Neue Jüdischen Kammerphilharmonie Dresden

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Here are some images and contents from our 17-year history.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Logopädie Rinkefeil Dresden Kleinzschachwitz

Artistic director Michael Hurshell at Dresden’s New
Synagogue, the orchestra’s principle venue (currently closed for construction,
re-opening in 2025).

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In November 2023 the NJK continued its series of Young People’s Concerts in Stollberg, Saxony. The wonderful historic auditorium at the Carl-von-Bach Gymnasium was filled with young listeners, but there were also two prominent guests: Christian Piwarz, the Saxon Minister of Education, and John Crosby, the newly installed Consul General of the United States at Leipzig. Two short videos are available on our “Media/Video” page.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In September 2023 the NJK the NJK was invited to play at Dresden’s Frauenkirche by the cathedral’s artistic director, Daniel Hope. It was the ensemble’s first appearance in this historic venue. The program included music by a prominent Dresden native – Franz Waxman, who fled Nazi Germany and became world famous in Hollywood. His Sinfonietta for String Orchestra and Timpani (1955) is one of the orchestra’s signature pieces. The slow movement “Dirge” is an eloquent expression of the composer’s mourning.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

The acoustics in the Frauenkirche were particularly fitted to enhance Marc Lavry’s “Al Naharot Bavel” (on the Banks of Babylon) – a dreamy, longing-filled tone poem which was the composer’s first work (1936) after fleeing to Tel-Aviv.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

The evening’s soloist was the up and coming virtuoso Tassilo Probst, who performed Mendelssohn’s D minor violin concerto (composed by the 13-year old Felix!) brilliantly, with refinement, poetry and fire.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In September 2022 the orchestra celebrated 15 years of “bringing the music home” with a special concert at the Dresden New Synagogue. The program included works by Weinberg, Rozsa and Zemlinsky. The event was celebrated by the audience and the press.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In May 2022 the NJK made its fourth appearance at the international Dresden Music Festival. The sold out concert presented Bloch’s second Concerto grosso, and 2 masterworks by Weinberg – the Concertino op. 43bis and the Second Symphony.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

The soloist was the award winning cellist Friederike Herold, whose playing took the audience by storm.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

On May 1, 2022, the NJK made a guest appearance in the celebrated Festival Hall at the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne. The occasion was the final concert commemorating 1700 years of Jewish Life in Germany, a nationwide year-long festival that was organized and coordinated by Cologne’s JLID committee. This was the NJK’s first appearance in North Rhine-Westphalia. Follwing a programm with works by Lavry, Korngold, Weinberg, Herrmann and Waxman, the ensemble and its conductor received a standing ovation.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

The NJK hopes to return to Cologne, where we were so warmly received, in the near future.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Before the orchestra’s trip to Cologne, in late April 2022 it gave its first concert at the spectacular restored Görlitz Synagogue, with the same program. Playing there was such a wonderful experience that this venue, during the period of construction of the Dresden Synagogue, has become the ensemble’s second home.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

One of the orchestra’s greatest adventures was being invited by Peter Theiler to perform at the Dresden opera house, the world famous Semperoper, in Sept. 2021. The occasion was the opening concert of an event series called “Umanut we Chaim” (Art and Life), presided over by the Saxon Minister of Culture, Barbara Klepsch who gave a moving address. Making music on the stage of this magnificent venue with his cherished ensemble was a dream come true for artistic director Michael Hurshell.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Minister of Culture Barbara Klepsch addresses the audience, celebrating this special event honoring “1700 Years of Jewish life in Germany.”

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

The Semperoper’s fabulous acoustics let the orchestra enjoy the experience as they give their best.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Tenor Joseph Dennis, a prominent member of the Semperoper ensemble, sings “Hymn to God” by forgotten composer Richard Fuchs. At this memorable concert, the orchestra was further augmented by organist Naomi Shamban, and by Manuel Westermann, solo timpanist of the Sächsische Staatskapelle.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Post concert reception – conductor Michael Hurshell celebrates with Peter Theiler, general manager of the opera (on the right), and Helge David Gilberg, office manager of the “1700 Years of Jewish Life in Germany” organisation. He travelled from Cologne to attend our gala event, and was so impressed that shortly therafter, the orchestra received an invitation to perfrom in Cologne in 2022.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Saxon Minister of Culture Barbara Klepsch and Michael Hurshell celebrate with champagne.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In the fall of 2019 the NJK continued its Young People's Concerts series with three guest appearances in schools in eastern Saxony. Our ongoing outreach to young audiences with forgotten music by Jewish composers is an important step in reaching and creating a new spectrum of listeners, introducing them to musical as well as historical content. Our conversations with young audience members are integral to this project. - Here is a snapshot of our performance at the Luther Gymnasium in Frankenberg.

Below left: at the Goethe Gymnasium in Sebnitz

Below right: at the Augustum Annen Gymnasium in Görlitz

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

The NJK's third invitation to perform at the international Dresden Music Festival was especially memorable. The orchestral lineup at the 2019 festival was - as always - fabulous; it included the Vienna Philharmonic, the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, the Mariinsky Orchestra and New York's Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. What an honour for the NJK to be included! Our brilliant Soloist, clarinetist Ido Azrad (from Jerusalem) performed Paul Ben Haim's poetic "Pastorale variée" with deep feeling and wonderful tone. Also on the program was the conductor's transcription of Erich W. Korngold's early masterpiece, the Sextet op. 10, for string orchestra. The audience insisted on an encore from the soloist - he and the orchestra obliged by performing a chamber orchestra version of Enescu's 1st Romanian Rhapsody (arranged by Sergei Abir). (An enthusiastic review in English is on our press page.)

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Soloist Ido Azrad and conductor Michael Hurshell take bows at the conclusion of the Festival concert. Bringing music of Paul Ben Haim and Erich W. Korngold "home" was immensely satisfying for the artists as well as the enthusiastic audience.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In 2018, after having given many Young People's Concerts at high schools - "Gymnasien" - across Saxony, the NJK played at an "Oberschule" for the first time. Christian Piwarz, Saxon Minister of Education, joined us, and addressed the students at the opening.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Another snapshot, post Young People's Concert, by the Freie Presse Chemnitz. Minister of Education Christian Piwarz chats with conductor Michael Hurshell and the students.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In January 2018 the NJK was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for being nominated for the "Obermeyer German Jewish History Award", which is a high honour for the ensemble. The award was established in the United States in 2000, and the award ceremony takes place every year at the Berlin House of Representatives.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In October 2017 the NJK was joined by Stefan Kittlaus, solo timpanist of the Dresden Philharmonic, to perform Franz Waxman's Sinfonietta for String Orchestra and Timpani at Dresden's New Synagogue. Michael Hurshell and his ensemble had given the work its Saxon premiere in 2008, and it has remained a signature piece of the orchestra.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

The most prestigious prize the NJK has been awarded is doubtless the international Hosenfeld-Szpilman Prize, which Michael Hurshell was honoured to accept on the NJK's behalf in January 2017. This award was initiated in 2005 by the former presidents of Poland and Germany, Bronislav Komorowski and Roman Herzog. It commemorates the friendship between German officer Wilhelm Hosenfeld and Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman (as portrayed in the 2002 film "The Pianist").

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Michael Hurshell at the Hosenfeld-Szpilman award ceremony, in conversation with Halina Szpilman, the widow of the famous pianist and composer.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Below are two snapshots from our November 2016 “Music of Remembrance” concert at Dresden’s New Synagogue. It was the NJK’s first complete performance of Alexandre Tansman’s wonderful “Triptyque” (compo0sed 1929). This composer had, by the late 1929’s, achieved such fame that he was championed by many of the greatest conductors of the era: Koussevitsky, Golschmann, Toscanin, Serfan, Monteux, Stokowski, Mengelberg, Horenstein… among others. It is high time this composer was rehabilitated on German concert stages.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Our second appearance at the international Dresden Music Festival was, as always, a wonderful opportunity to play at an international event with an extraordinary calibre of ensembles. The list of orchestras in 2016 included the Boston Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Symphony, among others. Within this framework, the NJK offered the audience the opportunity to experience works hardly ever heard on concert podiums - and the Dresden New Synagogue was packed.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Erich Korngold's Symphonic Serenade is one of the most difficult pieces in our repertoire. We were delighted to present it to our 2016 festival audience.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Soloist Itamar Ringel from Jerusalem performed Leo Smit's Viola Concerto - an absolut highlight of the concert. This gifted composer, who was murdered at the Sobibor extermination camp in 1943, when he was 42 years old, is one of the lost generation of composers whose works the NJK is proud to revive. Mr. Ringel also joined the orchestra in a deeply moving rendition of Hindemith's "Trauermusik."

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

It was most gratifying to see the long lines of our Festival guests. Dresden's New Synagogue has at last become a "regular venue" for Dresden concert audiences.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In 2015 Germany and Israel celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations. As part of these festivities, the NJK travelled to Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, as cultural ambassadors of Saxony. The resulting media interest was extraordinary. You can watch a summary of the various television and printed media attention on our "media/video" page - it includes footage from reports by 3-sat, Deutsche Welle, I-24 and numerous other sources. The extensive articles are included on our "press" page, including pieces in the Jerusalem Post, Haaretz, and numerous German and Israeli websites.

Here is an announcement under the heading "Welcome Back Korngold."

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Michael Hurshell in conversation with Shoah survivors, after the Tel-Aviv concert. The various encounters before and after the concerts were touching and deeply moving.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Michael Hurshell, his wife Lieselotte and members of the NJK visit legendary luthier Amnon Weinstein in his Tel-Aviv workshop. The creator of the "Violins of Hope" project explains that every instrument saved from the camps tells an individual story.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

For most of the orchestra members, this was the first visit to Israel. It was the ensemble's explicit wish to take advantage of the opportunity, on a concert free day, to visit Yad Vashem - an unforgettable experience.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In September 2015 the NJK continued the Young People's Concerts with several events at the Saxon State Highschool of Music (Sächsisches Landesgymnasium für Musik). These young audiences brought a special level of interest and understanding to our presentations, as was evident from the informed questions asked at the Q & A sessions.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

2014 was a year in which the NJK expanded its relations with members of the Saxon government. Below left, Michael Hurshell hands Saxon Ministerpräsident (governor) Stanislav Tillich a demo-CD of live recording excerpts of the orchestra. Below right is Minister of the Interior Markus Ulbig with Mr. and Mrs. Hurshell in front of the Dresden's New Synagogue, where Young People's Concerts were being offered, enabled by generous funding Mr. Ulbig had helped to obtain.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

An article in the Sächsische Zeitung from December 2013, in which associations are encouraged to take part in the "Association of the Year" contest, which the pictured NJK had previously won.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In 2012, the NJK presented its very first series of Young People's Concerts, held at Dresden's New Synagogue. Artistic director Michael Hurshell chats with audience members. The format was developed by the NJK in cooperation with the Anne Frank Center in Berlin - and has proven so successful that the series continues through the present day.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

Announcement of our second live concert on MDR radio, on the World Concert Hall website. The NJK's appearance at Berlin's Ryke Straße Synagogue (the largest synagogue in Germany) performing works by Schönberg, Schreker, Krása, Tansman and Weinberg under Michael Hurshell's baton was broadcast live on Nov. 9, 2012 (commemorating Kristallnacht). The broadcast was available on Middle German Radio (throughout the states of Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt) as well as online.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

In 2012 the NJK was first invited to perform within the framework of the international Dresden Music Festival. Here Dr. Nora Goldenbogen, chair of Dresden's Jewish Community, congratulates conductor Michael Hurshell. The man with the big smile, having just received flowers, is guest soloist Arnaud Sussmann from New York, who had just performed Mendelssohn's wonderful D minor violin concerto.

Neue jüdische Kammerphilharmonie

From the 2012 Festival's printed program. It was the explicit wish of the festival's Intendant Jan Vogler that this concert should take place at the synagogue. The venue was, as it has been in all our Dresden Music Festival appearances, completely sold out.