The Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine opened the Bach Festival in Leipzig | Culture and lifestyle in Germany and Europe

Concerts in the Church of St. Thomas (Thomaskirche) in Leipzig opened last Thursday, June 9, the Bach Festival.

This year it is dedicated to the work of both Bach himself and his numerous relatives, most of whom were musicians or composers. That is why the slogan of this season is “Bach – We Are Family”.

The venue was also chosen for a reason: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) lived in Leipzig for a long time and served as cantor in the Church of St. Thomas until his death. Until June 19, almost 150 events and concerts will be held as part of the festival, which will be attended by guests from more than 50 countries.

Participants of the festival – musicians from Ukraine

The opening of the festival turned out to be bright and varied. First, the local boys’ choir performed in the St. Thomas Church, accompanied by the orchestra of the Leipzig city concert hall “Gewandhaus” (Gewandhaus). And in the evening, there was also a concert called “Give Us Peace” by the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, founded in 2016 by the famous Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv.

Oksana Lyniv conducts the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

The orchestra from Ukraine, together with the youth choir of the city concert hall of Leipzig “Gewandhaus”, performed works by Bach and a touching suite by Ukrainian composer Nikolai Lysenko.

“You are all now part of our big Bach family,” said Michael Maul, artistic director of the Bach Music Festival in Leipzig, welcoming the young Ukrainian musicians. All of them now live in Leipzig, having become guests of the locals. Income from the concert, as well as charitable contributions, will be transferred to the musicians of the orchestra and their families.

Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in Leipzig

“Bach Roots”

One of the brightest events of the festival promises to be the musical cycle “The Roots of Bach” – with works that inspired the young Bach to create his early compositions. In addition, well-known musicologists will present their favorite works, as well as compositions by Bach’s descendants, as part of the discussions.

This year, for the first time, vocalists from 17 countries of the world participate in the festival. Among them is Elmar von Kolson, a descendant of Johann Sebastian Bach.

The next Bach Festival, scheduled for 2023, will mark the 300th anniversary of Bach’s appointment as cantor of the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig.

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Sights of Saxony
Dresden
We will start our acquaintance with the sights of Saxony in the capital of this federal state – Dresden. The city is called “Florence on the Elbe” or “Northern Florence”. This comparison first appeared in literature at the beginning of the 19th century. Its art museums and monuments of baroque architecture are known all over the world. A special place among them is occupied by the Frauenkirche church and the Dresden Art Gallery.

Sights of Saxony
Elbe meadows
This view of the Old Town in Dresden opens from the water meadows on the opposite side of the Elbe. The length of these meadows exceeds 30 kilometers. An ideal place for walking, jogging and picnics.

Sights of Saxony
Saxon Switzerland
If you move upstream of the river, you will soon be in Saxon Switzerland (Sächsische Schweiz). This national park is located on the border of Germany and the Czech Republic. It was created in 1990. About 1.7 million tourists visit it every year. The Bastei rocky massif and the Königstein fortress are especially popular here.

Sights of Saxony
Leipzig
We are already in Leipzig – the largest city in this land. He received trading rights in the middle of the XII century. Known for its fairs and university. Johann Sebastian Bach lived and worked here. Leipzig hosts an archive and a museum for this composer, as well as an annual music festival. Bach directed the famous choir of the Church of St. Thomas. This city temple now houses his grave.

Sights of Saxony
ore mountains
The next popular place in Saxony is the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) on the border of Germany and the Czech Republic. Here, at an altitude of 914 meters, the highest German city is located – the famous skiing center Oberwiesenthal. From here you can take the cable car up to the 1200-meter Fichtelberg mountain. During the summer, the region is popular with hikers and nature lovers.

Sights of Saxony
Meissen porcelain
Further on our way is Meissen (aka Meissen) – not only the most beautiful medieval city, but also the birthplace of European hard porcelain. It was here that in 1708 they managed to unravel the secret recipe, previously known only to the Chinese. Soon, the first production in Europe was launched in Meissen, and the emblem of Saxon porcelain – crossed blue swords – became known throughout the world.

Sights of Saxony
Görlitz
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Sights of Saxony
Lusatian Serbs
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Bad Muskau
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Moritzburg Castle
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Author: Lina Elter, Maxim Nelyubin