UPDATE: The Bruckner "Casco" Festival - September 13 - 15, 2024 in Amsterdam

UPDATE:  The Bruckner "Casco" Festival  - September 13 - 15, 2024 in Amsterdam
The Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam
UPDATE: All of the works mentioned below can now be streamed on YouTube click here.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Bruckner's birth, organizers have mounted a new festival, scheduled to take place in Amsterdam from September 13th to 15th. The term "Casco" in "Bruckner Casco" is borrowed from the construction industry: when you purchase an office or house "casco," it means it's essentially an empty shell. There are minimal walls, no kitchen, and no paint—simply an empty space. The significance of using the term "casco" in "Bruckner Casco" will hopefully become a bit more evident in the description below!

As we all know, Bruckner's music is frequently performed on Dutch and international stages and captivates numerous people's imaginations. As Bruckner turns 200 in September he is in the media and public spotlight and we would like to celebrate that moment.

The inspiration for Bruckner Casco came from a performance of Bruckner's 6th Symphony by Camerata RCO. Ten musicians, during the pandemic, delivered a remarkably convincing and compelling presentation, prompting us to take the idea a few steps further….because, how exciting and innovative would it be if we asked 10 composers to write their dialogues with Bruckner's 10 symphonies during a Festival in Bruckner's 2024 commemorative year? Ten super-talents, each embracing one of Bruckner's 10 symphonies, with complete artistic freedom to transform their particular vision on this symphony into new and substantial works. Among the participating ensembles ranging from 7 to 20 musicians performing these new works are e.g. Asko Schönberg, Ensemble Klang and Camerata RCO, all musicians of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

The result of this endeavour will yield compositions that either closely adhere to Bruckner's music and structure ór take on a more abstract form. An example of the former can be seen in Sébastien Letocart's transcription of Bruckner's Ninth Symphony (including, of course, 'his own' fabulous Bruckner 9 Finale), tailored for the 16 musicians of Camerata RCO. Conversely, Maxim Shalygin embarks on a 60-minute dialogue with Bruckner's Eighth Symphony, basing it on the Coda of Bruckner's Eighth Finale and employing 13 brass instruments of the Ludwig Orchestra.

Additionally, four students from the Conservatory of Amsterdam will create their visions on Bruckner's Study Symphony. A specially assembled Conservatory Ensemble will then showcase these compositions during the Bruckner Casco event.

It is the Festival’s objective to establish attention for all of Bruckner's symphonies, but also to generate a breakthrough for new music and introduce a broad audience of music lovers to the creativity and diversity of a new generation of composers during this vibrant and unique Festival. We want to make the audience aware of Bruckner ánd of how moving, energetic, festive and comforting new music can be.

The Bruckner Casco Festival will take place from September 13 to 15, 2024, at the Amsterdam Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ. Please visit our Dutch website www.brucknercasco.nl for all information and follow our Instagram page: Bruckner Casco Festival (@brucknercasco) • Instagram photos and videos or our Facebook page: Facebook. The Bruckner Casco page of Het Muziekgebouw is the following: Bruckner Casco | Muziekgebouw