Children and teenagers are a wonderful audience. Their perception is immediate, their access to artistic events refreshingly unbiased and intransigent. The canon of fixed esthetic judgment has - as opposed to many fields of musical culture - little influence on the evaluation of the success or failure of a children's event. The child's interest is captured first of all by the authenticity, the artistic quality and the faculty of communication of the events on stage. A harmonious setting, a clever dramaturgic lighting, an atmosphere of immediacy and the direct contact between the children and the artists by means of the special configuration of the small premises are, alongside the artistic authenticity, the essential elements for the success of an encounter between the young audience, the outstanding musicians and the actors.

 

The visionary guidance of my colleague Johanna Moeslinger and the substantial support of the Banque de Luxembourg have allowed a certain evolution of the concert programme that the Philharmonie addresses to children and teenagers. Featuring more than 100 events, it is now at the heart of the 2009/10 season's artistic planning. I am particularly proud of the growing number of productions with artists, musicians and music agents from Luxembourg. Our common goal is to give this fascinating field of first-class artistic music productions for children and teenagers a growing significance, in Luxembourg as well as beyond its borders. In this sense, I wish you and our young audiences exciting and inspiring encounters at the Philharmonie!

Matthias Naske
Director General