ORCHESTRAL ACADEMY

Orchestral academy in cooperation with an institution

Concept:

The Orchestral Academy has set itself the goal of opening a space for young musicians in which pianists, string players, wind players and conducting students join together and work with lecturers for piano, chamber music and conductor. They will be practicing one of the selected piano concertos during the rehearsal period. A public or an internal concert (live recorded and streamed) will be held at the end of this project.

In order to add more value for all students from music institutions as well as other project participants, the two piano lecturers at the Academy will offer a free seminar on Problems and Chances of Interpreting J. S. Bach’s Works on the Modern Piano (120 Minutes).
Please have a look for further information to this Website: Bach Online Seminar or Bach Live-Seminar: (all Courses); Lectures.

Depending on the course arrangement, the instrumentalists from music institutions can also form chamber music groups (piano trio, quartet or quintet, if desired) with pianists from the Orchestra Academy. Non-university instrumental students are also allowed to participate (after an agreement has been made).

Since most of pianists do not have many opportunities to collaborate with orchestras during their study period; conducting students may not have enough experiences on piano concertos as well. For this reason, The International J. S. Bach Academy in Memoriam Walter Blankenheim is committed to provide a secure, positive working space for every participant.

General overview:

A Offers for pianists
B Orchestral Project
C Chamber Music Course  

A – Offers for pianists
Every participating pianist receives:
• One-to-one piano lessons (60 minutes) with one of the piano lecturers from the Academy, (not open to the public) before the official rehearsal begins. Upon request, further lessons can be booked with extra fee.
• Each of the 12 pianists will rehearse with a conductor and orchestra.
• Free participation of other pianists’ rehearsals.
• Free participation in the Bach seminar (120 minutes)

How to apply: Each applicant is required to submit a video recording with one of the 3 selected piano concertos (the orchestral part can be accompanied by a 2nd piano). Detailed information is available on the website TheBachProject (in progress). Our faculty members will select 12 pianists for this project, that means every 4 pianists will present 1 concerto.   

B – Orchestral Project

Schedule for the orchestral rehearsal will be arranged in 4 stages: 

Stage 1

On day 1, all 12 pianists will rehearse with the orchestra (30 Minutes each), with each concerto being played by 4 pianists, respectively.

Stage 2
On day 2, 7-9 pianists will be selected and rehearse with the orchestra (30 minutes each).
Stage 3
On the 3rd day, 6 pianists from Stage 2 will be selected. Every pianist has 30 minutes with the orchestra.

Stage 4:
The dress rehearsal will take place in the morning of the 4th day with 3-5 pianists, who will be playing in the concert on the same day (public and / or internal concert, recorded and streamed online) in the evening, either a complete concerto or selected movement/s being performed. After the rehearsal, we will select one of the conducting students to lead the orchestra in the concert.    
C – Chamber Music Course:
The chamber music course will take place on days 5, 6 and possibly day 7. Interested students from cooperating institutions will form an ensemble with the pianist from the Orchestra Academy (from trio onwards). Participants will discuss with our lecturer for chamber music for their rehearsal schedule.Anyone can apply for this chamber music course, whether you are currently studying at the music institutions or not. Students will rehearse with the chamber music lecturer, and eventually perform parts of their program in a public workshop-concert in the evening of the 6th (or the 7th) day.