Dr. Dietmar Woidke
Minister President of Brandenburg
This year’s program focuses on the music of oriental Jewish communities – as usual, visitors can look forward to top-class musicians and fulfilling evenings.
Kai Wegner
Governing Mayor of Berlin
The Louis Lewandowski Festival is now taking place in Berlin for the 14th time. And for the 14th time, artists from all over the world are coming to Berlin as part of this festival to experience and celebrate Jewish culture and liturgy, and synagogue choir music in particular.
Dr. Gideon Joffe, Chairman
of the Jewish Community of Berlin
This year’s motto “Unknown Voices of Israel – Music of Ancient Tribes of Oriental Jews” is a special sign one year after Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israel
Nils Busch-Petersen
Berlin Brandenburg Trade Association
The Louis Lewandowski Festival welcomes you for the fifth time, a first real anniversary!
During the first five festivals, we welcomed more than a thousand choristers, soloists and cantors from 4 continents.
Michael Müller
Greetings from the Governing Mayor of Berlin
I would like to welcome all musicians and guests to the 5th Louis Lewandowski Festival.
Berlin is not exactly short of top-class music festivals.
Dr. Gideon Joffe, Chairman
of the Jewish Community of Berlin
Louis Lewandowski lived and worked in Berlin.
As music director of the new synagogue in Oranienburger Straße, he was a formative figure of his time.
Dr. Gideon Joffe, Chairman
of the Jewish Community of Berlin
I am delighted that the Louis Lewandowski Festival has become an integral part of our city’s cultural calendar.
Michael Müller
Greetings from the Governing Mayor of Berlin
The Louis Lewandowski Festival is a great enrichment for Berlin.
Its anniversary edition gives us confidence and cohesion through music, especially in this difficult year.
Dr. Gideon Joffe, Chairman
of the Jewish Community of Berlin
To welcome you as visitors to the 10th Louis Lewandowski Festival, despite the corona-related measures.
At a time when you cannot meet your relatives, friends and acquaintances as usual and live community, the Louis Lewandowski Festival is particularly important both socially and culturally.
Dr. Gideon Joffe, Chairman
of the Jewish Community of Berlin
Jewish life in Berlin is still not normal today – almost 80 years after the Shoah.
This makes it all the more important to set an example and take action
Michael Müller
Greetings from the Governing Mayor of Berlin
I would like to extend a warm welcome to all musicians and guests to the 6th Louis Lewandowski Festival.
Berlin is not exactly short of top-class music festivals.
Nils Busch-Petersen
Berlin Brandenburg Trade Association
In 2011, we started the festival full of questions.
Would there be interested participants?
How would the Berlin public react?
Where would we find the necessary money?
Today we have a long list of choirs hoping to take part in the future.
Nils Busch-Petersen
Berlin Brandenburg Trade Association
Since 2011, well over a thousand choristers, soloists and cantors from four continents have performed at the Louis Lewandowski Festival, named after the German-Jewish composer Louis Lewandowski, whose work has had a significant influence on synagogal music to this day.
Interview with Nils Busch-Petersen
Dr. Dietmar Woidke
Minister President of Brandenburg
I was therefore all the more pleased that the Association of Friends and Sponsors of the Synagogal Ensemble Berlin was unable to cancel the concert series with Jewish choral music.
However – and this year’s title “Limited Edition” says it all – it can unfortunately only take place in a reduced form.
With fewer artists and fewer concerts.
Dr. Gideon Joffe, Chairman
of the Jewish Community of Berlin
It is largely thanks to the great reformer of synagogue music that the traditional Jewish prayer service was given a new form, which was characterized by the interplay between cantor, choir and organ.
Michael Müller
Greetings from the Governing Mayor of Berlin
Berlin is not exactly short of top-class music festivals.
Among them, the Louis Lewandowski Festival occupies a special position.
It is closely linked to Berlin’s culture and history.
Kai Wegner
Governing Mayor of Berlin
The Louis Lewandowski Festival is a tribute to the rich musical culture that characterizes Europe.
In our multifaceted city, we find the ideal setting to discover together the musical treasures that unite us.
Dr. Dietmar Woidke
Minister President of Brandenburg
As great as the joy is again this year, we cannot celebrate the great Jewish musician and Jewish life in our country without thinking of the horrific massacre on October 7.
Dr. Gideon Joffe, Chairman
of the Jewish Community of Berlin
The motto of this year’s 13th Louis Lewandowski Festival is “75 years of Israel”.
A beautiful and worthy motto.
I was really looking forward to the festival when I heard about festival director Nils Busch-Petersen’s plans.
And I actually wanted to tell you about the diversity of contemporary music culture in Israel, which draws on a wide variety of oriental and European currents.
Franziska Giffey, Governing Mayor of Berlin,
Dear festival enthusiasts and visitors, this year’s Louis Lewandowski Festival brings together three celebrations: 1,700 years of Jewish life in Germany, the crowning of the organ as “Instrument of the Year” and, finally, the 200th birthday of the namesake of this wonderful festival, the outstanding composer Louis Lewandowski.
Finally, the 200th birthday of the man who gave his name to this wonderful festival, the outstanding composer Louis Lewandowski.
