Luxemburg Echternach BW 2016-08-06 17-30-05

The Echternach Music Festival (now Echterlive Festival) is an international event which was held in May and June every year from 1975 at

Echternach Echternach (, ; or locally ) is a commune with town status in the canton of Echternach, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg. History The town grew around the Abbey of Echt ...

in the east of

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

. In addition to classical music, modern compositions were performed in the 18th century basilica of St Willibrord and in the church of St Peter and Paul. Since 2008, there has also been a jazz festival held in September and October. Over the years, renowned international artists such as

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin (22 April 191612 March 1999), was an American-born British violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in Britain. He is widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. ...

Gidon Kremer Gidon Kremer (; born 27 February 1947) is a Latvian classical violinist, artistic director, and founder of Kremerata Baltica. Life and career Gidon Kremer was born in Riga. His father was Jewish and had survived the Holocaust. His mother had ...

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works, which enl ...

Maurice André Maurice André (21 May 1933 – 25 February 2012) was a French trumpeter, active in the classical music field. He was professor of trumpet at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris where he introduced the teaching of the pic ...

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (; 28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012) was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music. One of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period, he is best known as a singer of Franz Schubert's ...

Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (born October 7, 1955) is a French-born American Cello, cellist. Born to Chinese people, Chinese parents in Paris, he was regarded as a child prodigy there and began to study the cello with his father at age four. At the age of seven, ...

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, and conductor (music), conductor. His Vocal pedagogy, vocal techniques include singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in Pitch (music), pitch—fo ...

Jordi Savall Jordi Savall i Bernadet (; born 1 August 1941) is a Spanish Conducting, conductor, composer and viol player. He has been one of the major figures in the field of Western early music since the 1970s, largely responsible for popularizing the viol ...

played. The festival rebranded as the Echterlive Festival in 2019, and celebrated its 44th anniversary that year.

History

The Echternach Music Festival was an international event which was held in May and June every year between 1975 and 2018 at

in the east of

. In addition to classical music, modern compositions were performed in the 18th century basilica of St Willibrord and in the church of St Peter and Paul. In 2008 the Trifolion, a modern concert hall, was added to the venues. A jazz festival held in September and October was also added to the even in 2008. The festival rebranded as the Echterlive Festival in 2019, and celebrated its 44th year in 2019. The festival was founded by Georges Calteux and Dr. Jean Kraft. Pianist

Cyprien Katsaris Cyprien Katsaris (; born 5 May 1951) is a French- Cypriot virtuoso pianist, teacher and composer. Amongst his teachers were Monique de la Bruchollerie, a student of Emil von Sauer, who had been a pupil of Franz Liszt. He is known for his refine ...

was the artistic director for thirty years. Adrien Meisch, a former Ambassador of Luxembourg, and Georges Santer have both served as chairman. Over the years, renowned international artists such as

played alongside young talent from Luxembourg and abroad. Musically speaking the Festival ranges from medieval and classic music to jazz and world music.

External links

Festival International Echternach websiteEchterlive Festival website

References

{{Members of the European Festival Association Jazz festivals in Luxembourg Echternach