About
FREIGEIST ENSEMBLE
Winner of the OPUS Klassik 2021, Freigeist Ensemble is a courageous collective of supersonic soloists from German symphony orchestras that repackages super symphonic music for new audiences.
Often commissioning world premiere arrangements for innovative late-night projects, its mission is to revolutionise the style, sound and setting of classical concerts. This began in 2010 with “mini-Mahler” at Berlin’s Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, followed by “Strauss 150: New Perspectives” at STATTBAD Berlin, “From Russia with Soul” at Griessmühle Berlin, “Bartók Beyond Borders” at Musikbrauerei Berlin and, most recently, “Late-Night Sinfonie” in collaboration with club partners in Hamburg and Berlin.
Artist collaborations have included RIAS Kammerchor, Sarah Connolly, Regula Mühlemann, Marlis Petersen, Christian Tetzlaff, Gerhild Romberger, Ferhan & Ferzan Önder, Tanja Tetzlaff, Ruth Ziesak and Elisa Carrillo Cabrera. Recent guest performances in Germany have included Musikfest @ Philharmonie Berlin (Stravinsky), Konzerthaus Berlin (Debussy), Dortmund Konzerthaus (Mussorgsky), Essener Philharmonie (Mahler), Kissinger Sommer (Bartók), Kasseler Musiktage (Mahler) and Rheingau Musik Festival (Bruckner), which have been combined with various concerts abroad including Mozarteum Salzburg (Prokofiev), Budapest Palace of Arts (Bartók), Auditorio Nacional Madrid (Mahler) and Zaryadye Hall Moscow (Shostakovich).
Freigeist Ensemble has been reviewed and featured widely in German media (such as with 3sat Kulturzeit, ZDF Aspekte, rbb Stilbruch and WDR 3) and has also recorded several live concerts for Deutschlandfunk Kultur, RBB Kulturradio, NDR Kultur and SWR Classic, as well as an award-winning debut CD, MAHLER 9 (ARS-Produktion). A follow-up recording – MAHLER 10 – was released in March 2021, receiving broad critical acclaim and four nominations for the OPUS Klassik 2021, resulting in the prestigious award for best chamber music recording.
Upcoming album releases in 2023-24 feature the ensemble’s new series of live audio and film concerts from the Meistersaal Berlin in collaboration with EuroArts.
Late updated: April 2023
SOLOISTS
VIOLIN
Alejandro Carreño
Youngkun Kwak
Mari Lee
Seiji Okamoto
Kana Sugimura
Mayumi Kanagawa
Deniz Tahberer
VIOLA
Wen Xiao Zheng
Ayano Kamei
VIOLONCELLO
Arthur Hornig
Christoph Heesch
CONTRABASS
Johane Gonzales
Todor Marcovic
FLUTE
Etni Molletones
Diego Aceña Moreno
Alexandra Forstner
OBOE
Mariano Esteban Barco
Clara Dent
Florian Grube
CLARINET
Matic Kuder
Andraž Golob
Julius Ockert
Frederik Virsik
BASSOON
Bence Bogányi
Riccardo Terzo
Kaspar Reh
HORN
Yun Zeng
Emanuel Jean-Paul-Matile
Raul Roque
TRUMPET
Lorenz Jansky
Tomas Medina
Peter Dörpinghaus
TROMBONE
Jono Ramsay
Roberto de la Guía Martínez
ACCORDION
Franka Herwig
Goran Stevanovic
PERCUSSION
Sergei Mikhaylenko
Jan Westermann
Felix Mendoza
PIANO & HARMONIUM
Mario Häring
TEAM
OFFICE
Joolz Gale
Artistic Director
George Roberts
Office Manager
FREIGEIST FOUNDATION
Sir Sebastian Wood
Patron
Joolz Gale
Chairman
Dr. Nicolaus Berlin
Vice-Chairman
Ludwig Erbgraf von Waldburg-Wolfegg-Waldsee
Vice-Chairman