World record attempt at the 20th North German Clarinet Days

From 3 to 6 October 2024, the North German Clarinet Days will be celebrating their 20th anniversary under the patronage of Bremen's Mayor and Senator for Culture, Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte. The organizers have come up with something very special for this occasion: On Saturday, October 5, 2024, there will be a concert for an entry in the “Guinness World Record” book: The largest clarinet orchestra in the world will perform together under the direction of Marco Thomas, Professor of Clarinet at the University of the Arts (HfK) Bremen. Around 400 clarinettists will travel to Bremen for the event. 

The internationally renowned clarinettist Sharon Kam will chair the jury for the world record attempt. It will take place in public in “Halle 1” of the former tobacco and cigarette factory Martin Brinkmann, Tabakquartier 10 in Woltmershausen, where the Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra has now found its rehearsal home. The clarinettists will be admitted to the hall at 4:30 pm. The open-stage concert starts at 5 p.m., followed by the world record attempt from 6 p.m., which will be recorded on video for the judging. An after-show party will take place from 7 pm to celebrate the world record attempt and the anniversary of the Clarinet Days. 

Of course, in addition to this unique event, there will once again be a wide range of activities for all participants of the Clarinet Days. From repair and stage fright workshops, individual lessons, ensemble playing and yoga to master classes, participants can put together their own personal course package. The complete program can be found here: https://klarinettentage.com/

Another highlight of the festival on Friday evening is the CD release concert by the clarinet and saxophone ensemble Clarinet News: since their first conspiratorial meeting in Leipzig's Gewandhaus in August 2002, they have been searching for new timbres and extraordinary chamber music. On their new CD “Notturni”, Clarinet News present a number of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Robert Schumann, Duke Ellington and Astor Piazzolla. According to the Thüringische Landeszeitung newspaper, this compilation offers a “kaleidoscope of virtuoso music with an indestructible entertainment character that will send you off into the night in high spirits.” The concert will take place on October 4, 2024, 8 pm, at the HfK Gallery, Dechanatstraße 13-15. Admission: €15 regular, €12 reduced (senior citizens, PWD, unemployed), €0 (pupils, students, trainees). Tickets are available at www.klarinettentage.com or at the box office.

The final concert of the Clarinet Days is entitled “Happy End!” and will take place on October 6, 2024, 4 p.m., with free admission in the HfK Gallery, Dechanatstraße 13-15. The results of the master, individual and ensemble courses of the previous days will be presented.