Marking 80 Years Since the End of WWII, Leon Botstein and TŌN Perform in Germany at the Invitation of Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra
Led by conductor Leon Botstein, concertmaster of the Nürnberger Symphoniker Anna Reszniak and The Orchestra Now (TŌN) perform in Nuremberg’s Congress Hall. Photo by Anton Doppelbauer
Led by conductor and Bard College President Leon Botstein, The Orchestra Now (TŌN) performed in Germany, at the invitation of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, for a historic World War II memorial concert of remembrance, diplomacy, and artistic defiance. On the evening of May 8, at the exact hour marking 80 years since the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945, Botstein led TŌN in a program of rare symbolic and political power featuring the music of Felix Mendelssohn, who was banned under the Third Reich. The concert, “Grant Us Peace,” was held in Nuremberg’s Congress Hall, once the ceremonial heart of the Nazi regime. The message of the evening was reconciliation, vigilance, and the enduring force of culture to resist tyranny.
Botstein addressed the audience, which included Intendant of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra Lucius Hemmer; Nuremburg’s mayor Marcus König; US Consul General James Miller; former President of the Federal Republic of Germany Christian Wulff; mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine (Nuremberg’s sister city) Ihor Terekhov; as well as surviving eyewitnesses of May 9, 1945 among others.
In his introduction, Botstein remarked:
“On behalf of the musicians of The Orchestra Now (TON) and Bard College, I would like to thank our hosts, the City of Nuremberg, the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, and everyone who made this guest trip from New York to Nuremberg possible. We are very grateful for this invitation. My thanks also go to our American sponsors.
When this concert was first planned, it was envisioned as a celebration of the end of World War II, a victory against totalitarianism, fascism, intolerance, censorship and the destruction of human dignity, and as a celebration of the beginning of a new era of democracy and freedom.
But as citizens, musicians, and members of the university community, it is appropriate to point out that we in the United States today, unfortunately, face the same threats to democracy and freedom that we have seen elsewhere in recent decades. For us, this concert is a sign that American citizens, although they freely elected our government, remain committed to the core beliefs that define a democracy: individual liberty, the rule of law, the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution, and the separation of powers. And that we, as people and artists, will prevail against autocracy and intolerance; that we will uphold our traditional alliance with Europe, which began 80 years ago, and that we will also defend Ukraine.
Felix Mendelssohn was a truly great composer whose values—enlightenment, generosity, charity, and tolerance—should serve as a model for all of us, as musicians and citizens. We still live in a free society in the United States, and we are determined to preserve it and continue to live together in peace.”
The concert, which was widely lauded by German press, will be broadcast on Thursday, May 15 at 2 pm ET on German radio by Bayerischer Rundfunk. Listen here.
This was the first overseas trip taken by Bard College’s graduate training orchestra TŌN, which is now in its 10th year. While in Germany, TŌN led by Botstein also performed a memorial concert on May 6 in Koblenz as part of the Koblenz IMUKO Festival (Internationale Musik-Kontakte).
Press links:
Post Date: 05-13-2025
Botstein addressed the audience, which included Intendant of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra Lucius Hemmer; Nuremburg’s mayor Marcus König; US Consul General James Miller; former President of the Federal Republic of Germany Christian Wulff; mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine (Nuremberg’s sister city) Ihor Terekhov; as well as surviving eyewitnesses of May 9, 1945 among others.
In his introduction, Botstein remarked:
“On behalf of the musicians of The Orchestra Now (TON) and Bard College, I would like to thank our hosts, the City of Nuremberg, the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, and everyone who made this guest trip from New York to Nuremberg possible. We are very grateful for this invitation. My thanks also go to our American sponsors.
When this concert was first planned, it was envisioned as a celebration of the end of World War II, a victory against totalitarianism, fascism, intolerance, censorship and the destruction of human dignity, and as a celebration of the beginning of a new era of democracy and freedom.
But as citizens, musicians, and members of the university community, it is appropriate to point out that we in the United States today, unfortunately, face the same threats to democracy and freedom that we have seen elsewhere in recent decades. For us, this concert is a sign that American citizens, although they freely elected our government, remain committed to the core beliefs that define a democracy: individual liberty, the rule of law, the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution, and the separation of powers. And that we, as people and artists, will prevail against autocracy and intolerance; that we will uphold our traditional alliance with Europe, which began 80 years ago, and that we will also defend Ukraine.
Felix Mendelssohn was a truly great composer whose values—enlightenment, generosity, charity, and tolerance—should serve as a model for all of us, as musicians and citizens. We still live in a free society in the United States, and we are determined to preserve it and continue to live together in peace.”
The concert, which was widely lauded by German press, will be broadcast on Thursday, May 15 at 2 pm ET on German radio by Bayerischer Rundfunk. Listen here.
This was the first overseas trip taken by Bard College’s graduate training orchestra TŌN, which is now in its 10th year. While in Germany, TŌN led by Botstein also performed a memorial concert on May 6 in Koblenz as part of the Koblenz IMUKO Festival (Internationale Musik-Kontakte).
City of Nuremberg Mayor Marcus König in audience. Photo by Anton Doppelbauer
Press links:
Post Date: 05-13-2025