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Farewell to the Berlin Philharmonic

On September 1st, 2023, I ended my official duties with the Berlin Philharmonic.
I have had the honor of being a member of this great artistic community since 1984. My audition in January 1984 was the last one at which Herbert von Karajan was personally present. I was allowed to work with him as chief conductor for another five years.

Then I experienced the two full terms of office of his successors Claudio Abbado (1990-2002) and Sir Simon Rattle (2002-2018). With Kirill Petrenko, who is the artistic director of the Philharmonic since 2019, I have worked with four of the seven chief conductors since the orchestra was founded in 1882.

The list of the guest conductors and soloists that I was able to experience during this time, the names of all the great colleagues with whom I worked in the orchestra, is unfortunately too long for this message.

Special thanks go to all members of the flute section over these four decades! It was always a pleasure to make music with them, especially since I was able to perform in all chairs from principle flute to principle piccolo.

A highlight of my philharmonic activities was the period from 1988 to 2019 when I played with Andreas Wittmann, Walter Seyfarth, Fergus McWilliam and Hennig Trog (until 2010) and Marion Reinhard (2010 – 2019) in the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet. Countless concerts and tours throughout the world, more than 20 CD recordings are an unforgettable treasure trove of memories.

I am particularly pleased that I can continue to be available to the orchestra for some projects until my successor is decided.

Kalevi Aho: Solo XVII for Clavichord

Kalevi Aho: Solo XVII for Clavichord

 

At my request, Kalevi Aho composed an approx. 9 minute work “Solo XVII” for clavichord as part of his series of solo works for various instruments.

The world premier took place on October 9th 2021 in the famous Leucorea University in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, during the 46th “Clavichordtage” of the Deutsche Clavichord Societät (German Clavichord Society)

As part of the complete recording of Aho’s work by the label BIS, I am very happy and feel honored to do also the premier recording.

Aho’s Solo is “tailor-made” for my instrument built in 2018 by Andreas Hermert, Berlin. Copy after: Grassi Museum, Leipzig; inventory #3313, around 1800, Germany/Austria