In a video message, chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle and violinist Sebastian Heesch address the Japanese friends of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
The Berliner Philharmoniker have followed the catastrophe in Japan resulting from the recent earthquake with great concern. As an expression of their sympathy, the orchestra and their conductor Bernard Haitink are dedicating their concerts of 16–18 March to the Japanese people. The concert on 18 March will be broadcast live at http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/concert/1637
Ever since their first concert tour with Herbert von Karajan in 1957, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Japanese audiences have had very close ties. Numerous tours by the orchestra and its chamber music ensembles have strengthened this connection. The Berliner Philharmoniker also have a long tradition of working with Japanese musicians. This season, the orchestra gave the premiere of the horn concerto by Toshio Hosokawa in February, and the conductor Yutaka Sado makes his Philharmonic debut in May. Several members of the Berliner Philharmoniker also come from Japan, including the concertmaster Daishin Kashimoto.
The Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital Concert Hall:
http://www.digital-concert-hall.com
Website of the Berliner Philharmoniker:
http://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de