Performing at Fanny and Felix’s house: Musical Academy Day at the Mendelssohn Remise

More than 180 years ago, Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy gave his children Fanny and Felix a forum for their musical development by setting up a musical salon for them at the family home in Leipziger Strasse 3. It is only fitting that the historic site of the Mendelssohn bank in Jägerstrasse – where Fanny and Felix would often come to visit and which would become known for its frequent private concerts – should be used as a venue for performances by up-and-coming young musicians.

In 2011, the Mendelssohn-Gesellschaft held its first “Music Academy Day,” a program intended to encourage young people’s love of music in the spirit of the Mendelssohns by offering various music schools a chance to showcase their students’ talents. Due to its resounding success, the Music Academy Day was repeated in 2012 and 2013. The intermissions between the various performances were times allowing everyone to recuperate, enjoy a snack, chat with the other participants, and network. Admission was free.

Program for 2013
On May 25th, 2013, students from five Berlin music schools were once again invited to showcase their talent at the Mendelssohn Remise in a series of concerts lasting from 10 A.M. until 8 P.M.:

Musikschule Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg
Works ranging from the Renaissance to the modern era were played by a children’s string orchestra (directed by Almut Witt), a clarinet ensemble (directed by Jürgen Kupke), and a chamber orchestra (directed by Hannes Neubert).

Joseph-Schmidt-Musikschule, Treptow-Köpenick
Works by Chopin, Vivaldi, Brahms, Humperdinck, Saint-Saens, and others were interpreted by young soloists on the flute, violin, cello, piano, and guitar, as well as by a vocal quartet (directed by Margarete Gabriel) and by the UNO SAAROW guitar ensemble (directed by Doreen Langer-Bossdorf).

Musikschule Reinickendorf
The musical offering from the Reinickendorf students featured J. S. Bach’s Double Concerto in D minor, Vivaldi’s La Follia, H. Purcell’s Golden Sonata and other works, as performed by a string orchestra, chamber ensembles, and various duos and soloists.

Hans-Werner-Henze-Musikschule, Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Representing the school were a male vocal ensemble (directed by Thomas Utke) as well as instrumental soloists, two ensembles composed of the youngest and oldest students, and a violoncello ensemble (all directed by Cornelia Döhler).

Musikschule Fanny Hensel, Berlin Mitte
Soloists and ensembles performed compositions from various centuries (moderator Markus Wenz).