The hr-Symphony Orchestra's chamber concert series returns to Bad Nauheim, this time with a truly exceptional quintet. When trumpet, trombone, horn, and tuba come together, you can expect a rich, magnificent sound and a varied and captivating program. The first half of the evening will surprise with vibrant and lively pieces that evoke memories of faraway places, bygone eras, and sunny days. The second half will then focus entirely on the Christmas season. Frankfurt Radio Brass was founded in 2023 by five members of the orchestra with the desire to present the audience not only with orchestral repertoire but also with the broad and brilliant spectrum of brass music at the highest level. From Baroque and Romantic to contemporary, there's something for everyone, as the musicians of Frankfurt Radio Brass are committed to presenting every genre of music with the same passion, musicality, and technical perfection that listeners have come to expect from the hr-Symphony Orchestra. The joy of making music together is always paramount and is visible and palpable to everyone. The five solo wind players are among the leading musicians of their generation and have won numerous prizes at national and international competitions.

Brass Connection

Werner-Borchers-Halle

Konzertmuschel der Trinkkuranlage

To conclude the season, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of chief conductor Alain Altinoglu, will once again perform three concerts at the Festival International de Colmar. Altinoglu has been the artistic director of this prestigious festival in Alsace since 2023. In the Church of Saint-Matthieu, he and his orchestra, featuring cellist Gautier Capuçon, pianist Alexander Malofeev, and Frankfurt Radio solo trumpeter Sebastian Berner, will present works by Stravinsky, Escaich , Dvořák, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Brahms, and Haydn.

International Festival of Colmar

Église Saint-Matthieu de Colmar

At the end of the season, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra with chief conductor Alain Altinoglu will once again be appearing at the Festival International de Colmar with three concerts. Alain Altinoglu has been the artistic director of the traditional festival in Alsace since 2023. In the church of Saint-Matthieu, he and his orchestra, this time with cellist Gautier Capuçon and pianist Alexander Malofeev as well as hr solo trumpeter Sebastian Berner, will present works by Stravinsky, Escaich and Dvořák, Rachmaninoff and Rimsky-Korsakov as well as Brahms and Haydn.

Église Saint-Matthieu

A Brahms of today must sound fresh, agile, "without a beard"—that's the ideal of Alain Altinoglu, who continues his Brahms cycle with the Third Symphony. He skillfully integrates this sunny symphony into a program of Brahms-Haydn connections, featuring an appearance by the award-winning hr solo trumpeter. The "Third" is an unusually bright, even sunny work; Clara Schumann described it as a symphonic forest idyll. This demands a particularly delicate approach from the orchestra, says the chief conductor of the hr Symphony Orchestra: "Transparency is more important than opulence," he succinctly puts it. Brahms with classical virtues, then. And Brahms himself was quite classically oriented when he composed his "Variations on a Theme by Haydn," although the source material probably wasn't actually by Haydn. A guaranteed Haydn experience: his Trumpet Concerto, one of his most popular works, with Sebastian Berner as soloist. The principal trumpeter of the hr Symphony Orchestra won First Prize at the 2022 International Maurice André Competition in Paris – with the Haydn Trumpet Concerto as his final piece.

EPSG:4326

Brahms 3

Alte Oper

Ein Brahms von heute müsse frisch klingen, beweglich, »ohne Bart« – so das Ideal von Alain Altinoglu, der mit der 3. Sinfonie seinen Brahms-Zyklus weiterführt. Und der diese sonnige Sinfonie geschickt einbindet in ein Programm aus Brahms-Haydn-Beziehungen mit einem Auftritt des preisgekrönten hr-Solo-Trompeters. Die »Dritte« ist ein ungewohnt helles, ja sonniges Werk, Clara Schumann sprach von einer sinfonischen Waldidylle. Umso delikater müsse ein Orchester damit umgehen, sagt der Chefdirigent des hr-Sinfonieorchesters: »Transparenz ist wichtiger als Opulenz«, so bringt er es auf den Punkt. Brahms mit klassischen Tugenden also. Und ganz klassisch orientiert war Brahms auch selbst, als er seine »Variationen über ein Thema von Haydn« komponierte, wobei das Ausgangsmaterial dann doch wohl nicht von Haydn stammt. Garantierter Haydn dagegen: sein Trompetenkonzert, eines seiner populärsten Werke, mit Sebastian Berner als Solisten. Der Solo-Trompeter des hr-Sinfonieorchesters gewann 2022 den Ersten Preis beim Internationalen Maurice André Wettbewerb in Paris – mit dem Haydn-Trompetenkonzert als Finalstück.

As appealing as a solo concerto is, isn't a double concerto twice as interesting? Two soloists who pass the ball to each other, who compete, outdo each other, who come together for a pas de deux? This evening, two are simply twice as good: the soloists of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. Three concertos for two solo instruments are on the programme, composed by the baroque trio of Bach, Telemann and Vivaldi. Of his 50 or so concertos for two instruments, Vivaldi only composed one for two trumpets, a solitaire in the extensive catalogue of works by the virtuoso Venetian. Bach's double concerto BWV 1043 was also a one-off piece - anyone who writes for two writes exclusively. The evening will be led by the British harpsichordist and conductor Jonathan Cohen, who has made a name for himself not only with his own ensemble Arcangelo. He has toured with the Academy of Ancient Music as well as with William Christie's ensemble Les Arts Florissants, which has now appointed him Associate Conductor. Franz Schubert's Mozart-like 5th Symphony, probably the most mature of his early symphonic works, will be the delightful finale of this Baroque+ program.

pas de deux

Bertramstraße 8

Brass summit at Deutsche Bahn. Precious metals come together when trombone, trumpet & co. meet in the Silver Tower of Deutsche Bahn. And when a magnificent quintet from the Frankfurt hr Symphony Orchestra can be experienced at lofty heights, not only musical highlights are guaranteed. With a perspective more than 150 meters away from everyday life, all visitors to this chamber fibrillation on the top floor of the high-rise also gain new practical dimensions.

Brass-Connection

Jürgen-Ponto-Platz 1

A brass quintet of exceptional caliber. When trumpet, trombone, horn, and tuba come together in the hr concert hall, you can expect a rich, magnificent sound and a varied and captivating program. Frankfurt Radio Brass was founded in 2023 by five members of the hr Symphony Orchestra with the desire to present the audience not only with orchestral repertoire but also with the broad and brilliant spectrum of brass music at the highest level. From Baroque and Romantic to contemporary, there's something for everyone, because the musicians of Frankfurt Radio Brass have made it their mission to present every genre of music with the same passion, musicality, and technical perfection that listeners have come to expect from the hr Symphony Orchestra. The joy of making music together is always paramount and is visible and palpable to everyone.

Sebastian Berner

Events

Upcoming events

Mar 1, 2026

Brass Connection · Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

Past events

7 - 14 Dec, 2025

Brass Connection · Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

Jul 5, 2025

International Festival of Colmar · Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

Future and recently performed repertoire

Trumpet in Trumpet Concerto by Haydn

Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

About

Sebastian Berner hasn't added a bio