Opening of Sarband's Festival «Tonfolgen» in Bonn (Germany)
Old World - New World
Tonfolgen: Sarband's Festival of musical travels to otherwise unreachable places
of human encounter.  04.07.-07.07. Bonn (Germany)
12 concerts in and around Bonn

04.07. OPENING CONCERT: With Love from - and to - Russia
From Shostakovich and Stravinski to Kurt Weill, Elvis and James Bond
(Joel Frederiksen, Modern String Quartet & Sarband)
Bonn, Consulate General of the Russian Federation, 19:00 www.tonfolgen.net

«No cough, no noise - attentively, the audience listened to the sounds of strings, piano and voice …
Appropriate for American Independence Day, "Sarband and Friends"
explored the relationship of Russia and Europe with the USA.
It was a colorful soundscape of the 20th century.
Vladimir Ivanoff, musical director of  Sarband, guided his listeners through a voyage
from Dmitri Shostakovich and Igor Stravinsky to Kurt Weill, Elvis Presley
and songs from James Bond movies.
Whether and how much Shostakovich was connected with Stalinist leadership
and how he expressed this in his music - the stories behind the music were
thrilling, informative and witty. »
Susanne Träupmann, General-Anzeiger Bonn (Germany), 05.07.2013

06.07. A Tramp Abroad - Mark Twain in Germany (& Joel Frederiksen)
Eitorf-Merten, Castle Merten, Mirror Hall, 11:00 www.tonfolgen.net

06.07. Sacred Bridges - Jewish, Christian & Muslim Psalms
Eitorf-Merten, Castle Merten, St. Agnes Church, 14:30 www.tonfolgen.net

06.07. Birth of the Cool (& Modern String Quartet)
Pumpwerk Siegburg-Siegelsknippen, Filterhalle SN2, 15:30 www.tonfolgen.net

«… the four protagonists have internalized the harmony and rhythm of Jazz as
well as the velvet deliberation and full-bodied elegance of its "cool" manifestation.
Hence, the sum of passionate confession, broad technical skills, and profound
musical understanding was a delightful border-crossing sound experience …»
Peter Lorber, Kölnische Rundschau (Germany), 11.07.2013

06.07. Paradise Lost - Songs about Migration from the Mediterranean to America
St. Augustin, Airport Hangelar, Hangar, 20:30 www.tonfolgen.net

06.07. Birth of the Cool (& Modern String Quartet)
Rheinbach, Glas Pavillon, 20:30, www.tonfolgen.net

«Pieces by Miles Davis, Bronislaw Kaper, Kurt Weill and Herbie Hancock …
sent the listeners into trance … The serenity and focus of the Modern String
Quartet easily conveyed to the audience. A delightful mixture of musical styles,
an illustrated voyage in sound.» aed, General-Anzeiger Bonn (Germany), 09.07.2013

07.07. A Tramp Abroad - Mark Twain in Germany (& Joel Frederiksen)
Rheinbach, Church, Erzbischöflichen Gymnasium St. Joseph, Theatre Hall, 11:00
www.tonfolgen.net

07.07. Pilgrim Fathers (& Joel Frederiksen)
Nümbrecht, Castle Homburg, 15:00 www.tonfolgen.net

07.07. Aus Alt mach Neu - Piano Impressions and Improvisations by Acclamation
(& Christopher Miltenberger)
Wachtberg, Medow Orchard, 18:00 www.tonfolgen.net

«"Skyfall" on acclamation. Pianist Christopher Miltenberger thrilled the audience
with romantic impressions and modern improvisations … Miltenberger showed
his authority with classics like Schubert as well as with modern titles,
spontaneously wished by the audience …»
Axel Vogel, General-Anzeiger Bonn (Germany), 09.07.2013

07.07. FINAL CONCERT: Sacred Bridges - Jewish, Christian & Muslim Psalms
Bonn, Organ Builders Klais, 19:30 www.tonfolgen.net

19.07. Music for Emperors and Sultans
(& Esterházy Hofkapelle - on period instruments - Conductor: Márton Rácz)
Castle Esterhàzy (Hungary), 19:30  www.eszterhazivigassagok.hu

20.07. In the Realm of the Golden Apple -
The Adventures of a Turkish Traveller in 17th-Century Vienna (reading: Károly Mécs)
Castle Esterhàzy (Hungary) 19:30  www.eszterhazivigassagok.hu

24.07.Vox Feminae - Female Paths to God in Medieval Oriental & Occidental Music
Riga (Latvia), Ad Lucem Festival, St. John's Church, 20:00  www.adlucem.info

25.07. Vox Feminae - Female Paths to God in Medieval Oriental & Occidental Music
Kuldiga (Latvia), 19:30, St. Anna's Church www.adlucem.info

11.08. The Perfect Light -
Christian & Muslim Medieval Songs for the Birthdays of  Jesus & Mohammed
Jaca (Spain), Festival  Internacional en el Camino de Santiago, Jaca,
Palacio de Congresos, 22:00  www.festivalcaminosantiago.co
«Meditation and dance, or how to unite hope and joy to truth. From the first song, the audience
in the Palacio de Congresos complied with the sincerity of the proposal to celebrate the birth of both prophets …
Drama and meditation, respectful celebration,thanks to the musicians …solemnity spread in the concert hall …
Sounding light in the clarity of their instruments … Thus, the performance of Sarband was connected to the listeners
in every moment … old songs in faithful interpretation, wonderful and transcendental …
A beautiful and memorable concert.» El Periódico (Spain), 12.08.2013

13.08. Voice of the Blood - Home and Outland  in Medieval Female Music from Orient & Occident
Mainz (Germany), Mainzer Musiksommer, Seminarkirche Mainz, 20:00    www.mainz-klassik.de
«Ensemble Sarband makes a strong impression. That all features of a concert are perfect, that just everything is perfect, is a rare experience. Such a great moment was actually granted to the listeners of the program «Voice of the Blood» … The harmonious and thrilling repertoire selection, the musicological expertiseof the artists, coupled with contagious natural musicianship, the stylistically confident and charming performance that never betrayed the deeply religious significance of the works, the very high musical level, united with interpretative ardor, allowed the audience a spellbound immersion into geographically and chronologically alien worlds and created an uplifting experience. For a long time, Sarband, under the direction of Vladimir Ivanoff, belongs to the top early music ensembles, however takes a special position, apart from  customary comparableness … While Miriam Andersén with her diamond-clear soprano soars up to ethereal heights, Fadia El-Hage delights with a stunning voice range, sultry and mellow, down to full-bodied male profundity, and madethe unaccompanied Aramaic chants highlights of the concert. Vladimir Ivanoff supported the appreciation of the audience with instructive elucidations and accompanied most of the songs with frame drum and lute. The lute developed a wonderful interplay with the harp in the sefardic ballad«Una tarde de verano», that, with Fadia El-Hage's devoted performance, was the climax of the concert, apart from Miriam Andersén's masterful rendering of the apocalyptic vanitas chant «Audi pontus» »
wit, Wiesbadener Kurier (Germany), 16.08.201315.08. Voice of the Blood - Home and Outland in Medieval Female Music from Orient & Occident
Bever (Belgium), Festival Musica Sacra, Rosario, 20:00  www.musicasacra.be

18.08. Lord of the Horizons, Collector of Musical Worlds: Alî Ufkî / Wojciech Bobowski
(Poland, ca. 1610 - 1675 Turkey)
Wroclaw (Poland), Forum Musicum Festival, old town hall, 20:00  www.forummusicum.wroclaw.pl

«After the ensemble finished its appearance, the room was silent with delight. The audience froze in complete tranquility, only to exclaim ovations after some time. A very good start of the festival.»
mmwroclaw.pl (Poland), 19.08.2013

20.08. Lord of the Horizons, Collector of Musical Worlds: Alî Ufkî / Wojciech Bobowski
(Poland, ca. 1610 - 1675 Turkey)
Jaroslaw (Poland), Song of our Roots Festival, Dominican church, 20:00 www.festiwal.jaroslaw.pl

22.08.-01.09. World Culture - World Power -World Music - Richard Wagner's «Die Sarazenin»
- Sarband-Workshop & Concerts 
Bayreuth & Bonn (Germany)

«Meeting to confront Wagner's "Sarazenin" with medieval and contemporary music and history in a performance, more precisely a dense musical stage play, an evening emerges, which a member of the audience describes: "I have never experienced this in such intensity". Thanks to the singers, instrumentalists, actors and dancers from Syria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Palestine, Germany, and Serbia, who created an intense artistic synthesis of RichardWagner, political actuality, medieval opera, ancient and new music, mime and dance … Evenings like this are more important than any ever so nice "Wagner Gala". Frank Piontek, Nordbayrischer Kurier (Germany), 02.09.2013

«Under the artistic direction of Vladimir Ivanoff, the members of the workshop interweaved the historical level with a contemporary fictional plot threat … A puzzler, all the more intense through the minimalist setting … The musicians, most of them from the Middle East, presented traditional Arab repertoire, but also arrangements of motifs from Wagner operas … developing a thrilling density.  A deeply touching performance.» Fritz Herzog, General-Anzeiger Bonn (Germany), 02.09.2013

18.09. First workshop with Sarband, Latvian Radio Choir & seven contemporary composers:
«Maqam & Song of Songs»
18.09.-19.09. Marseille (France)  www.tensonetwork.eu

The start of an intense collaboration between two very different ensembles, each famous in its own right: Latvijas Radio Koris, bringing perfection in vocal art, and Ensemble Sarband, mediating between past and present, Early Music and living tradition, Orient and Occident. Seven composers from Europe and the Middle East have been asked to write music for this exciting combination, based on the ancient text of Song of Songs. The new works will be created in several 'laboratory' workshops where all participants - singers, instrumentalists, composers - will collaborate on creating a new, unique sound. The first meeting of the ensembles and the composers took place during Tenso Days Marseille 2013

06.10. Echo Klassik 2013 «Klassik ohne Grenzen» for Joel Frederiksen
Joel Frederiksen, singing with Sarband since July 2013, was awarded with the Echo Klassik 2013
«Klassik ohne Grenzen» for his CD «Requiem for a Pink Moon»
Congratulations, Joel!