the programme and – representing the audience – asked ​​the ensemble members the most pressing questions on the subject of the cello, such as what such a centuries-old instrument actually costs, and how can you best make it sound like a cow. There are also many surprises, in particular a performance by students of a Berlin primary school who, led by the choreographer Volker Eisenach, provided entertainment as dancing cellos.