Jiyoon Lee – the first female concert master of Staatskapelle Berlin.
The life of a classical musician is formed by a pathway of hard work and sacrifice just to get a place in a great orchestra. But becoming an orchestra musician is neither about fame nor about becoming rich. It is really just about the privilege to create unique music for your audience. A work of art that only can exist through the power of the ensemble. Through the organic interfering of the different instruments to one voice, to one sound.
This sound had to stop for the last six months. Orchestras like many other artistic ensembles could not perform in public to keep each other and the audience safe from possible infections. Despite all hardships, one orchestra kept their spirit alive like no other.
The Staatskapelle Berlin, which is one of the oldest orchestras of the world with its 450 years of heritage, invented all kinds of ways to perform for their audience. From digital concerts to chamber music in the courtyards of Berlin, the Staatskapelle Berlin found creative alternatives for the classical symphony concert in the large halls.
Many public places had to shut down during the Corona-Crises.
Showing Connection Through the Power of Music
In honor of their 450th anniversary and this challenging time without an audience, our team of iHeartBerlin got together with the team of Staatsoper Berlin to create a unique short film that shows the connection between the musicians of the orchestra and the city of Berlin.
Spread around town in really particular spots that represent Berlin’s multifaceted spirit, 10 musicians of Staatskapelle prepare for a concert like they would do on the stage of Staatsoper. But instead of playing altogether, each one of them performs by themself yet connected to each other through music.
We hope that this short film will let you feel the joy and the inspiration we had while creating this film. To be in the same room with these unique musicians and listening to them perform after months without live music was so incredibly touching to all of us. Because a world without live music would simply not be the same.
We thank YouTube for funding this project and to all locations including Staatsbibliothek am Potsdamer Platz, Hamburger Bahnhof, Berliner Bäderbetriebe, Shishi, Loqi Tower, Bode Museum, Tempelhofer Feld, Futurium and Kindl Zentrum für Zeitgenössiche Kunst. We especially want to thank Victoria Dietrich, Susanne Lutz and general director Matthias Schulz from Staatsoper for repeatedly trusting us and collaborating with us for these wonderful projects.
