Wendelin Bitzan

Wendelin Bitzan

Musician・Researcher・Digital Content Creator

Medtner January 1: Lecture Recital

I have the pleasure of designing a public lecture recital at Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf, taking place in the framework of the university’s piano music festival of this term, curated by my colleague Tobias Koch.

On Saturday, 20 January, 6 pm, we will present a programme of Nikolai Medtner‘s sonatas and vocal music, centered around multiple references to Goethe’s poetry in the music. I will be performing and commenting on the Sonata-Elegy from the Sonata Triad, Op. 11, and Sonata-Vocalise, Op. 41 No. 1, with soprano Stefanie Kathrin Fischer. The other performers on stage will be Agnes Konnerth, Giuseppe D’Elia, Sofiia Loboda, and Victoria Lucretia Nava. After that, Latvian pianist Sergejs Osokins will include some more Medtner in his guest recital at 7:30 pm. Everybody is cordially invited!

Talking About Oneself

While everybody is sharing their achievements and track records at the end of the year, I thought I’d contribute some contrary experiences as I feel that we far less readily talk about things and endeavours that do not turn out well. So here we go: In the last few months I had two article submissions rejected by prestigious journals, failed in two competitive academic job interviews, and unsuccessfully applied for the board of the Berlin music council. Besides, I didn’t compose anything substantial for more than a year.

This is not to imply that I am generally unhappy with my professional career, of course. I am still very content with my current teaching position, pursue some fruitful research and publishing activities, and continually enjoy the musical output and growing proficiency of my adorable children.

What are your recent failures and missed opportunities? Please share and provide some counterpoint to the ubiquitous showing off 🙂
However, have a great holiday season and lots of success, satisfaction, and rewarding experiences in the coming year!

Interview with Two Multimedial Composers

Some months ago I conducted a fascinating interview with two multimedial music creators from Berlin: the film composer Dascha Dauenhauer and the instrumental and electroacoustic composer Martin Grütter. We talked about their preferred working methods and environments, aesthetic influences, and ways of making their music available and accessible. The interview has now been published in the online magazine niusic.de. Hope you enjoy the read!

New Position Paper by DTKV Berlin

A new cultural-political statement has been issued by my professional body of musicians, Deutscher Tonkünstlerverband Berlin. The most important topics are fair payment for freelancers (see our new fee guidelines) and future challenges for music school administrations as a result of a court decision on the social security of freelance teaching staff that are integrated in the business. We will be in touch with the Berlin Senate administration for that matter. Please continue reading here.