Wendelin Bitzan

Wendelin Bitzan

Musician · Researcher · Content Creator

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New Vocal Delectabilities

I will be appearing on stage with Vokalsystem Berlin again in two marvellous projects. The coming weekend will see the emergence of our interdisciplinary choral concert programme »Horizons«, comprising music by Raffaella Aleotti, Eric Whitacre, Roxanna Panufnik, and Caroline Shaw. Conductor Johannes David Wolff and pianist Artschi Loyan will be joined by dance collective beljn6 and visual artists Blandine Casen and Marcello Busato. Come and visit us this Saturday, 12 July, 8 pm, or Sunday, 13 July, 6:30 pm, at Kühlhaus Berlin-Kreuzberg! There are still some tickets available at €17 and €12; please refer to the choir’s website.

During the following weeks, I will be involved with other Vokalsystem members in a production of Johann Strauß‘s operetta »Die Fledermaus«, forming part of this year’s festival Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg. The staging is directed by Georg Quander, and the music is arranged and conducted by Christian van den Berg. The premiere takes place on 2 August, followed by seven more performances through 15 August. If you’re up for a colourful and entertaining evening of musical comedy, please visit the festival’s website for tickets.

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Summer Reflections

This has been the most intense university semester I’ve experienced so far. My workload consisted of two half-time music theory positions in Düsseldorf and Dresden, which caused a considerable amount of commuting, and was supplemented by my part-time work as managing director of Tonkünstlerverband Berlin. In addition, I prepared lectures on Ravel and Shostakovich, absolved two job interviews, attended a large number of high school and music school performances of my children, continued with apartment hunting (an ongoing story), and improved and re-organised significant aspects of my private life. Now yearning for the semester break, and looking forward to share the stage with Vokalsystem Berlin again in two choreographical concerts and a delectable operetta production (details to follow soon).

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An Own Harp for Cosima

My 14-year-old daughter Cosima passionately loves to play the harp. She started on a celtic harp five years ago and, after successfully participating in the Jugend musiziert competition, recently switched to the concert pedal harp, which enabled her to join the children’s opera orchestra of the Berliner Staatsoper. She also composes, plays the piano, and sings in a girls choir.

Cosima currently practises on a rental harp that we were able to hire from an acquaintance, but it will only be available until September. Most harp dealers and private suppliers wouldn’t offer concert instruments for loan, though, so we now seek to get funding for Cosima’s first own harp to foster her further development and education. That’s why I set up a crowdfunding. We would be delighted if you considered supporting this promising young artist by a donation of your choice!

» Support us in acquiring Cosima’s own harp

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New Board Elected at TKV Berlin

Last Saturday, this year’s general assembly of the professional body Tonkünstlerverband Berlin took place, in which a new board has been elected. I am looking forward to supporting a promising and dynamic team with my work as a managing director. The board now consists of Kaan Bulak as the new chairman, Jens Domeyer as deputy chairman, Anne Katharina Uerlichs as secretary, Christian Höffling als treasurer, and Anna Barbara Kastelewicz and Richard Nordemalm as members-at-large. At the same time, Alf Schulze and Agnes Stein von Kamienski have left the board—many thanks for your valuable formative work in the association during the past years!

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Flowing with Ravel

Cordial invitation to a fluid lecture recital, taking place as part of the semester topic »Musikmetropole Paris« of the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf. On Tuesday, 6 May, 7:30 pm, in the university’s chamber hall, I will be speaking about three of the most fascinating piano works of Maurice Ravel. I couldn’t come up with a more liquid title than »Im Fluss. Ravels Wassermusiken für Klavier: Jeux d’eau, Une barque sur l’océan, Ondine«. Performers at the piano will be Sukyeon Kim, Honoka Buyo, and Dingyuan Chang. Let’s see where the waves will take us—I’d be delighted to have your company!