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Together with Nabil Shehata, the Bridges Kammerorchester brought a wealth of positive energy to the stage with its programme Vibrant times for groovy people – as orchestra in residence at the Kronberg Festival and at the opening concert of the Kassel Musiktage. Individual styles and collective creativity thrilled the audience, who gave a standing ovation.

The programme included Walid Khatba’s setting of a starry summer night sky, the jointly composed alterity 2 4 what by Salim Salari, Rabie Azar and Peter Klohmann, excerpts from Bach’s Suite in B minor in an arrangement by Johanna-Leonore Dahlhoff, and Golfam Khayam’s double concerto for viola and santur with renowned soloists Muriel Razavi (viola) and Kioomars Musayyebi (santur).

The Bridges Kammerorchester also made its debut at Städel in Concert with two evenings in the garden halls of the Städel Museum, combining transcultural music with contemporary art on the theme of identity. Amidst works by well-known artists such as Leiko Ikemura and Victor Vasarely, the orchestra performed pieces including the Spanish La Follia in variations by Venetian composer Antonio Vivaldi, arranged by Johanna-Leonore Dahlhoff, Constantinople by orchestra member Gabriel Mientka as an energetic folk dance and reminiscence of a multifaceted city, and a samai by Hassan Skaf in the characteristic 10/8 time signature and the Arabic quarter-tone scale bayat, arranged by orchestra member Walid Khatba.

Photo: Kronberg Festival © Andreas Malkmus