Summer Semester 2015

Music from Latin America

In this summer semester, the orchestra and chorus have rehearsed separately, but have both performed music from South America and Central America: music with temperament and with lots of rhythm and groove.
 

Choral Program

The chorus performed “Caissa’s Mind”, a choral cycle of eight tangos for chorus and piano, which Juan María Solare composed especially for the University Bremen Chorus. This composition was made possible by a generous donation by the Karin and Uwe Hollweg Foundation. Solare writes: “There are barely any pieces for chorus in the Tango Argentino style, but the chorus will act as a replacement for the instruments or as an accompaniment for soloing vocal lines. This work wants to take advantage of the resources that a chorus can provide: the potential for an autonomous body of sound, the multiple voices, the enormity, the emotional presence, the sheer force, and finally the power of a chorus.”

A video of this performance at the "Breminale" may be seen and heard on our YouTube-channel here.

Orchestral Program

The orchestra played a medley of brazilian hits, including the Rumba “Tico-Tico” and the “Samba de Orfeu”, as well as three pieces by Mexican composers; the Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez, Carlos Chávez’ reworking of Dietrich Buxtehudes’s Chaconne in E-minor for large orchestra, and “Sensemayá” by Silvestre Revueltas. All of these pieces have intensely marked rhythmical groupings that each play an important role.  As an encore the medley “The Rhythm of Brasil” was offered. It included eight Brazilian favourites: “Tico-Tico”– “Aquarela Do Brasil” – “Manh? Do Carnaval” – “Maria Ninguem” – “Mas Que Nada” – “Samba Lelê”– “Samba De Orfeu”. A live recording of “The Rhythm of Brasil” from the concert on July 5th, 2015 can be heard here.

The Concerts “Music of Latin America”

Orchestra and Choir of the University of Bremen practiced separately this semester, but performed together in the same concert. Moreover, guests from the University of Bremen Tango Orchestra and the Pop-Chorus from the University of the Arts Bremen took part in the concert, contributing music inspired by South and Central America. 

July 4th, 8:00 PM, Gutscheune Stuhr/Varrel

July 5th, 7:00 PM, Bremen, University Bremen GW1-lecture hall

July 16th, 7:30 PM, Bremen, Open-Air-Festival Breminale, Tanzboden (Chorus only).