Program – Viking Roots

“Roots” Season
Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra

Concert No. 5 – Viking Roots

Henrik Schaefer
Director

Günter Haumer
Baritone

PROGRAM

BREAKING WAVES OP.19

HELENA MUNKTELL (1852 – 1919) – DURATION: 11 MINUTES (APPROX.)

RÜCKERT SONG

GUSTAV MAHLER (1860 – 1911) – DURATION: 18 MINUTES (APPROX.)

I. Don't look into my songs

II: I breathed in a soft scent

III. Do you love for beauty?

IV. At midnight

V. I have been lost to the world

Intermediate

SYMPHONY NO. 8 IN B MINOR “UNFINISHED”

FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797 – 1818) – DURATION: 25 MINUTES (APPROX.)

I. Allegro moderato

II. Walking on a motorcycle

TO MUSIC D.547

FRANX SCHUBERT (1797 – 1818) – DURATION: 3 MINUTES (APPROX.)

INTERACT NO. 1 ROSAMUNDA D.797

FRANX SCHUBERT (1797 – 1818) – DURATION: 11 MINUTES (APPROX.)

Learn the lyrics of the songs from this concert

VIKING ROOTS

First of all, I want to express my profound joy and excitement at seeing a program like this ready to be heard in Medellín. I can honestly say that the audience present today is privileged to experience a musical, interpretive, intellectual, and emotional moment of this caliber.

For several years, I have followed the careers of the artists here, each one individually, and today, having them together on stage, giving their all to bring you, dear audience, true gems of European musical literature, is a "moment of glory."

My deep respect for Filarmed, an orchestra from which I have heard sublime interpretations of German Romanticism, such as Johannes Brahms's "Deutsches Requiem," demonstrating their commitment to technical and sonic perfection, as well as a profound connection with meaning and "the root."

Maestro Henrik Schaefer, virtuoso violist and favorite pupil of the great Claudio Abbado, will surely make his profound understanding of the human voice felt, the simplest and at the same time the most complex of instruments, and undoubtedly also the most transparent when it comes to laying bare the soul. Maestro Schaefer, German by origin and Scandinavian by choice, will know like few others how to convey the power and intensity of the pen of that great unknown Swede, Helena Munktell, whose work, although inspired by the Mediterranean, definitively conveys the density of the Baltic, her origin or "root."

Finally, Günter Haumer, a renowned liederist performer, Austrian like Gustav Mahler and multi-instrumentalist (clarinet, piano, accordion), will be the one to translate with the infinite and precious palette of colors of his voice, those messages that the composer, based on the fantastic rhetoric of Friedrich Rückert, captured in music, revealing the peace and beauty of Lake Wörthersee, in front of which he composed this cycle during one of the happiest periods of his life.

In keeping with this season's theme, "Roots," we arrive today at this profound, intense, even mysterious program. And that's what roots are like—underground, in the darkness, nourishing and giving strength so that others may flourish and bear fruit. Roots are humble, generous, and patient.

I am moved, then, by this title, about which we could speak at length. Today we will experience the strength of those roots, the Viking roots of Munktell and the German roots of Schubert and Mahler. And we will be fortunate enough to feel the flowers that peek out from the other side of the surface. How important, in a world like today's, is to understand and respect the roots of others, in order to reflect on our own and thus understand the magnanimous workings of the world.

I can only wish you, dear audience, a moment of introspection, reflection, and enjoyment, and that all the feelings captured in this concert accompany you in your future reflections.

Yalilé Cardona Alonso

Director of the Bogotá International Classical Music Festival

THE DIRECTOR
HENRIK SHAEFER

Born in Bochum, Germany, Henrik Schaefer returns to Medellín, a city that has welcomed him with open arms and an orchestra willing to connect with his experience and artistic sensibility. His bond with the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra, Filarmed, has strengthened over the years, especially since his performance in 2022, when he conducted a concert that included the world premiere of Flight of birds, a work by Colombian composer Natalia Valencia Zuluaga. That evening, marked by the connection between contemporary repertoire and a deep commitment to the natural environment, left a lasting impression on both audience and musicians.

Schaefer began his musical training as a violist and, at just 22 years old, joined the Berlin Philharmonic, becoming one of its youngest members. Under the baton of Claudio Abbado, he began his transition to conducting, working as an assistant on major opera productions such as Tristan and Isolde, Parsifal and FalstaffSince then, he has built a career recognized for his versatility and interpretive depth, combining traditional symphonic repertoire with lesser-known works of Scandinavian Romanticism and contemporary creations.

Henrik Schaefer is Music Director of the Stockholm Folkoperan and Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Danish Philharmonic Orchestra. As a guest conductor, he regularly conducts orchestras around the world, including the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in Japan, the Minas Gerais Symphony Orchestra in Brazil, the Copenhagen Philharmonic in Denmark, and numerous theaters in Germany and Austria.
He is also committed to developing new talent through his role as a professor of orchestral conducting at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.

In Colombia, in addition to his connection with Filarmed, he has conducted the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra on numerous occasions, for example in 2017 during its 50th anniversary concert, and has led multiple concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra. However, it is Medellín that has built a special relationship with him—where his return means more than a performance: it is a reunion with an orchestra and audience that deeply value his talent and unique approach to music-making.

“Music by female composers is very important in Sweden. I chose a work by Helena Munktell because very few people in Colombia would have heard of her. Her piece describes the waves of the ocean. Sweden is situated between two oceans, just like Colombia.” Henrik Schaefer.

THE BARITONE
GÜNTER HAUMER

Gunter Haumer is an Austrian baritone born in Vienna, renowned for his versatility in opera and concert repertoire. He began his musical training on clarinet and piano at the University of Music and Drama in Vienna, where he later studied singing, complementing his education at the Royal College of Music in London.

Since 2012, she has been part of the permanent cast of the Vienna Volksoper and has played leading roles in productions of Don Giovanni, The Traviata, So much for everything and The Fledermaus, among others. His career has taken him to stages in Europe and Latin America, including Bogotá's Teatro Mayor.

Haumer has collaborated with conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Christian Thielemann, and Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and has participated in festivals such as the Bayreuther Festspiele and the Oude Muziek Festival in Utrecht. He is also recognized for his interpretation of of lieder and has recorded works by Richard Strauss with pianist Roger Vignoles.

Currently, he combines his artistic career with teaching at the University of Music and Drama in Vienna.

Read the full interview with the conductor and baritone

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Season Concert No. 6 – The 4 seasons: 300 years

Director: Alexis Cárdenas (Venezuela)

Tiplista: Lucas Saboya (Colombia)

Four and harp: Gabriel Borrero (Venezuela)

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The Four Seasons: 300 Years is a masterpiece of Baroque music, and one of the first instrumental attempts at so-called "program music," in which music "paints" stories, landscapes, and situations. In this case, the moods and temperaments of each season are evoked by a virtuoso solo violin. This concert takes this root of program music and reinvents it with Afro-Latin idioms, bringing it closer to our own moods and temperaments. For this concert, we will feature renowned Venezuelan soloist Alexis Cárdenas, in a dual role as soloist and conductor.

Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra

Alberto Correa – Director Emeritus

Tami Daniel Rueda-Blanco – Associate Director *

VIOLINS I

Allison Lovera (guest concertmaster) M

Ana María López Cardona F

Cristian Cardona Gómez F

Gabriela Gisel Rosas Mejías F

Isabel Cristina Arango Caro F

Juan Andrés Rodríguez Berrio F

Juan Rodrigo Velásquez López F

Juan Sebastián Rivera Arango F

Marisol Rincon Ocampo F

Andrés Mostajo Yo

VIOLINS II

Luisa Fernanda Morales Reyes F

John Mario Trujillo Leal F

Camilo Martínez Colmenares F

David Eduardo Hoyos Mesa F

Herman Yamid Aguirre Giraldo F

John Brainer Garcia Soto F

Rafael Alexander Sierra Ramirez F

Valentina Orozco Yo

VIOLAS

Cristian David Merchan Amaya F

Ana María Rojas Gallego F

Bernardo Augusto Hoyos Mesa F

Edison Acosta Serna F

Harlen Davinson Cano Cuervo F

Jaison David Montoya Piedrahita F

Yisel Melisa Cano Castaño F

CELLOS

Karen Lizeth Londoño Munera F

Sergio Andrés Rivera Hurtado F

Sergio González Buitrago F

Fredy Alfonso Navarro Hurtado F

Juan David Henao Velásquez F

Juan David Orozco Gaviria F

DOUBLE BASSES

Ilko Semov Rusev F

Christian Camilo Jaramillo Sánchez F

Deivy Xavier Guerra Zapata F

Juan Guillermo Álvarez Londono F

Victor Hugo Henao Velásquez F

FLUTES

Elizabeth Osorio Lopera F

Fernando Jesús Enrique Martínez Ramírez F

Alejandra Marín Hincapié F

OBOES

Jaime Miguel Martínez Yépez F

Cristian David Cardenas Veloza F

Henry Lance Sepulveda F

CLARINETS

Laura Cecilia Payome Villoria F

Felipe Jimenez Murillo F

Halmar Munera Llano F

BASSOONS

David Felipe Reyes Bonilla F

Sebastián Castellanos Valencia F

Roberto Hernando Soto González F

HORNS

Jesus Esteban Avendaño Pérez F

Jairo Alexander Restrepo Guzmán F

Marisol López Londono F

Rodrigo Alonso Loaiza Rivera F

Sebastián Candamil M

TRUMPETS

Frank Augusto Londono Larrea F

Ramon Darío Paniagua Álvarez F

Saul Eduardo Morales Arango F

TROMBONES

Bladimir Alberto Hurtado Rivera F

Libardo Antonio Ospina Tamayo F

David Alonso Arboleda Afanador F

TUBA

Gustavo De Jesús Restrepo Restrepo F

PERCUSSION

Daniel Mejia Mejia F

Jhon Fredy Rojas Vargas F

Luis Felipe Montoya F

HARP

Diana Arias F

PIANO / CELESTA

Diego Salazar F

F Filarmed Musician

I Iberoacademy Musician

M Guest Musician

* The associate director is a position sponsored by the Fraternidad Medellín Foundation

Overture Club

Anonymous

Anonymous

Appoggiatura

Anonymous

RI

Jorge Adolfo Arango Montoya

Juan Guillermo Jaramillo

Piedad Aguirre and Sergio Restrepo

Olga Lucía Toro

Andrés Restrepo Isaza

Rafael Martínez Bravo

María Stella Gómez de Sanín

Adriana Herrera

Laura Jaramillo

Carolynn and Rick Johnson

Scott Wright

Board of directors

Ricardo Jaramillo Mejía - President

Advice

Cecilia María Vélez White

Juan Sebastián Jaramillo Sepúlveda

Juan Antonio Cuellar

Carlos Eduardo Mesa Mesa

Diego Mantilla Ortiz

Ana Cristina Abad Restrepo

Administrative group

María Catalina Prieto Vásquez – Executive Director

Elizabeth Castañeda Osorio

Wendy Paola Cadena Carreño

Veronica Mesa Mendoza

Sebastián Murillo Murillo

Angie Estefani González Sepúlveda

Alba Luz Jiménez Gaviria

Juan Carlos García Posada

Marlen Johanna Galeano Gil

Juanita Eslava Mejia

Claudia García Giraldo

Juan Felipe Vélez Agudelo

Sara Garcia Arango

Lina González Ramírez

José Alexander Hincapié Duque

Renso Humberto Hincapié Duque

Nicolás David Hincapié Duque

Santiago Molina Lopez

Alejandro Bolívar Correa

Juan Manuel Chavarría Quintero

Andrés Felipe Tabares Mayorga

Andrés Felipe Palacio Santamaría

Daniela Zapata Restrepo

Gabriela Polanía Rodríguez

Presents
Filarmed Comfama Alliance

Sponsors
Bancolombia – Sura – EPM – MUV Foundation – Miners – Iluma Fraternity Foundation – Corvette

Who Support Us
Ministry of Culture – National Plan for Music for Coexistence – Sounds for Peacebuilding – National Symphonic Music Association – José Gutiérrez Gómez Metropolitan Theater – Medellín Cultural, Medellín City Hall

Acknowledgments
Astor – Piccolo Pizzas – Poblado Plaza Hotels