“Sarah’s Music - Contemporary Classical” is dedicated to the rich diversity of classical music. In each edition of the weekly program, broadcast in English and German, presenter Sarah Willis presents concert highlights, goes behind the scenes at top events and gets up close and personal with her star guests and their instruments.
Sarah’s Music 01: 30.01.2016
Peter Sellars – Staging Classical Music
Sarah talks to the acclaimed opera and theatre director Peter Sellars about staging classical music during his production of Debussy´s opera `Pelleas and Melisande´ in the Berlin Philharmonie.
Sarah’s Music 02: 06.02.2016
The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela is on tour in Berlin. Sarah holds a live Horn Hangout with the horn section, answers questions from all over the world and attends the concert in the Philharmonie.
Sarah’s Music 03: 20.02.2016
Ice Music Festival in Norway
Sarah visits the world´s only Ice Music Festival in Geilo, Norway, where all the music instruments are made out of ice and the concerts are held outdoors. We had to dress warmly for this one!
Sarah’s Music 04: 05.03.2016
Talking pianos with Daniil Trifonov
This episode features one of today´s greatest musicians, the Russian star pianist Daniil Trifonov. Sarah meets him in Hamburg, finds out how he chooses a piano for important concerts and is thrilled to hear him live for the first time.
Sarah’s Music 05: 19.03.2016
Henrik Schwarz - Beats Without Borders
Sarah talks about beats and musical borders with Germany´s top electronic and club music composer - the DJ and producer, Henrik Schwarz. He combines his music and the classical world with the German Chamber Orchestra.
Sarah’s Music 06: 02.04.2016
Around The World
From New York to Japan to Australia - wherever Sarah and her horn go, she makes an episode of Sarah´s Music about it. See some of Sarah´s favourite locations she has visited during the making of the program so far..
Sarah’s Music 07: 18.04.2016
Schubert’s “Winter Journey”
Renowned Lieder duo Ian Bostridge and Julius Drake share with Sarah their insider's look at Franz Schubert's famous song cycle "Winter´s Journey" during a performance for the MaerzMusik Festival in Berlin.
Sarah’s Music 08: 30.04.2016
The German National Youth Orchestra
The German National Youth Orchestra is on tour in Germany with talented young musicians aged 14 -19. Sarah Willis is delighted to spend time with them and reminisce about how wonderful it is to play in a youth orchestra. Join Sarah, the orchestra and their mascot Konrad in Baden-Baden and in the Berlin Philharmonie.
Sarah’s Music 09: 14.05.2016
The Lufthansa Orchestra
Fasten your seatbelts for a very special episode of Sarah's Music featuring this unique orchestra! The Lufthansa Orchestra is made up of Lufthansa pilots, flight attendants, technicians, office staff and more who all love playing their instruments and meet several times a year for some very special concerts.
Sarah’s Music 10: 28.05.2016
Daniel Hope, Violinist and much more...
Daniel Hope, star violinist, author, broadcaster, musical activist and festival director, talks to Sarah Willis during a festival at the Konzerthaus Berlin celebrating the life and work of his mentor, Yehudi Menuhin. In this episode we also experience live kinetic painting to music by William Walton, painted by Norman Perryman who was a longstanding friend of Yehudi Menuhin.
Sarah’s Music 11: 11.06.2016
The Band of the Coldstream Guards
A very British episode featuring the Band of the Coldstream Guards, one of Britain's oldest and best known military bands. Sarah gets an exclusive, behind the scenes look into a day in the life of the band. Sarah is welcomed backstage to talk to the musicians at Wellington Barracks in London so if you have ever wondered what it is like to play an instrument while marching and wearing the famous bearskin hat, don't this episode!
Sarah’s Music 12: 24.06.2016
Bagels with Brooklyn Rider
Sarah Willis spends the day with bagels and Brooklyn Rider, one of New York´s finest and most experimental string quartets. In this episode they play a concert at National Sawdust as part of the New York Philharmonic Biennial.
Sarah’s Music 13: 08.07.2016
Gospel!
Sarah Willis spends the day in New York with the multi-talented musician Damien Sneed, exploring and experiencing first-hand the power of gospel music. At the Cathedral at Greater Faith in the Bronx, Sarah joins in a gospel singing class, attends a service and even gets her horn out to try playing gospel herself.
Sarah’s Music 14: 22.07.2016
384 Trombones in New York
384 trombone players gather in New York to try and break a flashmob world record during the 2016 International Trombone Festival. Sarah Willis is in the middle of it all, of course, and finds out more about this wonderful instrument from Joseph Alessi, principal trombone with the New York Philharmonic.
Sarah’s Music 15: 06.08.2016
The Music Academy of the West
Sarah spends a day at the beautiful and inspiring Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where every summer, the halls (and the beach!) are filled with music played by talented young musicians from all over the world. Sarah´s highlights of the day are meeting one of her idols, the singer Marilyn Horne and, of course, the beach horns!
Sarah’s Music 16: 20.08.2016
Sarah’s Music Communicators
Revisit five of Sarah's favourite music communicators from the series. These people in the classical music world are passionate about what they do and each one has unique ideas for communicating their love of music. Featuring the 21C Media Group in New York, Peter Gelb, General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, Chorus Master Simon Halsey, Director Peter Sellars and conductor Iván Fischer, we are so lucky to have such inspiring people on Sarah's Music!
Sarah’s Music 17: 10.09.2016
Wynton Marsalis and his JLC Orchestra
Take the A Train with Sarah as spends a day in the House of Swing in New York with jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Sarah is a huge fan of Wynton and his band and loved attending the rehearsal, talking to the musicians and enjoying the concert. Lots of foot tapping in this episode!
Sarah’s Music 18: 17.09.2016
The Lucinda Childs Dance Company
The innovative choreographer Lucinda Childs and her dance company bring one of her most famous works “Dance” to the Beethovenfest in Bonn. Sarah Willis meets Lucinda and her dancers to find out more.
Sarah’s Music 19: 30.09.2016
The John Wilson Orchestra
A taste of Hollywood in the Berlin Philharmonie! John Wilson brings his orchestra to Berlin for the first time to celebrate the music of classic MGM musicals as part of the Musikfest.
Sarah’s Music 20: 08.10.2016
Ta ta ta taaaaa – Beethoven’s 5th!
Sarah Willis takes a look at of the most iconic pieces of music in the world, Ludwig van Beethoven´s 5th Symphony, with the help of conductor François-Xavier Roth and his orchestra ´Les Siècles´ at the Beethovenfest in Bonn.
Sarah’s Music 21: 15.10.2016
The Echo Klassik Awards 2016
Horn player Sarah Willis goes backstage at Germany´s biggest classical music awards ceremony - the Echo Klassik Awards. Join her on the red carpet for this glamorous date in the classical music calendar!
Sarah’s Music 22: 04.11.2016
The Harp – Instrument of the Year 2016
The Instrument of the Year 2016 in Germany is the harp. Marie-Pierre Langlamet, principal harp of the Berlin Philharmonic, talks to Sarah about her instrument - with a little help from Minnie Mouse and Harpo Marx.
Sarah’s Music 23: 26.11.2016
Breakdancing in Bonn
This wonderful combination of Katia and Marielle Labèque, a rock guitarist, a drummer and 7 breakdancers electrify the audience with David Chalmin´s modern day version of Romeo and Juliet at the Beethovenfest in Bonn.
Sarah’s Music 24: 17.12.2016
Sarah’s Christmas Music
Sarah's Music viewers from around the world share their favourite Christmas Music with Sarah. Music from Japan, Ecuador, England and India - and of course Sarah shares her favourite Christmas music too!
Sarah’s Music 25: 31.12.2016
Sarah’s “Non-Classical” Music
Sarah revisits some of her favourite “non-classical” music featured on Sarah´s Music so far. Instead of Beethoven, Mozart and Bach you will find jazz, gospel, house and musicals performed by the world´s very best!
Sarah’s Music 26: 27.01.2017
The Sarah's Music Horn Challenge!
From 5 year-old Clemi to opera star Placido Domingo and jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, all of Sarah's guests on the program have bravely accepted the Sarah's Music Horn Challenge. Here are some of our absolute favorites!
We have also produced the 1
st Season with 6 episodes:
Sarah’s Music - Contemporary Classical - Season 1
and the 2
nd Season with 26 episodes:
Sarah’s Music - Contemporary Classical - Season 2