Newsletter July 2008
The Vienna Sound Museum has recently been visited by representatives of the musical crème de la crème from Christa Ludwig to Franz Welser-Möst, General Music Director designate of Vienna State Opera, and Zubin Mehta, the renowned conductor and Honorary President of Haus der Musik.
Over the last six months, our events calendar has featured some wonderful small-scale exhibitions, multimedia installations, children's and live-on-stage programmes that were even more densely packed than before. Haus der Musik welcomed more than 75,000 visitors through its doors during the first six months of the year. This is something the whole team can be proud of.
Now we must try to live up to this achievement during the next six months and over years to come. We're writing at this time to let you know what we've got planned for September but we also want to mention that our entire permanent interactive sound world displays are going to be thoroughly refurbished and expanded over the next few years. After all, there's no other area of activity that changes as rapidly as music, particularly in the field of new digital devices.
That music and culture are the number one leisure activities of Austrians has been confirmed in a new study by research institute Market published a few days ago. Never before has interest in music been as great as it is today.
This makes us optimistic and we will do everything we can to ensure not only that Vienna remains the world capital of music but also that the Sound Museum on Seilerstätte retains its position as a truly unique music and multimedia museum.
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Newsletter June 2008
Eight years ago - Ad multos annos for the future
The 8th anniversary of the foundation of the Haus der Musik was more than a nostalgic look back: it was both a successful event attended by large numbers of visitors and at the same time the starting signal for the new future of the Sound Museum.
Interest in music - particularly among young people - has never been higher. This is also supported by the new media, to which the Haus der Musik will devote itself more strongly in future, with new interactive installations, crossovers and special events.
The Sound Museum in District 1 regards itself as a permanent experimentation zone - exactly what its mentor and Honorary President Zubin Mehta had in mind. On 20th June the Maestro will be joining Dr. Clemens Hellsberg, Chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic, in discussion.
That brings us to the highlights of the coming month: The "Summa cum laude" festival of young musicmakers and choirs on 6th and 7th July, the appearance of Agnes Milewski as part of the Live on Stage concert series, etc, etc, etc.
The Haus der Musik doesn't take a summer break - on the contrary, the Sound Museum is open to visitors every single day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. So there's nothing to stop you paying a late evening visit to the museum...
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Newsletter May 2008
Eight years of Haus der Musik
Eight years of Haus der Musik. The museum of sound and music, which is unique in Europe, opened its doors in June 2000. Since then, more than one million people have visited us, and over the last three years the trend has been strongly upwards. With around 16,000, March 2008, for example, was the busiest month in the museum's history. The number of international visitors has risen, as have the crowds of young music enthusiasts and their families visiting us. Our beefed-up live music programme and expanded programme of guided tours for schools and children have no doubt contributed to this success.
Our motto to mark the occasion is: "Visit Haus der Musik for 8 Euros in its 8th year". We will be celebrating with a concert by the shooting star of the Irish music scene, JAPE, on 31 May and a children's concert by Marko Simsa on 6 June. Those attending a concert will also receive a free ticket for the museum.
And there's good news on this front too: the Vienna Sound Museum's glass-roofed courtyard has been given a new designer interior that makes it almost impossible for visitors not to linger in the café.
A little while ago a combined ticket was launched for the four museums belonging to the Haus der Musik's parent company Wien Holding, the other three being: Mozarthaus Vienna (for which a combined ticket has been available for some time), KunstHausWien incorporating the Hundertwasser Museum and the Jewish Museum Vienna, the only museum of its kind anywhere in the world.
Our current programme has something for everyone: a small but beautifully formed exhibition focusing on national anthems to celebrate the Euro 2008 football tournament, appearances by Novi Sad and H3M, and last but not least the children's concert by Marko Simsa.
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Newsletter April 2008
Sound Museum sets new record - a musical Euro 2008
Another success for HAUS DER MUSIK: with almost 16,000 paying visitors in March 2008, we are celebrating our busiest month since the opening of the Sound Museum.
There has also been an enormous demand from schools and so, with immediate effect, we offer two guided tours per day (Monday to Friday). Austria's youth is interested in music - this is a distinctly encouraging sign.
On the subject of courage, Vienna will be playing a key role in the 2008 European Football Championships in June. Austria's national team will have to play with plenty of heart and resolve in order to succeed.
HAUS DER MUSIK will be making its own small contribution to the Euro 2008 euphoria with its special foyer exhibition entitled "16 National Anthems". Listen to the national anthems of the participating countries and learn all about their history and meaning.
We are also pleased to announce another highlight for April. To celebrate the Karajan anniversary year, the Vienna Philharmonic have not only created a special vitrine featuring rare and unique artefacts that are being displayed in public for the first time, we are also showing excerpts of the only New Year's Concert conducted by the Maestro in the concert hall of the Vienna Philharmonic Museum.
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Newsletter March 2008
Talks with two top-class members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, meeting again with Topsy Küppers, new appealing "treats", more music events for kids, and families than ever:
The plentiful innovations at Haus der Musik in Spring 2008 can be summarised with "Selected though Cheerful", in order to quote Topsy Küppers.
The Chairman of the Board of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Prof. Dr. Clemens Hellsberg, presents during his popular talks with top artists, century singers such as Christa Ludwig, who will celebrate her 80th birthday, and Franz Welser Möst, the future Music Director of the Vienna State Opera.
The motto and philosophy of special events for primary schools, and nursery schools, takes place three times a week is "More Music for Kids". The weekend performances for kids, and families are each Saturday, and two times on Sunday starting here, starting now. One of our main focus points in our pedagogic programme will introduce the little ones to the world of music and sound.
Furthermore, we present Live on Stage events, and as a special event "Mozart in China", a unique movie experience with an exciting, and fascinating story. In one word: The spring music festival - one of the best music events.
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Newsletter February 2008
New image and sound worlds
And other exciting highlights at Haus der Musik
As of February 20, a 35-minute-version of the Vienna Philharmonic´s New Year´s Concert, with a special accretion from Herbert von Karajan on the occasion of his 100th birthday, which he would have celebrated this year, can be seen exclusively in the Vienna Philharmonic Museum.
Thanks to modern HDTV (High Definition TV) technology, new sound and image worlds are being opened.
Apropos Vienna Philharmonic: this year their museum will be adapted and expanded. A further reason to visit it once again.
In a special exhibition, Johannes Deutsch presents Mahlers 2nd Symphony in associative images, convergences of computer and natural sound.
On February 21, the Bavarian shooting star Claudia Koreck performs "Live on Stage" - for Member Card holders the concert is free of charge.
"Magic Sound and Sheet Metal Salad" - a concert for children with Marko Simsa, February 29, at 15:30.
Also in this newsletter: A portrait of Gramola owner Richard Winter, who has at last found suitable surroundings for his classic-shop Gramola-DaCapo. The culture-tip for February comes from Mozarthaus Vienna.
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Newsletter January 2008
The DVD of the New Year's Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic - with discounted prices for MemberCard holders - is available from the Haus der Musik shop. A must-have for all music lovers!
The year 2008 starts off with the popular Marko Simsa concerts for children and with "Narish" in the Live on Stage concert series. In preparation for February is an "artistic opera vernissage" by Johannes Deutsch, which presents a further facet of the variety at Haus der Musik.
Following the pleasing increase in visitor numbers in the Mozart Year 2006, we were able to repeat the success in 2007 and welcomed another 200.000 visitors in the past year.
We look forward to a successful musical year in 2008 and hope you enjoy reading the latest newsletter.
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Newsletter December
The New Year's Eve celebrations in Vienna, which will take place for the 18th time this year, attract more than 600,000 visitors every year, including many visitors.
Haus der Musik plays a central role in the New Year's Eve Trail and is also one of the most popular locations: waltz, samba, salsa and more attractive dances - join in!
Looking back on 2007, the concert series arranged in cooperation with exil.arte should be emphasised especially, which featured music from Austrian composers forced to emigrate during the Nazi regime. These concerts were very successful in terms of raising awareness.
Marko Simsa yet again proved to be a children's favourite with a number of concerts for the younger audience from Mozart for Children to Filipp Frog.
The new MemberCard was especially well received. It offers a number of benefits and includes free admission to all "Live on Stage" concerts.
In the coming year, our activities aim to again encourage visitors to encounter music, to immerse themselves into the world of music and sound and to examine contemporary trends. We will also continue with the vital educational task of introducing children to the joys of music in a playful manner.
The Haus der Musik - Team wishes you a Happy New Year and hopes you enjoy beautiful experiences at the Viennese Sound Museum.
Your Haus der Musik Team
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Newsletter November
Der November im Haus der Musik verspricht ein volles Programm für Groß und Klein.
Marko Simsa ist gleich mit zwei Kinderkonzerten zu Gast (10. und 23. November) und tritt mit den jungen Musikbegeisterten eine Reise in die Vergangenheit an.
Die Live On Stage Reihe wird von einem Konzert von PINA, einer talentierten Singer Songwriterin mit österreichischen Wurzeln, am 15. November fortgesetzt. Durch die Mischung aus Rock, Blues und Folk in Kombination mit ihrer rauchigen Stimme, spricht PINAs Musik eine breite Publikumsschicht an.
Weiteres Highlight im November im Haus der Musik ist die Voicemania 2007. Bereits zum 10ten Mal treten internationale „Acapella-Bands" in insgesamt 6 Locations auf. Im Haus der Musik werden am 16. November die Formationen „Triu" und „Vocaldente" allein mit ihren Stimmen verschiedene Musikgenres und Lieder von den 20er Jahren über den steirischen Jodler bis hin zu Disko-Musik aus den 80er interpretieren.
Den Abschluss der November-Veranstaltungen im Haus der Musik bildet schließlich ein exil.arte-Konzert. Das letzte Konzert aus dieser Reihe am 30. November ab 19:30 im Haus der Musik widmet sich dem österreichischen Exilkomponisten Erich Zeisl.
Viel Vergnügen bei der Lektüre wünscht Ihnen
Ihr Haus der Musik Team
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Newsletter October
"Night Museum" Haus der Musik
The Long Night of the Museums was once again a great success and whilst other museums continue with their normal operation hours, the Long Night continues for HAUS DER MUSIK: you can visit the permanent exhibition of the Sound Museum daily between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. - unique in the Austrian museum scene.
Talk about Long Night: over 4 500 visitors frequented HAUS DER MUSIK during the Long Night of the Museums - a record and an increase of 29% on the previous year!
The October concert by James Harries, as part of the Live on Stage concert series, is a musical highlight. James Harries, who already performed at HAUS DER MUSIK during the Long Night of the Museums in 2006, will once again be our guest on 25 October.
Also on the agenda: a concert in the exil.arte event series on 19 October.
We look forward to welcoming you to HAUS DER MUSIK once again and wish you enjoyable reading!
Your HAUS DER MUSIK Team
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