MUSIC LIBRARY LIVE 2025-2026 screening event: A Flight through the Orchestra – Tugan Sokhiev conducts Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2
Dear Users,
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly into a symphony orchestra and experience every instrument up close?
On March 13 at 3:30 pm, the Music Library invites you to a truly unique screening event: A Flight through the Orchestra – Tugan Sokhiev conducts Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 2. This is no ordinary concert recording—it's an audiovisual adventure through the orchestra! The camera takes you inside the ensemble, letting you witness—with your own eyes—how the cellos lay down a warm foundation, how the woodwinds add delicate bird-like melodies, and how the brass erupts at just the right moment. You won’t just hear the music—you’ll see it being woven together, note by note.
? A Single Shot That Flies You Into the Music
The filming technique is unlike anything you've seen before: cameras glide above the orchestra, moving with the music, pausing at every section, and zooming in on each musician. You'll feel like a bee darting through a garden of instruments, savoring every drop of musical sweetness. Each movement of the symphony was filmed in a single, unedited shot—bringing you closer to the music and musicians than ever.
? A Striking Location: A Berlin Power Station
The concert was filmed in an old power station on the outskirts of Berlin—a space that carries the memory and imagery of Germany at the turn of the last century. The collision of industrial heritage and classical music adds a whole new dimension to the experience.
? Why Brahms' Symphony No. 2?
If Brahms' First Symphony is a thunderous "heroic epic," then his Second is a tender "pastoral idyll." Composed in the summer at Lake W?rth in Austria, this symphony radiates warmth, sunlight, and gentle nostalgia. Brahms himself once wrote to his publisher: "The melodies fly so thick here that you have to be careful not to step on one."
But don’t let its serene surface fool you! Beneath lies Brahms' masterful counterpoint, rich harmonic language, and brilliant orchestration. It combines folk-like simplicity with symphonic depth—one of the most captivating works of the Romantic era, often compared to Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, yet entirely original.
?? Content of Screening: A Flight through the Orchestra – Tugan Sokhiev conducts Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 2
? Date & Time: March 13, 2026 (Friday) 15:30–16:30
? Venue: Recital Hall 102, Academic Office Building (MUS), School of Music (2 International University Park Road, Longgang District, Shenzhen)
? Registration:
o External Visitors: Please scan the QR code on the poster to register (limited to one seat per registration).
o CUHK-Shenzhen Faculty & Students: Welcome to attend directly; no registration needed.
? About the Performers of the Concert to be Screened
Tugan Sokhiev (b. 1977) is a renowned Russian conductor and the last pupil of the legendary "conductor-maker" Ilya Musin. He is a much-sought-after guest at the world's leading opera houses and orchestras. Sokhiev has served as Music Director of the Bolshoi Theatre, the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and has collaborated with numerous top orchestras across Europe, Asia, and the United States. As an opera conductor, he has appeared at Welsh National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera, and many other prestigious venues. He is a Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite and was named "Musician Personality of the Year" by the French Music Critics' Association in 2014.
The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO) is a German broadcast orchestra based in Berlin. Founded in 1946 as the RIAS Symphony Orchestra, it has attracted outstanding artists throughout its history. Its music directors have included Ferenc Fricsay, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Chailly, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Kent Nagano. Tugan Sokhiev served as Music Director from 2012 to 2016, leaving a significant mark on Berlin's musical life.
Whether you're a seasoned classical music lover or simply curious about immersive audiovisual experiences, this screening will open your ears—and eyes—to Brahms like never before. So come and fly with us into the music — and hear Brahms like never before!
We can't wait to see you at the screening event! ?
The Music Library of MUS
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
March 11, 2026
