Le Salon de Helen Buchholtz

Le Salon de Helen Buchholtz 2024 builds on the success of its first edition in 2022 on the occasion of Esch2022 - European Capital of Culture.

From 6th November to 1st December 2024, the Bridderhaus in Esch-sur-Alzette will once again be the convivial and intimate setting – designed this year by Christian Mosar – for the meeting of lovers of the emotion of vocal recitals and the intimacy of chamber music. Helen Buchholtz (1877-1953), the composer from Esch, will remain the hostess of this salon where the most diverse repertoires will mingle, ranging from baroque music to creations of the 21st century. Luxembourgish, German, Austrian, British, French, Canadian and American performers will immerse you in the captivating musical atmospheres of different eras.

Claude Weber, pianist and artistic director of the festival pays particular attention to the recognition and fair representation of music created by men and women composers. Our commitment to equality is reflected in the carefully selected diversity of the repertoire, highlighting artistic voices of all genres.

Apart from the eight major concert events on Wednesdays and weekends, four thematic days will offer you MOMENTS with the richness of Iranian culture, the inspiring activities of the Esch Conservatory, the challenges of music and gender with MuGi.lu (Music and Genre in Luxembourg), and the creative talent of Luxembourgish women composers of the past and the present. The collaboration with partners such as MuGi.lu , the Conservatoire of Esch or radio 100.7 for these events is a remarkable symbiosis, where everyone's expertise enriches the program.

With two guest composers, the public will have the opportunity to appreciate the diversity of their repertoire and the depth of their artistic expression. Their works will be showcased in several concerts during which listeners will have the opportunity to explore the unique musical worlds of Tatsiana Zelianko and Nigji Sanges, while providing a platform for the two composers to share their creative vision with a wide audience. In addition to the performances, the invitation will also include a masterclass led by Tatsiana Zelianko, providing a valuable opportunity for young musicians to deepen their understanding of contemporary composition.

Workshops for school classes led by Noemi Deitz will allow children and young people (youngsters) to discover the world of music in a new way by immersing themselves in the biographies and work of two contemporary women composers.

Film screenings will take place at different times of the week, with a special programme of CINE-MOMENTS on Wednesdays before the concerts. An ideal time to enjoy films accompanied by the music of Nigji Sanges, documentaries by Anne Schiltz, which explore female musical creation.

Detailed programme in the agenda.

Helen Buchholtz, Portrait © Lily Kraus

Helen Buchholtz, 1905 © Charles Bernhoeft

Esch-sur-Alzette: the ‘50s and ‘60s

To accompany Le Salon de Helen Buchholtz, the Bridderhaus has selected 25 black-and-white photographs from Esch-sur-Alzette during the post-war economic boom.

Through the eyes and lenses of Théo Mey and Marcel Schroeder, this exhibition presents examples of photojournalism and documentary photography from the ’50s and ’60s. Blending aesthetics, documentary interest and anecdotal detail, these images show the town of Esch-sur-Alzette and its inhabitants at a time when the iron industry dominated daily life.

Marcel Schroeder (1919–1999) was employed by the ARBED steel manufacturing company and Théo May (1912–1964) worked for various newspapers and illustrated magazines during the post-war period. Both photographers document the modernisation of infrastructure and the everyday events, both small and large, in the lives of the inhabitants of Esch-sur-Alzette.

This exhibition was created using photos and images from the archives and collections of the Luxembourg City Photothèque.

The Salon de Helen Buchholtz brings back the spirit of the ‘Salon’ of the early 20ᵉ century through a reinterpreted and local teatime. Every weekend during the MOMENTS, we invite you to spend a moment of relaxation, pleasure and encounters at the Bridderhaus over a fine tea accompanied by small nibbles and delicious sweets. For each MOMENT, a Luxembourg personality revisits the recipes of the day, offering you a teatime where tradition and modernity come together. Come and rediscover classic and local recipes from the time of Ketty Thull.

After Catherine Kontz in 2022, the 2024 edition of Le Salon de Helen Buchholtz has the honour of welcoming two contemporary composers among its guest artists, Tatsiana Zelianko (in 2024) and Nigji Sanges (in 2024).

As part of Le Salon de Helen Buchholtz, the invitation to the composers is reflected in their presence on several levels.

For each edition, the festival commissions a work to be premiered during one of the concerts. This year, it will be a work for piano 4 hands by Tatsiana Zelianko that will be premiered by Annie Kraus and Lynn Orazi during their concert, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
Throughout the festival's programming, a beautiful place is reserved for the music of the two guest composers. In several concerts, you will have the opportunity to discover the repertoire of these young creators. Meetings or exchanges with composers and musicians are also organized, during or in connection with the concerts.
In collaboration with the Conservatoire d’Esch-sur-Alzette, Le Salon de Helen Buchholtz organizes a masterclass with Tatsiana Zelianko for the students of the Conservatoire. This masterclass will allow participants to explore the techniques, ideas and inspirations behind the composer's work, while benefiting from her expertise and personalized advice.
Film screenings will play a role on several levels. Nigji Sanges dedicates a large part of her activity as a composer to film music. You will have the opportunity to discover some of the films for which she wrote the music, including a short film with live music for piano trio. Tatsiana Zelianko's work has been documented by Anne Schiltz, whose film "Itinérances" retraces the composer's participation in the festival "Musiciennes à Ouessant".