Fri, 17 Mar 2000

A tour through classical music with Germany's Tubingen orchestra

JAKARTA (JP): This week's concert will be given by the Tubingen Chamber Orchestra on Saturday, March 18, at Regent Hotel, Jakarta.

Since its inception in 1957, the resident orchestra of the famous Tubingen University (the "German Oxford") has toured all over the world.

It is a vital part of the music scene in Germany, and its reputation is acknowledged by many well-known soloists who have collaborated with the orchestra, such as flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal, oboist Heinz Holliger, violinists Nathan Milstein and Henryk Szeryng, and cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.

Gundi A. Emilsson will conduct the orchestra's performance in Jakarta, with violinists Ara Gerard Malikian and Regine Schmit and trumpeter Karl-Friedrich Schmidt as soloists.

Most of the repertory is accessible even to those who are not especially devoted to classical music. A divertimento (in F Major) by Mozart will open the concert.

The concluding work will be the Serenade in C Major for String Orchestra by Tchaikovsky, an ever-popular work with a lively first movement, an attractive waltz, and an amusing last movement that combines two Russian folk melodies.

The performances will no doubt be enhanced by some truly absorbing virtuosity by soloists in the trumpet concertos of Albinoni and Vivaldi and the double violin concerto by Bach.

Another work with concerto features that will be performed is Schubert's Rondo for Violin und String Orchestra in A Major. The concert is organized and sponsored jointly by Deutscher Musikrat, Goethe-Institute Jakarta, The Regent Jakarta and Deutsche Bank. Further information may be obtained from The Regent (2523456) or Goethe-Institut (8509132).

Another significant event happening this week is the Pekan Klasika, the Classical Week. The event is the brainchild of violinist director at the Capella Amadeus and noted music educator, Grace Sudargo, and has been organized and sponsored by Yayasan Musik Amadeus, Deutscher Musikrat, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, and Komseni, Siemens, Lufthansa and Bridgestone.

The Classical Week will be devoted to a masterclass series, in which Prof. Christiane Hutcap-Ozim will give private instructions to six preselected participants who have prepared pieces according to the requirements of the organizer.

Hutcap-Ozim, professor at Rostock Academy of Music and Theater in Germany, is a renowned violinist and violin instructor and has helped Reinhard Goebel of baroque ensemble Musica Antiqua Koln relearn the violin again after the devastating paralysis of his left hand.

Those who are interested in violin, music teaching and classical music may attend the classes as observers at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sunday and Monday, at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Jakarta.

A concert will be held to close the event on Friday, March 24, and the performers will be Prof. Hutcap, her student, the teenage prodigy Byol Kang, and Capella Amadeus String Chamber Orchestra (further notice will follow). For more details contact Pekan Klasika (71791426).

-- Y. Bintang Prakarsa