Cello Christmas

Some believe that one needs to be of a certain age to be receptive to classical music. But this concert in the Berlin Phiharmonie, packed with inquisitive, marvelling, laughing children – and their parental escorts – show that this is not necessarily true. Together they listened to and enjoyed a Christmes concert by the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

“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.