New May 2019

Since quite a long time I haven't published any news in this section. Mostly I did complete my worklist and added performances dates. But at this moment I feel, it is time to bring in some words, nonetheless because my time in Lübeck seems to come to an end in 2020.

Just recently, the University of Music Lübeck (MHL) finsihed its annual Brahms-Festival with the title "Abysses and Bright Spots" (as long as "Abgründe - Lichtblicke" can be translated at all). And it was  in many directions the most interesting and diverse festival, at least during my time in Lübeck. With a daily amount of 4 - 5 different concerts and formats, including educational events, it was at least the biggest one we ever had, which brought our logistics to its limits (thanks to all the good people in the background). After a Prelude, that I could accompany with the performance of my septet "Sounding Threads" and the great conducting of Frank Hube, the symphony concert took place on the second day, but in the big Music - and Congress Hall (and not our own much smaller concert hall). Apparently I myself was one of the reasons for that because of the premiere of my 40-minute piece "ICAL" for Choir and Orchestra. Additionally I had requested to perform Ravel's second part of "Daphnis and Chloe" while the conductor Prof.Johannes Knecht (also from Speyer) added the rarely heard cantate "La Demoiselle Elue" from Claude Debussy. For me, a top program, for the students a real challlenge and for the university a big risk, because we had to fill a big hall. Fortunately, all our marketing activities worked, and we had more than 1000 visitors. The concert itself was a big success, so we all were very happy.

I cannot list all the greate concerts here, but let me mention some with a special meaning for me, as the concert with composers murdered in concentration camps (Klein, Haas, Karel, Schulhoff), the rememberance concert for my recently passed away predecessor Friedhelm Döhl and certainly - very selfish - the cracy "Night concert" with Morton Feldman's "for Philipp Guston" with its duration of about 5 1/2 hours from 00:41 am until dawn. It was a pleasure and honor for me to perform that piece with my great colleagues Johannes Fischer and Angela Firkins. And it was certainly a special physical and psychological experience.

The following weeks will be filled with other premieres but also two CD-Productions (after our second bigband CD has also been published with exicting pieces including some of mine). One is a portrait of mine by Studio Musikfabrik (Peter Veale) that will be published by Kreuzberg Records. The other one will be a double CD with chamber music and organ pieces which will be produced by my university in connection with my retirement. I am very proud about that. The recordings are already going on successfully.

Finally I would like to mention a lively talk that I had with my colleague Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Sandberger. Please have a look at Youtube and the MHL Live channel.

Until next time

Dieter