Bad Homburg Castle Concerts: An anniversary of musical diversity!

Bad Homburg Castle Concerts: An anniversary of musical diversity!

The Bad Homburg Castle Concerts are still very popular. This year they are celebrating their 25th anniversary - a reason for joy and celebration for all music lovers in the region. Karl-Werner Joerg, the creative mind behind this remarkable concert series, looks back on an exciting development that began in 1998. He still remembers his first impression of the Bad Homburg Castle Church, which was inaugurated in 1697 and de-dedicated in 1908. The acoustics were promising for Joerg and formed the basis for the great concert series he initiated.

The idea of ​​the castle concerts was born when Joerg realized that such a series was missing in the entire Rhine-Main area. In 2000, the first event took place on September 18, where conductor Vassilis Christopoulos performed with his chamber orchestra. Initially only eight subscribers found their way to these concerts, but there are now an impressive 154, even after a decline due to corona. This positive development speaks for the quality of the programs and the commitment of the organizers, who always show a good hand in selecting artists.

An impressive concept

The competition for conductors that Joerg created was an innovative approach to giving young talents the opportunity to prove themselves. The winners of the competition conduct concerts with a chamber orchestra and receive the chance to record a CD. Sponsors such as the BHF Bank and the Bad Homburg Castle Board of Trustees support this project, which has already helped many aspiring musicians.

But Joerg's commitment doesn't end there. In 2006 he moved the conducting competition to Berlin and instead founded a chamber music festival with the renowned violinist Christian Tetzlaff. That same year, a young pianist named Igor Levit performed and recorded his first CD - a resounding success that had a decisive impact on his career. The reverberations of these events can still be felt today and show that cultural life in Bad Homburg is very popular.

Outlook for the future

A personal highlight for Joerg was the performance of the Huguenot opera “The Duchess of Guise” in 2017, which was very well received in the concert series. For the coming years, the Bad Homburg Castle Concerts Foundation is planning to award the new “opera oblita” prize, which is endowed with 2,500 euros and supports soloists and ensembles who are dedicated to rediscovering forgotten works.

The next big event is already just around the corner: on November 14th at 7:30 p.m. the baroque ensemble La Stagione Frankfurt will perform the first orchestral concert of the new season. Music lovers can look forward to another unforgettable concert.

The Bad Homburg Castle Concerts are more than just a cultural highlight - they are part of the region's heritage and identity. Joachim Joerg and his team make a decisive contribution to ensuring that classical music remains alive and will continue to inspire many people in the future.