When it comes to classical music, Daniel Harding knows a trick that can immediately capture the attention – and ears – of students from all seven classes. He asks whether today happens to be the birthday of any of the young visitors who have been invited to watch the first MCO Academy session at the Orchesterzentrum|NRW in North Rhine-Westphalia. No one? Well then. He anoints a double bass player as the Birthday Boy, who is promptly given the task of intoning the convoluted Greeting Prelude by Stravinsky. The laughter subsides and the musicians put the joke behind them as they get to work: the colossal Le Sacre du Printemps awaits them in this rehearsal.
Harding explores, over and over again, the complex rhythms and textures of the music. He knows exactly what he wants: he has performed Sacre since his days as a trumpet player in student orchestras and is familiar with the material. This piece has a notorious reputation as a challenge. What was once considered the greatest scandal in music history – music that was provocative and unplayable – is now a standard in orchestral repertoire: a standard which, in limited rehearsal time, must be dealt with and conquered. Such are the demands that await in the professional careers of these 15 students of the Orchesterzentrum|NRW, who have joined the ranks of MCO musicians this morning in this endeavour.
The opportunity for these aspiring orchestral musicians to collaborate with the MCO is the brainchild of Benedikt Stampa, the Director of Konzerthaus Dortmund. Even during his tenure as Manager of Hamburg’s Laieszhalle, Mr. Stampa already had in mind the idea of collaborating with the MCO. When he moved to Dortmund in the 2005/2006 season, his dream had not yet been realized. Once in Dortmund, he swiftly brought the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Kunststiftung NRW, and two additional institutions in the region – the concert halls in Essen and Cologne – on board to engage the orchestra. The MCO Residence in North Rhine-Westphalia was born: the MCO is scheduled, until 2013, to bring highquality music to the region.
The Orchesterzentrum|NRW, training ground for the four music schools – in Cologne, Essen, Detmold and Düsseldorf – of North Rhine-Westphalia, is unique not only in the region, but also in Europe. Here, education is closely linked with practical experience. The institution was founded in 2004, and it has called Dortmund its home for only a little over a year. The Konzerthaus is only two minutes away by foot, and the new rehearsal and practice rooms – in varying sizes – are tailored to the needs of the young musicians. The stage of the chamber music hall is comparable to that of the Konzerthaus, which makes rehearsals in their full capacity possible.
During their course of study, which lasts for two years, students at the Orchesterzentrum work on skills often neglected in instrumental studies: preparation for auditions, orchestra experience, and last but not least, how a team player can be made out of a soloist. Contacts are made, and connections between students, musicians, and guests are also forged. Many find this package extremely attractive: there are 150 to 200 applicants for each open position at the Orchesterzentrum|NRW. The structure of the MCO Academy is multi-faceted. Firstly, MCO musicians are invited to give workshops within the framework of the students’ normal course of study. Then, once a year, students from the Orchesterzentrum|NRW perform with MCO musicians in an MCO Academy Concert. Finally, particularly gifted students will be selected to join the orchestra on tour. World-class training, instruction, and performance, as well as scholarship opportunities: all of this constitutes the MCO Academy.
May 2011 takes the Academy to Japan – a collaboration with conductor Yutaka Sado is in the works. The beginning of May also sees Pierre Boulez in Dortmund for a series of Academy rehearsals; he will then conduct the closing concert at the Philharmonie in Cologne. After him, Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct the Academy in 2012, and a roster of distinguished conductors will lead both students and the MCO while imparting their own perspectives on music-making.
Among these guests is a specialist in historic performance practise: Ton Koopman has been invited to work with the MCO Academy in December 2010. He will rehearse the music of Georg Friedrich Handel, Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with the MCO and Academy students in Dortmund, and the fruits of their endeavours will be presented in concerts at the Philharmonie in Essen, in Cologne and in Dortmund. The workshops with Koopman will cover, among other things, how one can approach the music of the Baroque and Classical periods with an individual style – and what choices and compromises must be made.
At the end of the first MCO Academy event in Dortmund, there was enthusiasm all around. »Everybody was 100 % involved«, said violinist Roman Brncic, who joined the string section in Sacre. »You learn a lot from this opportunity. The solidarity that comes with the energetic contributions from each musician: this is what we take away from this experience.« Some students mentioned the collegiality of MCO musicians; others were thankful for practical tips and positive criticism.
MCO Solo Flutist Chiara Tonelli found the players truly exceptional: »I think it’s special for these musicians because we are a bit older than they are, and there is still so much momentum and energy. And so much motivation to do better, too.« Daniel Harding also had words of praise for these budding professionals: »They fit in really well. Sometimes it is very hard to tell who is who. Our musicians told me they have complete trust in them.« That is, perhaps, the greatest compliment of all.
