Dear friends,
Why does classical music stay relevant even during the third decade of the 21st century? In a time when all successful contemporary artists have millions of Instagram followers, it is a remarkable consistency that still so many 15-year-old teenagers fall in love with the Mozart Requiem, a Rachmaninov concerto, or a Schubert song – and a significant number of 20-year-old young adults chooses to pursue a career in music. It seems almost miraculous that within a limited time in history, merely a few centuries, a very limited group of extraordinarily talented people have created works that can nourish our souls until today and even impact our life decisions.
Playing in or with an orchestra, conducting, and accompanying are social interactions that have existed in similar ways for ages and in times where bonding with others is more important than ever, music can make people from very different backgrounds feel the same way and thus, experience togetherness. The endeavor of conquering a work during the rehearsal period and the common goal of a meaningful performance creates a strong coherence in an ensemble; in concerts, the audience can feel all the passion the musicians have been giving and the moment of grace that the composers’ souls can be present.
It is exciting to see in which ways the performances as well as the social interactions with the artists and the audiences will develop during the next decades and how we, IMK, through our commitment, find even better ways to engage and bring more value to everyone’s experience – in the best concert halls and places music history has offered us.
Sincerely,
Adam Szmidt
Artistic Advisor