The Bremen World Orchestra

Building bridges with music

This orchestra brings different worlds together. At a time of global upheaval and growing tensions, The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen and the Philharmonic Society Bremen are setting an example. In a unique international orchestra project, they are joining forces for the first time, bringing together young people from different corners of the world and demonstrating in a compelling way that music is the superpower that can build bridges, change lives for the better and pave the way for a brighter future.

The highlight of the project, marking the grand finale of the Philharmonic Society’s 200th anniversary celebrations, is a concert performance in Bremen – featuring young musicians from three continents, on a big stage and with world-class backing from The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen.

Social commitment in harmony

This unique musical initiative is in large part the brainchild of Barbara Grobien, the former longstanding chair of the Philharmonic Society. An honorary citizen of Bremen, she has been a driving force behind cultural education projects for children and young people for decades, including in South America and South Africa. For its part, the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie has been making the unifying power of music tangible in Bremen’s Osterholz-Tenever social hotspot for many years through its Future Lab project. These award-winning participatory formats have been successfully exported around the world for some time, sparking a movement of their own. Now this wealth of experience is being channelled into a collaborative project that, by joining forces, goes a step further.

Music opens up new horizons

The Bremen World Orchestra opens up new horizons for young people in Bolivia, Peru and Tunisia – some of whom are growing up in impoverished circumstances – that can significantly change their lives for the better, and also broaden the outlook of young people in Bremen. Some weeks ago, members of the Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Chamber Orchestra of Bremen travelled to all three partner countries to meet and make music with young people participating in social music projects. This gave them a chance to experience first-hand the extent to which those young people’s lives are impacted by poverty, insecurity and a lack of perspective – and how the music projects are often their only source of confidence and courage to envisage a brighter future.

Growing together – across continents

In May, this change of perspective will take on an additional dimension when for the first time all participants from the different countries and continents come together in Bremen in the week ahead of the final concert performance. Together, they will spend an intensive week rehearsing alongside the members of The Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen. A world orchestra in two senses is growing together, uniting people from different cultural groups in a single shared experience. Music is the universal language that brings everyone together – for the moment and perhaps even for a lifetime.

The grand finale

On the evening of the concert, the Bremen World Orchestra will be led by Venezuelan conductor Rodolfo Barráez, who knows the life-changing power of music first-hand. The soloist is Brazilian violinist and rising star Guido Sant’Anna, whose early career was decisively influenced by the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie. Together, the participants are sending a powerful message of international understanding transcending all borders – and thus of a hope-filled future for all generations.

Go to the concert

Music opens up new horizons

The Bremen World Orchestra opens up new horizons for young people in Bolivia, Peru and Tunisia – some of whom are growing up in impoverished circumstances – that can significantly change their lives for the better, and also broaden the outlook of young people in Bremen. Some weeks ago, members of the Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Chamber Orchestra of Bremen travelled to all three partner countries to meet and make music with young people participating in social music projects. This gave them a chance to experience first-hand the extent to which those young people’s lives are impacted by poverty, insecurity and a lack of perspective – and how the music projects are often their only source of confidence and courage to envisage a brighter future.

The grand finale

On the evening of the concert, the Bremen World Orchestra will be led by Venezuelan conductor Rodolfo Barráez, who knows the life-changing power of music first-hand. The soloist is Brazilian violinist and rising star Guido Sant’Anna, whose early career was decisively influenced by the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie. Together, the participants are sending a powerful message of international understanding transcending all borders – and thus of a hope-filled future for all generations.

Go to the concert

Rehearsal in Peru with youth from the Sinfonía por el Perú project
Meet-and-greet and rehearsal in Bolivia with youth from the Fundación Musical Bravura project
Rehearsal in Tunis with young musicians from the Institut Supérieur de Musique de Tunis

The project is generously sponsored by: