From October 17th-24th, 2026, Musethica and the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin held another collaborative concert week.
The ensemble brought together an unusual combination of instruments, including strings, horn, clarinet and piano. Pianist Cédric Pescia led the session as tutor, working with the students on a diverse programme of chamber music in various formations. The repertoire included, among other works, a sextet by Dohnányi, Fantasiestücke for violin, cello and piano, and a contemporary work by Kurtág for clarinet, viola and piano.
The rich, full sound of the sextet particularly captivated audiences. Its musical motifs evoked a range of associations, which listeners shared with the musicians during the discussions following the concerts. These included images of “startled chickens”, “running up and down the stairs” and even a “thriller”.
Moreover, the young musicians talked with their audiences about emotions involved in making music and music as a common language. They answered questions about their studies and offered insights into the rehearsals and preparations for the Musethica week.
The concerts took place at a variety of venues, including the juvenile detention centre, Seniorenstiftung Prenzlauer Berg, the DRK Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Blindenhilfswerk, an organisation supporting blind and visually impaired people.
The students were often deeply impressed by the audience members’ attentiveness and concentration, admitting that they had not expected such a high level of engagement.
The programme also featured two public evening concerts: one at artloft.berlin and a final performance at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin.
Across the 11 concerts, a total of 524 people were reached.
