Toolkit
Damien Wigny
President
Etablissement public Salle de Concerts
Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte
«The joy we take from art is the only thing we can increase by sharing it with others.»
(Percy Bysshe Shelley)
My colleagues and I are very proud of the magnificent building designed by Christian de Portzamparc: this concert hall ranks amongst the handsomest in Europe. From this moment on it behoves us to develop these prestigious premises so that they become a symbol of cultural excellence for the whole population of Luxembourg and the Greater Region. Europe must be simultaneously an economic, political, social and cultural entity. Each of these different aspects is essential. However, the true value of each comes to the fore only when they blend together. And culture, in its widest sense, is a vital component. Our inaugural week’s programme demonstrates our determination to forge links between the classical and the contemporary, between the different forms of musical expression, and between what is happening
within the Grand-Duchy and elsewhere in the world. We will contribute equally actively to the Luxem-bourgish music scene in offering a full range of concerts, in premiering new works, in developing educational programmes and in encouraging audiences to experience new music. Music, as every art form, is both a pleasure and, at the same time, a perfect route to knowledge; it enhances our quality of life. Equally, we will endeavour to establish human contact, face-to-face meetings between the composers, the musicians and their public. The Philharmonie will be a place where all music enthusiasts will enjoy meeting not only to listen to music but also to discuss it and to share each other’s pleasure.