Born in 1988, the conductor Jonathan Bloxham is an unusually versatile artist whose »innate musicality« is very much esteemed. Alongside his »deep knowledge and understand of the symphonic repertoire« (Paavo Järvi), Bloxham also has great passion for contemporary music.

This British artist began his musical career as a cellist. Having already won several awards, he gave his solo concerto debut in the Philharmonie Berlin. In his role as conductor, he works with well-known ensembles, most recently with the City Chamber Orchestra Hong Kong, with the RTE Concert Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and, as cover conductor with the New York Philharmonic. Until 2018, Bloxham was also Assistant Conductor with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. In Summer 2019 he assisted in Glyndebourne with “Rusalka” and in 2020 he will be directing productions of “Madame Butterfly”. Bloxham is also Founder and Artistic Director of the Northern Chords Festivals.

This season, debuts will see him with The Philharmonic Orchestra of Luxemburg and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Bloxham is a founder member of the Busch Trio, with whom he performed until 2015 and during which time it won several awards. He continues to play chamber music with some of the most renowned musicians. Many concertgoers local to Bremen will remember Bloxham’s thrilling debut at the 2018 ›Summer in Lesmona‹ for many years to come.

Mauro Durante Violin and Tambourello
Giulio Bianco Wind Instruments
Francesca Della Monaca Vocals and Tambourello
Giovanni Amighetti Keyboards and Effects
Luca Nobis Guitar
Leonardo Cordella Accordeon and Tambourello
Valerio ›Combass‹ Bruno Bass

Taranta! are based in Salento, Italy, where they hold ›La Notte della Taranta‹ an annual festival which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and which is broadcast on live television. The Italian temperament, musical virtuosity and musical frenzy regularly gets audiences dancing in the aisles. Since the Middle Ages, there has been such music and dancing in this region, created with the intention of healing people. The tarantula, a venomous spider, gave its name to the frenzied dances performed by those it had bitten, in order to force the poison from their bodies.

As a band project in which the best musicians from the various taranta groups take part, Taranta! was originally created by Daniele Durante and his son Mauro. In 2021, Mauro Durante took over artistic directorship and, for the first time in its history, toured Germany with an all-star line-up and shared some of the highlights of this very special music.