[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content” full_height=”yes” parallax=”content-moving” parallax_image=”1317″ parallax_speed_bg=”1″ el_id=”slider” fullwidth=”yes”][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/6″][vc_empty_space height=”250px”][vc_column_text]

SOUNDING JERUSALEM
FESTIVAL DIGITAL

20 December 2020
5:00 PM – GRAZ
6:00 PM – JERUSALEM
LIVESTREAM (via youtube)

 

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1607966130453{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”]

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1607960405392{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”]It all began many years ago, with a beautiful thought, a gentle whisper, maybe a dream. In the Old City of Jerusalem where history and tradition appear as solid as the thousand-year-old walls and cobble stones in the lively and picturesque narrow lanes; where cultural and religious gravity impacts so instantaneously and makes it hard to simply rise and face the headwinds. Could music – as a universal language – create some kind of lightness, even weightlessness, and touch people across their different cultures, opening new horizons?

All artists who have participated in this project so far, whether from Israel, Palestine, Austria or other European countries, have through their inspiration and involvement already made so much possible over the years, as part of a joint move towards a better understanding of music and culture, but also towards a greater openness in thoughts and feelings. We have built some bridges already, pointing in all directions; and we will gladly continue building more in the years to come.

However, it is only together that we are creating utopias. 15 years of encounters and artistic dialogues in the Old City of Jerusalem. 15 years during which many wonderfully deep friendships sprang up and blossomed!

This year we have to explore new paths, though. It is not possible to celebrate our festival in your city this time, but we will be with you, our audience, in our thoughts and through our music. With cordial regards from my hometown Graz to Jerusalem and its people who have become such an important and cherished part of me over all these years.

Yours,
Erich Oskar Huetter[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”250px”][vc_empty_space height=”250px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id=”info”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”24px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_facebook][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1496394067908{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”24px”][vc_empty_space height=”24px”]

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Founding the festival Sounding Jerusalem may have seemed like a logical step to Austrian cellist and cosmopolitan humanist Erich Oskar Huetter in 2006. Since 2004 he had led the cello class at the Barenboim-Said Music Center in Ramallah, and was set to stay on for two more years, and Jerusalem was only a few kilometres away – the beginning of a fond relationship!

Meanwhile, 15 years of artistic quest and temptation have passed, with a good helping of tenacity and courage and of many incredibly beautiful concerts. Yet, what makes Sounding Jerusalem so unique? Classical chamber music, jazz, contemporary folk music of different ethnicities, played by European and local musicians in the culturally condensed atmosphere of the Old City of Jerusalem. Magical concert locations such as churches, monasteries, patios and roof terraces.

A humanistic attitude supports the brightly scintillating music, connecting and enshrouding the people on stage and in the audience. Music as a strongly reconciliatory link between peoples and cultures, and artistic counterweight to existing realities; maybe a utopia of a beautiful, if unrealistic, future.

For obvious reasons, it is simply not possible to run the festival in Jerusalem this anniversary year. Therefore, Sounding Jerusalem embarks on new paths before Christmas: it goes digital and as a token of solidarity sends an audio-video live-streamed concert and musical greetings from the European Human Rights City of Graz.

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[/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner content_placement=”top” gap=”20″][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id=”gallery”][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Photos copyright by Christian Jungwirth / bigshot and Alexander Baldele.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id=”program”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”24px”][/vc_column][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Aretha Franklin: Respect
Andachtsjodler
City music band Liezen / directed by David Luidold
Astrid Eder, vocals

 

Ludwig van Beethoven: String quartet in f major, op. 18, nr.1

Artis Quartet Vienna
Peter Schuhmayer, violin
Johannes Meissl, violin
Herbert Kefer, viola
Othmar Müller, cello

Mélange Oriental
Musicians of different cultural and stylistic backgrounds meet to discover, trace and reflect the multiple voices, the history and the soul of the Old City of Jerusalem. The journey includes the interpretation of traditional pieces and original music on Western and Oriental instruments. Mélange Oriental blends these elements with Christian Jungwirth’s visual impressions of Jerusalem and creates a new language to tell the story of a sounding city.

 

Marwan Abado, oud / Shira Karmon, soprano (Israel) / Erich Oskar Huetter, cello /
Stefan Heckel, accordion/ Grilli Pollheimer, percussion / Armin Egger, guitar /
Christian Jungwirth, visuals

 

Gernot Rath, moderation / ORF Austrian Broadcasting Corporation

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Erich Oskar Huetter

director[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]The Austrian cellist Erich Oskar Huetter has established a successful worldwide career as a soloist and chamber music performer. He is a member of Hyperion Ensemble, a classical string sextet and the Arcus Ensemble Vienna. In recitals he regulary performs with the Viennese pianist Paul Gulda. As founder of the social-cultural initiative M.MUS.E – Austrian Music Encounter he creates and directs projects such as “haus.kultur – Die Steirischen Nachbarschaftskonzerte” (contemporary neighbourhood concerts in the Austrian province of Styria) as well as a music project in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Erich Oskar Huetter is co-founder of the renowned “Styrian Chamber Music Festival” and the festival “Sounding Jerusalem” in the Old City of Jerusalem. “Sounding Jerusalem” presents an Europeen chamber music festival as well as an intercultural platform for young musicians from the Middle East and Europe. Numerous appearances on radio and television as well as CD recordings made him known to a wider public.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1451″][vc_column_text]

Tanja Schmid

organisation[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Born in Graz, Austria, Tanja Schmid received her first ballet lessons at the age of 5. Classically trained under the direction of Diana Ungureanu, Tanima graduated from the academy of the renowned Graz Opera. During those years she appeared in numerous productions and performances, such as The Nutcracker and The Magic Flute. Tanja is not only an active dancer, but also a teacher. She recently set out as a pedagogue for free improvisation, dance theatre and classical ballet. Currently Tanja Schmid performed in Italy, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Kosovo.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1176″][vc_column_text]

Manfred Wusser

text[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]After courses of study in journalism and communications in Salzburg and Vienna Manfred Wusser worked several years for daily papers and magazines, mainly as a motorjournalist and economic editor. 2003 he went back to his hometown Graz, Austria, where he is still living and currently working as a freelance journalist and author. In addition to working on some other projects he is regulary involved in Erich Oskar Huetters‘ ‚haus.kultur – Die Steirischen Nachbarschaftkonzerte‘. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1004″][vc_column_text]

Anthony Saxton

organisation[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Anthony Saxton opened his first arts & culture club in 1998. In the year 2003 he developed and managed the gastronomical concept for Graz, European Capital of Culture. Since 2007 he has been part of the contemporary festival “Steirischer Herbst” and is responsible for catering services. He is mastermind and manager of the annual festival highlight “herbstbar”.

Since 2018 he is working as a cooking teacher with refugees in an United Nations awarded projekt.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1398″][vc_column_text]

Magdalena Liebethat

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Jakob Gretler

audio, video, social medias[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Born in Rottenmann, within the upper Styrian alps, volunteered as a radio host at the age of 13, before graduating as a primary school teacher in Graz. During studying he recorded radio commercials for several companies and radio stations and became very interested in editing video & audio. Currently working in the Human Resources Department of an Automotive Company in Graz, passionate piano, guitar and trombone player in his spare time.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner content_placement=”top” gap=”20″][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″]

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