The latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic are bringing further restrictions for events in Bremen, and with them new certainties. One of these is unfortunately the cancellation of the scheduled ›Seelenschau‹ concerts with Jérémie Rhorer and Anna Samuil on 5th and 6th November 2020 in Bremen’s Glocke. You are, of course, entitled to a refund of your ticket price. Alternatively, you are welcome to donate your ticket. We are grateful for all contributions that help to finance our orchestra in these challenging times.

Under the current conditions, it will also not be possible to perform the sold-out Beethoven Cycle. This will therefore be postponed to 2021. As soon as new performance dates for the four concerts have been found with all those artistically and organizationally involved, Musikfest Bremen will inform you immediately. All tickets already purchased will remain valid.

In this connection, the ›Neue Horizonte‹ concert with Paavo Järvi and Ksenija Sidorova in the Glocke will not take place on 17th November 2020, but will instead be rescheduled to a later date. We are working hard to find a new date for this concert and will let you know as soon as this is the case. Your tickets will, of course, retain their validity.

Holders of season tickets for already cancelled concerts have the following options: The musicians of the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie would greatly appreciate your support during these difficult times. We would be delighted if you felt you would like to donate your subscription tickets for cancelled concerts. If this is not an option for you, we will of course either offset the resulting credit in the coming season or refund you the respective amount.

Tickets for cancelled concerts purchased on the open market can also be donated, converted into a voucher or refunded. Important: whether donation, voucher or refund – to process the transaction you must fill out a ticket form that can be found here https://www.kammerphilharmonie.com/erleben/tickets/rueckgabe/. If you have any queries relating to the ticketing policy, please contact our customer service by email under info@kammerphilharmonie.com or by phone on +49 (0)421 32 19 19!

Because larger-scale open air events with over 1,000 people also remain prohibited until at least the end of August, this year’s ›Summer in Lesmona‹ is also being forced to take a break. The three-day festival ›Summer in Lesmona‹ will therefore be postponed until next year – and will now take place on the weekend of 16 to 18 July 2021. One great piece of news: star violinist Nigel Kennedy has already agreed to the postponement and will open next year’s Classic Open Air within the scope of ›Bremen Friday Night‹. Already purchased tickets remain valid. Should you wish to donate your ticket, you will be given an exclusive purchase option for 2021!

March 2020

Dear Music Enthusiasts,

Right now it feels like the world has stopped turning – not just in Germany, but all around the globe. In view of the rapid development and seriousness of the current health crisis, we need to exercise patience and try to get on top of this completely new and very challenging situation for us all with a mixture of resolve and calm.

For us, making music is both our passion and our profession and it greatly upsets us that we are currently unable to pursue it. However, there can be no doubt that ensuring everyone’s health and well-being has to be our top priority. It is therefore with a heavy heart that we have cancelled concerts, an educational programme and a planned CD recording. At the moment, we don’t know when the concerts and tours will be able to resume. This is all the more distressing because it denies us the opportunity to communicate with you via the instrument we know best – music.

Against this backdrop, we are all the more touched by your many warm words of solidarity and by the string of enquiries asking how you can support us. One very concrete way is the gesture of solidarity shown by many who have kindly donated the money spent on tickets to the cancelled concerts. Thank you very much for this. It’s good to know and feel that you’ve got our backs in this way, because as a freelance orchestra we do not receive the same backing as a conventional orchestra. We are therefore all the more grateful to the many members of the Society of Friends of The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen, our patrons, sponsors and supporters for their loyalty in these difficult times. We cannot do it without them.

The announcements of assistance programmes for independent artists promised by the federal government and the state of Bremen are an encouraging prospect. This news has boosted our confidence that when we emerge on the other side of this crisis we will once again be able to perform for you and share exceptional musical moments with you as before. And while it is no substitute for a live concert experience, our digital offering is at least one way of staying in touch, even if the quality of the experience is somewhat reduced.

So although The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen is currently also having to forego live concerts, we can at least share our music with you this way. For example, you can enjoy our concert given at the Menuhin Festival Gstaad in 2019 featuring star violinist Hilary Hahn – available from ARTE’s media library. Or browse our Facebook page. What’s more, on our website you can enjoy a changing selection of concert recordings that we have compiled for you.

Music in particular has always given strength in difficult times and helped people forget the seriousness of a crisis for a while.

In this spirit, we wish you all the very best for the uncertain times ahead; above all stay healthy, but also keep calm and carry on. We are already greatly looking forward to seeing you again.

Best regards,

Beate Weis, Matthias Beltinger, Jürgen Winkler – the orchestra board on behalf of The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen

P.S.: If you would like to join the Society of Friends, you can find the application form on our website under ›Support‹ .