Article by Fritz Jurmann in theVorarlberger Nachrichten, November 25th 2021.
The pianist Hanna Bachmann is reviving her acclaimed “Musical Advent Calendar.”
Among those who continue to create and rely on digital offerings to stay connected with their audience is the pianist Hanna Bachmann (28). The artist, who has long extended her radius of activity far beyond her home region and recently launched a concert series at the Röthner Schlössle with the support of her hometown, already has significant experience in this field. A year ago, she first attracted attention with her daily “Musical Advent Calendar”. The project’s success was so great that, in spring, she followed up with another streaming format, “The Sound of Spring”, presented over four weekends. On December 1st, she will now relaunch her digital Advent Calendar, bringing festive anticipation and pre-Christmas atmosphere into people’s homes.
An Electronic Calendar
On each of the 24 days of Advent, a “door” of the electronic calendar opens, with Bachmann performing 24 carefully selected piano pieces in short videos. Listeners will discover music by six female and 18 male composers whose identities remain a surprise until the day of release. The works span 250 years of music history, ranging from well-known names to hidden gems. All the videos are recorded in her own living room, reviving the tradition of Hausmusik in a new, virtual form.
The artist recalls:
“The Advent Calendar project was an experiment last year, put together at very short notice. It was intense work and came with a certain financial risk in an already uncertain situation. At first, I was completely overwhelmed, and it took me a while to grasp its full scope — especially after 20 canceled concerts in one year alone. But after some thought, I decided to take the risk, and I was absolutely delighted by the positive response. Not only was I able to cover all costs, but I even came out ahead.”
Interested listeners can already watch a teaser and book access at christmas.hannabachmann.com. All that is required is an email address: either your own or that of a recipient, since access can also be gifted for Christmas. Starting December 1st, with the release of the first video, subscribers will receive daily details for the new musical suprise.