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2024 is a very active year in promoting of our composer Sef Albertz´s oeuvre
The first half of the year began with an introductory event featuring pianist and UE Ambassador Anna-Maria Maak, who presented and performed Albertz's works live at the Leipzig Book Fair in March, followed by a series of lectures hosted by the Leipzig City Library between April and August in cooperation with label Florentyn Music and Universal Edition.
Under the title «Sound as a metaphor for life - The composer Sef Albertz in focus», these events were warmly welcomed by an enthusiastic audience. One of the attendees referred to these conferences with the following words:
“...insightful explanations [...] imaginative ideas that create such stimulating musical experiences. It makes curious about the upcoming events. What a captivating, moving, thought-provoking music [...] thank you so much for everything!” (G. Christoph).
In late May, Sef Albertz’s reimagined version for Guitar & Strings of Mendelssohn’s «Lieder ohne Worte», unprecedented in the guitar repertoire, received its Australian premiere and further performances with guitarist Karin Schaupp and the Camerata - Queensland's Chamber Orchestra. A rendition can be heard here:
On 17 May, the album «Bunch of Strings» was released. In this recording, Albertz - himself a skilled guitarist “who dominates his instrument masterfully” (KulturAspekte) - brings together a colourful collection of works including his three-movement work «...alla Bach!» (in the style of Bach), his compositional reinterpretation of Robert Schumann’s «Kinderszenen» (Children's Scenes) in a version for Guitar Quartet - also unique in the instrument’s repertoire and finally, his aforementioned «Lieder ohne Worte», musically accompanied by members of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Albertz’s «Bunch of String» is described as “a milestone of good music […] magical […] exciting [...] full of splendour” (Akustik Gitarre Magazine). “So great because it's a fascinating interplay of tradition and innovation” (Feuilletöne). “For the world of music, the album is an enrichment - on many levels” (KulturAspekte).
In the following half of the year, two new large-scale compositional cycles, on which Sef Albertz has been working intensively for the past two years, will be premiered.
On 6 September at the Cammerspiele (Werk 2) Leipzig, Sef Albertz himself will give the première of «...was man mir einst erzählte!» (…what once was told to me!) - a full evening cycle for guitar inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's heart-warming story «The Little Prince». The score book with its 29 pieces is accompanied by illustrations.
A week later, Anna-Maria Maak is going on tour to different cities in Germany and Austria (Berlin, Meiningen, Hamburg, Vienna, among others) to present Sef Albertz's piano work. The first stop is in Schkeuditz, where she performs the world premiere of «Some Enlightened Alleys» in an interdisciplinary and transcultural soirée. Albertz’ new exhaustive cycle spans a whole concert evening and include performative elements, requiring the use of theatrical actions, movements and gestures improvised across the stage situation.
Here's an overview of upcoming events:
SEPTEMBER
✦ 06/09 | Guitar Recital with the world premiere of Albertz‘s new full evening guitar cycle «...was man mir einst erzählte!» | Cammerspiele (WERK 2) Leipzig
✦ 14/09 | Piano Recital with the world premiere of Albertz‘s new full evening piano cycle «Some Enlightened Alleys» | “art Kapella” Schkeuditz
✦ 20/09 |Piano Recital «Some Enlightened Alleys» | Schwartzsche Villa, Berlin
OCTOBER
✦ 12/10 | Piano Recital «Some Enlightened Alleys» | Musiksalon Thimm-Haker Hamburg
✦ 18 & 19/10 Piano Recital and Workshop | “Max Reger” Music Conservatory Meiningen
✦ 25/10 | Lecture with live music | «Sound as a Metaphor for Life - The composer Sef Albertz in Focus» | “Robert Schumann” Music Conservatory Zwickau
NOVEMBER
✦ 01/11 | Piano Recital «Some Enlightened Alleys» | Stadtbibliothek Leipzig
✦ 15/11 | Piano Recital «Some Enlightened Alleys» | TONALi Hamburg
✦ 22/11 | Piano Recital «Some Enlightened Alleys» | Bösendorfer Salon in Vienna's Musikverein
More events are to come!