BFMI * Bernhard Fleischer Moving Images

Liberty Island Usedom 2022

The New York Philharmonic's residency on Usedom sends out a signal for freedom, peace and diversity, and at the same time commemorates the victims of violence and oppression.

Peace concerts have been held on northern Germany's Baltic Coast at the Usedom Music Festival for 20 years now. To mark this anniversary, organizers have invited New York Philharmonic Orchestra to perform there.

Welcome to Germany! The musicians of the NY Phil on their first international visit since before the pandemic: trumpet player Ethan Bensdorf, trombonist David Finlayson, bass player Rion Wentworth, and Principal Flute Robert Langevin (LTR).

The New York Philharmonic performed a series of concerts at the Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum, a former power plant where the first ballistic missiles were developed during the Third Reich.

Today, the Historical Technical Museum hosts cultural events, special exhibitions, project days, workshops and work camps related to peace education.

Since 2002, the turbine hall of the Peenemünde power station has been transformed into a concert hall and serves as a place of international encounters.

First musicians arriving at the hall with violist Kenneth Mirkin ahead.

OB Van and set-up vehicles at the backside of the turbine hall

BFMI has recorded two of the Philharmonic concerts for television with two of the festivals featured soloists, Jan Lisiecki and Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Jaap van Zweden and pianist Jan Lisiecki during the dress rehearsal of Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto”.

Artist Manager Tanja Dorn in conversation with Concertmaster Frank Huang

Jan Lisiecki & the NY Phil’s Music Director, Jaap van Zweden

NYC style: bassoonist Roger Nye

Jan Lisiecki and Usedom Music Festival Director Thomas Hummel

The Canadian pianist plays Beethoven's most popular piano concerto, in which gentle, intimate moments alternate with majestic sounds.

During a quiet minute: Nathan Vickery practicing the cello.

Anne-Sophie Mutter rehearsing Anne-Sophie - André Previn’s Violin Concerto is a piece that her one-time husband composed for her as an engagement gift.

Anne-Sophie Mutter is interviewed by the German TV channel ZDF 3sat: “Music connects all ends with each other. Even if it sounds strange, you will see the emotionality of the music will reach you".

After the rehearsal, television journalists scramble for a statement from Jaap van Zweden: “I’m happy to see this place with heavy history has been transformed into a place that we can make music. And music heals a lot of wounds”.

The musician’s anticipation for the concerts is unmistakable during rehearsals: Sheryl Staples, Principal Associate Concertmaster

Acting Associate Principal Horn Leelanee Sterrett

The first visitors stream into the concert hall full of expectation - among them: baritone Thomas Hampson with his wife Andrea Herberstein.

Fun moments: flutist Alison Fierst and flutist / piccolo player Mindy Kaufman

Usedom Music Festival Director Thomas Hummel surrounded by Manuela Schwesig, Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Birgit Hesse, President of the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Darion Akins, US Consul General in Hamburg and Hans Narva, Usedom Music Festival Technical Director

The New York Philharmonic premiered commissions by US American composers Nina Shekhar and Joan Tower “1920/2019” in Europe.

At intermission the Philharmonic’s President and CEO Deborah Borda met with Tanja Dorn and Thomas Hummel.

The second concert of the residency concluded with Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra. Bartók's most successful work demands solo virtuoso feats from the orchestra.

The New York Philharmonic also played side-by-side with musicians of the Baltic Sea Philharmonic to an enthusiastic full house.

Carter Brey, Principal Cello and Cellist Patrick Jee – Thank you for this impactful collaboration and the wonderful musical moments!

In Memory of Thomas Grimm

1942 – 2022

He created TV productions that exude mood, spirit and life: Thomas Grimm directed about 160 recordings of ballets and operas from around the world.

Getting ready for the recording of THE LITTLE MERMAID
San Francisco, 2001

Always setting high standards with his recordings of opera and ballet productions, Thomas Grimm left a lasting influential inspiration for the creative as well as the technical team.