How our annual program is created

We see music education as a task for the future. Last year, more than 400 participants from 21 nations worked on around 80 events, and we have also created a varied program for this year.

We would like to give you a glimpse behind the scenes of how such an annual program is created in our laborious, agile teamwork. For this purpose, we talked to the artistic director of operations:

Dear Isabel, tell us more about the creation of the annual program. When does the planning for this always begin?

Isabel:
With pleasure. There's actually a lot more to it than you might think and than a visitor might realize at first glance: because we always start at least a year in advance, sometimes even earlier.
This is because many ideas for the following year already develop during the current festival - in discussions with artists, among others.

Who is the creative mind that develops the program?

Isabel:
First and foremost, it's our artistic director Sissy and me. Of course, we take our core team and the board with us on the journey and present our thoughts, do final joint fine-tuning and then all pull together.

How do you go about it? What criteria do you use to select?

Isabel:
In general, we have many different criteria. But the main focus is on our annual general theme. First and foremost, we determine this theme based on our philosophy, our values and the current framework conditions.
As soon as this general theme has been established, such as "RITUALS" this year, for example, we feed the basic idea with projects that fit the content. Not every idea meets the requirements and follows our red thread, but often it is possible to work with the artists in terms of content to such an extent that the general theme is clarified by the project.
Another criterion is, of course, always feasibility: what financial, spatial, temporal and personnel effort does the idea require, and is it feasible for us at all? After all, we want to offer real added value that is implemented in a high-quality and also responsible manner.
And a third criterion must always be a balancing act between the question: "Does anyone want to listen to this, will there be an audience for it?" as well as our firm will to dare something new and also experimental, which could possibly meet with incomprehension or even rejection from the audience. But it is always important for us to dare to innovate on the basis of traditional values and to develop further every year. As well as giving everyone involved the opportunity to develop together, and with a successful platform that has been functioning for years as security.
This year, through such connections, fascinating new projects are coming about that have not been seen before. The development of such ideas and the fruitful linking of the groupings with each other is a particularly interesting task for Sissy and me. It is very important to us that the young musicians benefit from new experiences and new contacts for their future. For example, this year Turkmen and Serbs are playing together works by Serbian and Turkmen composers, but also works by Mozart.

What do you pay special attention to?

Isabel:
In addition to the above-mentioned criteria, we also pay particular attention to the fact that the young artists don't just come to give concerts. It is especially important to us that a connection, a networking and thus a real valuable exchange can take place between ensembles from different countries and cultural backgrounds.
We therefore pay special attention to whether an artist or ensemble is able and willing to enter into an exciting cooperation with other participants. This is how we create sustainable intercultural exchange.
This year, such connections have resulted in fascinating new projects that have not been seen before. The development of such ideas and the fruitful linking of the groupings with each other is a particularly interesting task for Sissy and me. It is very important to us that the young musicians benefit from new experiences and new contacts for their future. For example, this year Turkmen will play together with Serbs works by Serbian and Turkmen composers, but also works by Mozart.

How is the ongoing process, or from the first steps to taking place?

Isabel:
We support the artists very closely from the first contact in personal meetings, but also via video conferences or by telephone. Communication is the be-all and end-all for us here, and we always keep this very closely interlinked. Especially those meetings are important in which the content of the concert or workshop program is discussed and determined. This is often a time-intensive process, a joint creation - among other things, it is also a matter of discussing all the details of the cast, the technical requirements, the performance possibilities, etc. in detail with the artists. Only then can they arrive well prepared and with the certainty that everything is adequately prepared for them, and perform with motivation.

Dear Isabel, thank you very much for these insights and we are already looking forward to what awaits us under this year's general theme RITUALS!