The Goethe-Institut Libanon in partnership with Les Musicales de Baabdath, the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, and 4 members of the world-renowned Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO), is organizing a mentoring program designed for Lebanese advanced students, and young musicians in the field of classical music.
The mentorship program will be delivered in Beirut by DSO members Adele Bitter (cello), Susanne Linder (viola), Clemens Linder (violin), and Holger Groschopp (piano).
The objective of the program is to enhance the skills of young Lebanese students/musicians, working towards a joint chamber music concert with the German musicians, in the framework of Les Musicales de Baabdath Festival planned for October/November 2023.
The program consists in a 10-day intensive workshop and stage performance sessions delivered in-person to the students/musicians at the premises of the Lebanese National Conservatory of Music in Beirut, whereby the Goethe-Institut Libanon invites the German mentors for a stay in Lebanon from October 24 till November 2, 2023.
After the workshop, the students/musicians will present the result of their work with the German mentors, by performing the above-mentioned chamber music concert in the framework of Les Musicales de Baabdath Festival.
During their stay in Lebanon the German mentors will perform alone in Baabdath on October 24 and in Beirut on October 27 in two highly prized concerts.
The Mentees
We are pleased to present the 14 participants in this year’s String of Hope Chamber Music Mentoring Program who have been evaluated and chosen by an international jury.
Cello: Angelo Khoury, Mustapha Sahili Viola: Sara Al Mallah, Sarkis Awakian Piano: Arek Daghlian, Daniel Karout, Kevin Youssef, Elena El Khoury Violin: Marwa El Eid, Ramzi Kandalaft, Missoua Tawil, Lillly Al Riachy, Naya Whaibé, Dzavie Torikian
Holger Groschopp pursued his piano studies in Berlin with Georg Sava. In addition, he studied composition with Isang Yun and song interpretation with Aribert Reimann and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. His extensive solo career has taken him to most European countries, the Middle and Far East as well as North and Central America. Holger Groschopp performed as soloist at major European festivals (Berlin, Salzburg, Montepulciano etc.) and played chamber music with many prominent musicians. He is considered an expert in Contemporary Music and worked intensively with composers such as Isang Yun, Pierre Boulez, Aribert Reimann, Hans Werner Henze, Heinz Holliger and others. He has had also, a close collaboration with Claudio Abbado, Sir Simon Rattle, the Berlin Philharmonic, the DSO Berlin and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. His six CD’s released on the Capriccio label with transcriptions by Ferruccio Busoni were given highest acclaim by a range of international critics, including highest recommendation in BBC Music Magazine and the US magazine Fanfare.
Clemens Linder - Violin
Clemens Linder studied with Maria Kikel, Klara Flieder and Ernst Kovacic in Vienna. In 1991 he won first Prize at the National Youth Music Competition, in 1994 the Advancement Award of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and in 2000 the Award of the Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture.
He performed Solo and Chamber Music with partners such as Ernst Kovacic, Thomas Larcher, Valentin Erben, Jörg Widmann and the Hartog Quartet.
Since 2002 Clemens Linder has been the second violin auditor at the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. Since 2004 he is lecturer at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler and since 2005 regular section leader of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.
Susanne Linder - Viola
Susanne Linder was born in Munich where she got her first lessons in viola. She studied with Johannes Lüthy and Diemut Poppen. 2001-20017 she was member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Luzern Festival Orchestra. Next to Claudio Abbado, she worked with conductors like Andries Nelsons, Daniel Harding, Georg Benjamin, Bernhard Haitink, Gustavo Dudamel and many more. She is member of Adamello Quartett and Niccolò Quartett and also plays chambermusic in different combinations. Currently she is teaching at the music school Berlin City West.
Adele Bitter - Cello
Adele Bitter was a student at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main. She obtained her Concert Exam with distinction from Josef Schwab at the Hanns Eisler University of Music in Berlin. She completed additional studies with Lee Fiser (LaSalle Quartet) in Cincinnati / USA and received the diploma of the Markneukirchen International Music Competition. As a member of the ›Ensemble Modern‹, she worked among others at the renowned festivals of Edinburgh and Lucerne. She was also a member of the Orchestra Academy of the State Opera Unter den Linden Berlin and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra. Since 2001 Adele Bitter has been the auditor in the German Symphony Orchestra Berlin. She played solo concerts with the Berliner Sinfoniker, the orchestra of the Mainz State Theater and the Badische Staatskapelle Karlsruhe. Adele Bitter is involved in Early Music as a Continuo specialist, among others with Ton Koopman. She recently completed her additional studies in historical performance practice / Baroque violoncello at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with Christophe Coin. She founded the Adamello Quartet with members of the German Symphony Orchestra Berlin to express her love for Chamber Music.
