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Special Concert - Symphony Concert

Runnicles mit Sibelius

Sibelius' Second Symphony and a percussion concerto by MacMillan
© Nikolaj Lund

04/03

Saturday | 04/03/2027
7:00 pm Start of Concert
Kulturpalast, Konzertsaal

Prices
from 64 | 53 | 45 | 39 | 29 | 22 €
FLEX fee + 6 €
Reduced prices:
from € 10 for pupils under 18 
from €10 for young people under 30
from 11 € for Dresden-Pass and SB from GdB 80
Who receives discounts? Read here.

04/04

Sunday | 04/04/2027
11:00 am Start of Concert
Kulturpalast, Konzertsaal

Prices
from 64 | 53 | 45 | 39 | 29 | 22 €
FLEX fee + 6 €
Reduced prices:
from € 10 for pupils under 18 
from €10 for young people under 30
from 11 € for Dresden-Pass and SB from GdB 80
Who receives discounts? Read here.

About the Concert

The percussion section in the orchestra is actually a whole set of percussion instruments, ranging from drums and tomtoms to cymbals and marimba, as well as wood block, cowbell, and tambourine. Accordingly, concerts composed for this group of instruments are also impressive, "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel" by our Composer in Residence Sir James MacMillan is no exception, for the soloist, his concerto that made him famous overnight in 1992 is a true marathon. It is based on a French Advent hymn from the 15th century. The Second Symphony by the Finn Jean Sibelius, on the other hand, takes us north: Around 1900, Russia tried to exert stronger control over Finland, triggering a strong need for cultural self-assertion in the population. Sibelius responded to this musically: The symphony audibly evolves from dark, tense beginnings to a radiant, triumphant finale – for many, a musical depiction of oppression and liberation. Particularly, the finale was perceived as a gesture of departure and a symbol of national strength.

Programme

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
"The Hebrides" Concert Overture

James MacMillan (Composer in Residence)
"Veni, Veni, Emmanuel" for percussion and orchestra

Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 2 in D major

Artists

Sir Donald Runnicles
Dirigent
Alexej Gerassimez
Percussion
Dresdner Philharmonie

Biographies

Sir Donald Runnicles

Chief Conductor of the Dresdner Philharmonie

Introducing Sir Donald Runnicles! More pictures & videos of our new Chief Conductor can be found here.

Sir Donald Runnicles has been Chief Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic since the start of the 2025/26 season. In his first Dresden season, he will be presenting Strauss's "Elektra" in concert, conducting concerts at the British Festival, and leading the orchestra on a tour of Asia, to name just a few projects. The Scotsman will also remain General Music Director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin until mid-2026. He stands for the principle of quality over quantity and has thus established close artistic ties with renowned institutions worldwide, both in the opera pit and on the concert podium.

 

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Alexej Gerassimez

Born in Essen, drummer Alexej Gerassimez is not only a virtuoso on his many instruments, but also a creative mind who loves to enrich the music world with his own compositions or works written for him. In 2025, he curated the spring edition of Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on Rügen, and in 2026, an album of orchestral works composed by him will be released. In addition to his concert activities, he is a professor of percussion at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich.

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Dresdner Philharmonie

Top Class!

Top class! That is the claim of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra stands for concerts at the highest artistic level, musical education for all ages and looking beyond the musical horizon. Guest performances on almost every continent and collaborations with guests from all over the world have established the reputation of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra in the international classical music world.  

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