Do you miss Hamburg?
Tobias Rempe: I have the very best memories of Hamburg, but to say I miss it would be an exaggeration. I had a wonderful arrival in Berlin, with a big, exciting job and a really great start here at Konzerthaus.
Still keeping a partially outside perspective, what are the differences between the concert scenes in both cities?
Tobias Rempe: Berlin isn’t entirely new to me. I lived here from 1999 to 2006. In that sense, I already had a connection to the city. Hamburg and Berlin are two great cities, but they’re also very different. Berlin is significantly more diverse in terms of its ensembles, independent scene, institutions, theaters, concert halls, and orchestras. There’s more of everything—and that means more competition and a more dynamic development among the various players.
In Hamburg, you helped found the Resonanzraum and ensured that the Ensemble Resonanz, an independent orchestra, could gain a foothold at a major institution like the Elbphilharmonie. Do you see similar potential for Berlin?
Tobias Rempe: That’s a hard comparison to make. The Elbphilharmonie set something in motion that opened up new possibilities. Moreover, in Hamburg at that time it felt like it was possible to work with a greater sense of commitment. With partners and a certain level of visibility, there was a good chance of being able to continue on that path.
What kind of commitment are you referring to?
Tobias Rempe: That probably starts with a more stable climate in culture politics. Berlin isn't in such a good position right now in that regard. Hamburg also has a longer history of private funding for the arts and culture—including new music.
From 2019 to 2024, you served as chairman of FREO e. V. What lessons from that time did you take with you for your work at the Konzerthaus?
Tobias Rempe: The knowledge and understanding of the unique opportunities and challenges faced by all these ensembles, which are able to make the most of limited resources and achieve outstanding results through dedication and great passion. This understanding has been very important for me.
In a way, collaborating with the independent ensembles at Konzerthaus represents a change of sides for you. How does this affect your perspective on this kind of work?
Tobias Rempe: The great thing is that I realized pretty quickly: what drives me now and the goals we’re pursuing here at Konzerthaus aren’t all that different from what drove me before or the goals I used to pursue. It’s just the playing field and the rules of the game that have changed.
What kind of goals do you have in mind?
Tobias Rempe: To place music in an inspiring and enriching context within urban society. To bring music into the city, to inspire people with performances on stage and with music. An institution like Konzerthaus has a much larger audience than Ensemble Resonanz. The reach is greater, and the visibility is higher. Konzerthaus has already become much more open in recent years. Nevertheless, I believe there is a great opportunity to make even more progress toward the goal Konzerthaus has always had: to be there for as many Berliners as possible.
That sounds very ambitious. There are many artistic niches in the city. I imagine it would be quite a challenge to bring them all together under one roof.
Tobias Rempe: I wouldn't say that we're catering to niches into our program. We're trying to open up our program and continually rediscover what classical music and art music can be for this city. We want to understand the rapid and dynamic changes taking place in this urban society and figure out how we can adapt and evolve accordingly.
With this context in mind, how can collaboration with independent ensembles from the contemporary music scene take place?
Tobias Rempe: The venue has long featured a series dedicated to new music in collaboration with several ensembles from the city, with a few events each year. I’m very pleased that we’ve now managed to present a cross-section of what’s happening in Berlin’s new music ensemble scene, and that everyone we approached for the first time was interested in participating. We’re also working together on improving the conditions under which these collaborations take place.
For the first major festival I planned here with the team, we also collaborated very explicitly with independent ensembles from Berlin. The festival was called »Vom Anfangen« (»On Getting Started«) and took place last February. It featured the Konzerthaus Orchestra, as well as The Present, the Trickster Orchestra, and the lautten compagney. The new concert series Berlin Tracks, which we’ve just launched, also draws on the Berlin scene. It features artists who operate on the fringes of classical music and seek to bridge gaps with other genres, but who have also already established their own audience.
How do you decide which ensembles to approach for these concert series?
Tobias Rempe: Berlin is home to a wealth of ensembles. One could probably name several handfuls of contemporary music groups off the top of one’s head. But we’re also in touch with inm and artists from the scene to stay up to date on new, younger ensembles and developments that are just beginning to emerge.
So you're already making plans for the future?
Tobias Rempe: Yes, of course. We want to continue the series.
How are the programs in this series curated?
Tobias Rempe: Sometimes, we, as the host, bring our festival themes or personal preferences to the table, but these are more like suggestions. We don’t make any demands regarding the program. Our collaboration consists of providing the venue and technical support. Ensembles in Berlin, in particular, tour extensively internationally and perform at all kinds of festivals. We offer these ensembles the opportunity to perform programs they’ve prepared for other occasions here in Berlin as well.
Which ensembles will be performing at Konzerthaus during the 2026/27 season?
Tobias Rempe: We are once again collaborating with the ensembles KNM, LUX:NM, mosaik, and Zafraan. The ensemble unitedberlin will perform twice, once conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. modern art and PianoPercussion are also returning, and Kollektiv UNRUHE will be part of the lineup for the first time.
