David Russell (Scotland)

Koblenz Guitar Festival & Academy for the first time at the Sayner Hütte

The Koblenz Guitar Festival & Academy will not change its strings this year, but rather its location – specifically, the shores of the Rhine: The concerts of the 33rd edition of the renowned music festival will take place for the first time this year at the Sayner Hütte, which, according to festival director Georg Schmitz, offers concert venues ideally suited for this music: "The Krupp Hall is particularly acoustically suitable for solo recitals, while the Gießhalle is perfect for orchestral concerts." Previously, these took place in the Rhein-Mosel-Halle; the masterclasses that were once held at the Koblenz Castle will now move to the Landesmusikakademie at Schloss Engers.
As an "absolute fan of the Sayner Hütte," Schmitz, who teaches as a professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Mainz, had long had his eye on the Bendorf industrial monument with its fascinating architecture and found a receptive audience in managing director Dr. Björn Rodday. He emphasizes: "The Sayner Hütte unites history and present and provides an ideal framework for the Koblenz Guitar Festival as a vibrant resonance space for artistic inquiries. Amidst the historic industrial backdrop, music can open new perspectives, foster the dialogue between tradition and innovation, and intensify cultural experiences." Furthermore, the nearby Landesmusikakademie in Engers offers excellent opportunities for teaching, as well as the catering and accommodation needs of participants and instructors, Schmitz is pleased to note: "You are now very close to the pulse."
And that pulse is likely to quicken among guitar music enthusiasts between June 1 and 9, as everything which has rank and name in the international scene will gather at the Sayner Hütte. Audiences can experience artists from Germany and numerous European countries, as well as from overseas. They will perform solo and in various chamber music ensembles. The festival will also welcome, among others, the orchestra and choir of the Hochschule für Musik Mainz, the Oxalis Quartet, the Joscho Stephan Trio, the Koblenz Guitar Festival Chamber Orchestra, and the French flutist Patrick Gallois.
The program includes not only the concert offerings but also exciting seminars, workshops, masterclasses, as well as the annual competition at Schloss Engers, conversation concerts, and the awarding of the festival prize for lifetime achievement to guitarist David Russel. During the festival, instrument makers will showcase their portfolio of plucked instruments and invite attendees to try them out. Additional attractions include sound art installations by students from the Sound Art Composition department of the Hochschule für Musik Mainz throughout the entire monument area of the Sayner Hütte, and daily concerts in the chapel of the Heinrich House in Engers. The relocation of the series and the new venues have sparked great enthusiasm worldwide: "There are already registrations from Japan and Australia."
The audience can already purchase tickets for all events at www.koblenzguitarfestival.de and find detailed information about the individual concert programs. All performing artists are also introduced there.