The Music High School Schloss Belvedere

As a Centre for the Highly Gifted at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar, the Music High School Schloss Belvedere continues the tradition of qualified training for young musicians with high performance standards that goes back to Franz Liszt. The early promotion of young talent is particularly important in music. Particularly talented young musicians from all over the world receive this at the highest level at the Music High School Schloss Belvedere. The Centre for the Highly Gifted is located in the magnificent landscaped park of Belvedere Palace just outside Weimar.

Further information: www.musikgymnasium-belvedere.de 

Education

The entire instrumental training is provided by professors and lecturers from the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar as well as lecturers from the Staatskapelle Weimar and other orchestras. This allows students to gain an excellent insight into the practice of the music profession at a young age, a professional attitude and outstanding technical and interpretative training.

The close cooperation between the Schloss Belvedere Music High School and the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar also includes lectures by professors at the high school, study counselling, open days and specific projects.

Furthermore, the music grammar school provides in-depth general music education in music theory, aural training, choir, orchestra, chamber music, composition and piano in addition to the grammar school curriculum, thus promoting the students' talents in all areas. The annual awards and top places achieved by Belvedere students in nationwide competitions such as "Jugend musiziert" are resounding proof of the Weimar model of success.

The University's Centre for the Highly Gifted accepts a total of 130 early students, 120 of them at the Centre for the Highly Gifted (grades 5 to 12) and 10 in the preliminary class. The early students perform once a semester in a public concert in the preliminary class, where they demonstrate their development and receive confirmation that they will remain in the preliminary class.

Teaching Staff

Professors and lecturers of the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar 

Violin

Prof. Lehmann, Andreas (responsible)
Adler, Olaf
Blumenstein, Christin
Prof. Dehler, Ursula
Prof. Eichhorn, Alexia
Prof. Lindig, Anne-Kathrin
Ruppert, Johanna
Prof. ten Hagen, Kathrin

Viola

Prof. Krüger, Erich Wolfgang (responsible)
Prof. Leser, Ditte
Ní Bhriain, Neasa (Solo violist of the Staatskapelle Weimar)
Schönherr, Kerstin (Deputy principal viola of the Staatskapelle Weimar)

Violoncello

Prof. Stolzenburg, Tim (responsible)
Na, Jiyoung

Double bass

Prof. Greger, Dominik
Rau, Franziska

Flute

Plag, Benjamin (Principal piccolo flutist of the Staatskapelle Weimar)
Cuchal, Anna (Solo flutist of the Philharmonic Orchestra Erfurt)

Recorder

Schumann, Katharina

Oboe

Sieberth, Gunter (Principal oboist of the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra)
Noth, Martin (Construction of reeds for oboes)

Clarinet

Doormann, Jan (Principal clarinettist of the Staatskapelle Weimar)
Perchyk, Viktor (Principal clarinettist of the Thuringian Symphony Orchestra Saalfeld-Rudolstadt)

Bassoon

Máthé, Dávid (Deputy principal bassoonist of the Staatskapelle Weimar)

Trumpet

Naumann, Steffen (Principal trumpet of the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra)
Suchlich, Alexander (Deputy principal trumpet of the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra)

Horn

Hoffmann, Katharina (Head of the wind instruments section at the MKS Jena)
Wappler, Robinson (Principal horn of the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra)

Trombone

Prof. Sprenger, Christian
Joo, Inhye
Yeste, Antonio Martínez

Tuba

Bölk, Georg (Principal tuba of the Staatskapelle Weimar)

Percussion

Coello Calvo, Alejandro
Lauer, Simon

Piano as main subject

Prof. Müller, Christian Wilm (responsible)
Prof. Gruzman, Grigory
Bitar, Susanne

Organ

Prof. Sturm, Martin (responsible)
Fukumoto, Mari
Râpă, Luisa
Wu, Wenying

Piano as a supplementary subject

Dorner, Michael (responsible)
Drengk, Iris
Prof. Kaufmann, Achim (jazz piano)
Shinada, Mai

Repetition

Prof. Born, Bettina (responsible)
Allés Dopico, Cristina
Dittmar, Christoph (harpsichord)
Hoff, Anne
Hrynkiv, Dariya
Kan, Vita
Kogan, Ludmilla
Lichtwark, Imke
Sperl, Eva
Voloshyna, Veronika

Guitar

Prof. Spannhof, Christiane (responsible)
Prof. Müller-Pering, Thomas
Prof. Rost, Jürgen

Harp

Stieber, Constanze (Solo harpist in the Philharmonic Orchestra Erfurt)

Accordion

Prof. Buder, Claudia (responsible)
Bahr, Stephan

Ensembles

Pagès Valls, Joan (orchestra)
Schicha, Annette (choir)
Stolzenburg, Nandi (voice training)
Prof. Eichhorn, Alexia (Register Lecturer Violin I)
Karwath, Jürgen (Register Lecturer Violin II)
Schönherr, Kerstin (Register Lecturer Viola)
Prof. Stolzenburg, Tim (Register Lecturer Violoncello)
Sun, Yun (Register Lecturer Double Bass)
Doormann, Jan (Register Lecturer Woodwinds)
Prof. Sprenger, Christian (Register Lecturer Brass)
Coello Calvo, Alejandro (Register Lecturer Percussion)
Hartmann, Beate (chamber music lecturer)

Singing as main subject

Zumbült, Marietta

Generalist education

Kimura, Norico (voice; responsible)
Aydintan, Marcus (music theory)
Dr. Kreppein, Ulrich (composition)
Prof. Schmidt, André (Practical Piano Playing)
Steinhöfel, Hinrich (improvisation, piano)

Application

Centre for the Highly Gifted

Pupils from Year 5 onwards who are already successfully learning an instrument, have an appropriate grammar school level and have passed the aptitude test are accepted. Applications are possible up to a maximum of Year 11 Special following Year 10. Interested parties can contact the artistic director at any time and receive individual counselling. A main aptitude test day takes place once a year. An entrance examination can be organised at any time for urgent applications or applications requiring a great deal of support.

Further information and the application documents can be found at https://www.musikgymnasium-belvedere.de/bewerbung.html 


Preliminary class

Interested applicants should contact the Artistic Director of the Centre for the Gifted informally. Once the aptitude test has been passed, weekly lessons in the main subject (30, 60 or 90 minutes) and, if necessary, repetition times will be arranged. There are costs per lesson.

UNESCO-School

The Music High School Schloss Belvedere including the boarding school, works together with the Free State of Thuringia. The instruments as well as their maintenance are provided by the Ministry of Education and Culture. This special high school for music, a UNESCO project school, aims to make tolerance, communication as well as appreciation for the achievements and traditions of other cultural circles from many countries through the students living together into a reality. The numerous international sponsorships and benefit concerts demonstrate this commitment. After an entrance examination, the talented pupils who can number up to 120 enter the fifth class and remain until they reach university maturity. The graduates of the music high school receive a recognized school leaving certificate the equivalent to A'Levels. In the boarding institute of the high school, the pupils live together, study, practice and learn the social responsibilities connected with daily life. The educational concept of the UNESCO project school trusts the young and talented students living in a like-minded community to develop their own personalities.

Music education at a high level

Apart from a broad and true-to-life general education, the aim of the Music High School Schloss Belvedere is to give the pupils a comprehensive music education at a high level. The harmonious development of the pupils' personality is also at the forefront. Professors and teachers from The LISZT UNIVERSITY of Music Weimar take over the individual instrumental lessons. Besides this, there are a further six hours per week for lessons in music related subjects. The examination period in the Thuringian upper classes (year 11 and 12) also contain some special characteristics at the Music High School Schloss Belvedere. The pupils select either German or mathematics as their 1 compulsory subject. The 2. compulsory subject is music. This includes both the individual instrumental lessons and music theory.One further subject must be selected from each of the nine general subjects, whereby the last general subject must cover music. By training their musical creativity the fantasy of the pupils at the Music High School Schloss Belvedere should be stimulated, their independence increased and a consciousness to problems awakened. Music presupposes persistence and devotion and creates connections beyond speech and international boundaries.

Promoters

Association of Friends and Promoters of the Music High School Schloss Belvedere Weimar e.V.

The association was founded on 1 October 1990 under the name 'Association of Friends and Former Pupils of the Special School of Music Weimar, Schloss Belvedere e.V.', in order to support the preservation of the special school. In 1996 the association changed its name to 'The Association of the Friends and Promoters of the Music High School Schloss Belvedere Weimar e.V.' The objectives of the group also changed significantly.

The association recognises its commitment to the development of the academic and artistic abilities of the pupils and for the optimum conditions of their study in Belvedere. It supports the work of  the music high school both spiritually and financially. The main goal is to support musically talented children and young people from Thuringia and all other areas of the Federal Republic, who are accepted were taken up after in to the music high school after an audition. The support refers to:

  •  the organization of courses and concerts
  •  support trips to competitions and other projects
  •  support of relations to similar establishments in Germany and Europe
  •  the donation of special prizes for competitions for pupils


The association is financed exclusively by donations and membership fees. At present the association has approximately 100 members. An honorary membership has been presented to two personalities - the first to the chairman of the association, Mr. Gerd Ulbricht and the second to the former mayor of the city of Weimar, Dr. Klaus Büttner, in appreciation of his special services to the preservation of the establishment and in particularly to the location Belvedere.

Postal Address:
Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere
Staatliches Spezialgymnasium
99425 Weimar
Germany

Contact:
Signe Pribbernow
Tel.: +49 (0)3643 | 555 184
signe.pribbernow(at)hfm-weimar.de 
 

Promoters of Talented Students at the Music High School Schloss Belvedere e.V.

The 'Promoters of Talented Students at the Music High School Schloss Belvedere e.V.' was founded on 11 March 1998 by the then head master Wolfgang Haak together with members of the Deutsche bank, the Thuringian Ministry for Education and Culture, the LISZT SCHOOL of Music Weimar and teachers of the music high School.  This second association of the Music High School Schloss Belvedere concerns itself with long-term requests and larger projects of the boarding school. It wants to extensively promote both the artistic and academic development of the pupils, in particularly through

  •  international partnerships
  •  academic publications and meetings for promotion of the talented
  • the school development of the model 'Music High School Schloss Belvedere'
  •  projects using pupils of the music high school as a podium for young  
     public work and arts management
  •  Co-operation with appropriate sponsors, institutions and associations


Besides this, the association has set the development of the complete ensemble Schloss Belvedere to its goal. Also the European Music High Schools association (AEM) founded in 1998 by Wolfgang Haak in Weimar ranks among the most important focuses of the past work of the association. The association supports the purchase of instruments for the music high school and supports pupils of the music high school who participate in international competitions.

The members are particularly happy about raising the considerable travel costs for the orchestral trip in July 2004 to South Korea by its long-term and persistent efforts. In autumn 2004, the music high school moved into the Mozart house and the association along with a donation from the Deutsche Bank was able to present a grand piano to the school.

Among the initial members of the association are Professor Dr. Wolfram Huschke, the former rector of  the University of FRANZ LISZT Weimar, and Mr. Stefan Groeger, former chancellor of the university.

Contact:
Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere
Staatliches Spezialgymnasium
99425 Weimar
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)3643 | 86 63 10

Premises

Facility and building
The Music High School Schloss Belvedere is a culture scene of a special art. The modern school complex for up to 120 pupils is situated at the edge of the park Belvedere, which since 1999 ranks as one of the world cultural heritages of the UNESCO. During the ceremonies on 13 April 1996 marking the 125th anniversary of the German Bank AG, it presented the Music High School to the Free State Thuringia under the slogan "conserve old, develop new." In 1992, the high school had to move to provisional accommodation because of decay in the old historical buildings. The urgent and necessary renovation was paid for by the German Bank, who also financed the new building from the architect Thomas van den Valentyn.

Interaction of old and new
It was important to him to co-ordinate the interaction of old and new, because the 'area' should keep its characteristics, but at the same time be sufficient to meet the functional and structural requirements of the music high school. Thus he decided to have a clear separation of the main functions. The former inn, a protected building, today houses the school administration offices. Attached to this is the three-sided yard of the former barn and stables, which were easily increased in size using the historical outlines and materials, are now the boarding school and the refectory. The classrooms and the concert hall in the form of an antique stadium, where among others, the Cellist Yo Yo Ma, the conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim as well as the soprano Emma Kirkby performed, was built however in the new building from the architect Thomas van den Valentyn. For this building he found a completely own style - contrary to the historical buildings, where recognizable structures should be maintained. He followed the idea 'house in the park'. The building is a homage to the Weimar Bauhaus Period (1919-24), in particular to the ideas Le Corbusiers understood.

Takeover of a cavalier house
In October 1999, the entire ensemble was supplemented by the takeover of a cavalier house belonging to the baroque palace, which was inaugurated in September 2004. In the Mozart house, practice rooms and a sports hall can be found. The boarding school and its delightful environment offer the possibility for quiet reflection and creative meditation. It creates an atmosphere in which all pupils, teachers and co-workers can develop with one another. Visitors to Belvedere not only have the historical park and an architecturally delightful ensemble of buildings but also a place of culture, in which a meeting place for young and talented next generation musicians from all over the world is created.

Contact

Postal address

Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere
Hochbegabtenzentrum der Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar
Schloss Belvedere
99425 Weimar
Germany

Music High School Schloss Belvedere

Artistic Director
Joan Pagès Valls
Schloss Belvedere 1
99425 Weimar
Tel. +49 3643 | 866 312
joan.pages.valls(at)hfm-weimar.de