Giessen University Orchestra on a big concert tour through Italy!

Giessen University Orchestra on a big concert tour through Italy!

The orchestra of the Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) is about to embark on an exciting concert tour announced on March 14, 2025. Under the direction of university music director Stefan Ottersbach, the orchestra will first give a concert in Tübingen, followed by performances in renowned Italian cities such as Parma, Bologna, Padua and Reggio Emilia. The trip is a highlight in the cultural calendar and marks the orchestra's fourth concert tour with its own soloists.

An important part of the preparation is the dress rehearsal, which will take place on April 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the main university building in Giessen. The program of this dress rehearsal includes important works of classical music, including:Symphony No. 7 in B minor (The Unfinished)by Franz Schubert, theSymphony No. 5 in D minor (Reformation Symphony)by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and that4. Horn Concerto in E flat major (KV 495)by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Particularly noteworthy is the opportunity for solo horn player Thomas Materna to present a demanding piece during this concert.

Experiences from the past

The upcoming concert tour follows on from the impressive trip in April 2023, when the Giessen University Orchestra already successfully toured to Poland. This trip was the first after a break of several years due to the pandemic and was also led by Stefan Ottersbach. The program included works by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Domenico Cimarosa and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, among others. The concerts took place in four different locations, with a highlight being the performance in a seed warehouse in Poznań, which created a special setting.

The concert was celebrated in Lódz on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the partnership between the University of Lódz and the Justus Liebig University of Giessen. The emotional conclusion of the trip took place in the St. Jakobi Cultural Church in Stralsund, where the orchestra entertained the audience with a varied program. This trip also offered a rich cultural program with city tours through Poznan, Gdansk, Greifswald and a visit to Westerplatte.

Funding and support

The implementation of this cultural project was sustainably supported by the financial use of the university orchestra's budget as well as participation contributions and donations from the Giessen University Society. Particularly worth mentioning is the commitment of the Vereinigte Hagel Polska insurance company, which made a significant contribution to the realization of the concert series.

A great outlook on the orchestra's musical development can also be seen in the upcoming rehearsals after returning from Poland, which are planned for the final concert of the summer semester on July 2, 2023 in the Giessen Congress Hall. The premiere of “The Thirteenth Wave” by David Holleber is on the program here, complemented by the Double Concerto in A minor by Johannes Brahms and the Symphony No. 6 in A major by Anton Bruckner.

The orchestra's commitment and dedication are unmistakable. The success of past concerts and the exciting prospect of upcoming performances underline the important role that the university orchestra plays in the cultural landscape. This commitment is also reflected in the activities of other university orchestras, such as the Dresden University Orchestra, confirmed that they are also preparing for new highlights and programs.