JOrchestra and German Embassy Celebrate Beethoven's Ingenuity

Under the patronage of the German Ambassador to Jordan HE Ms. Brigitta Siefker Eberle and HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, the Jordanian National Orchestra Association (JOrchestra) and the German Embassy in Amman will commemorate the 190th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's death with a special concert that will celebrate the genius of the German composer and pianist on February 19th, at 7,30 pm, at Al Hussein Cultural Center. 

In one of 2017's classical highlights, German-leading conductor Georg Mais will lead JOrchestra's performance of Egmont Overture, Op. 84 and Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 meanwhile, Violinist Basel Theodory will perform romance for violin and orchestra No. 2 in F Major, Op. 50. 

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh said: "I fell in love with Germany when I worked at a music shop as student to earn my pocket money. In my teens, I discovered Beethoven, as an old man I am in love with Wagner and in between I can say thanks to Germany for giving us the many great composers that made our lives happier." 

In 2001, Mais founded the Mozart Summer at Schloss Salem and in 2005 he appeared in Mar del Plata and Buenos Aires as guest conductor with the Argentine National Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, he directed the concert celebrating the 250th birthday of WA Mozart in the Cologne Philharmonie. Since 2009 Georg Mais has served as the artistic director of the International Lake Constance Music Competition. 

He studied violin, viola and conducting at the music academies in Trossingen, Freiburg and Stuttgart. After graduation he attended masterclasses by Karl Münchinger, Sergiu Celibidache, Helmuth Rilling and John Elliot Gardiner. He conducted several orchestras worldwide such as the Houston Chamber Orchestra, the Panama Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, Thuringian Philharmonic, Saxon Elbland Philharmonic, and the Bergische Symphony. Georg Mais is the artistic director of the Eifel Mozart Weeks. Founded in 2001, it is one of the largest music festivals in the Rhineland Palatinate. 

Meanwhile, Theodory began his studies at the National Music Conservatory (NMC) of Amman at the age of five. After finishing eight grades in the music curriculum of the British Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) in just four years, he completed the requirements for and was awarded with the Advanced Certificate of the ABRSM. At fourteen years of age, he was the youngest student to have earned such a certificate. 

Theodory subsequently earned the French Superieure Certificate from the Joint Jury of the Jordanian National Music Conservatory and Conservatoire National de Region de Boulogne-Billancourt, France. He also received a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance in accordance with the cooperation agreement between the National Music Conservatory and Yarmouk University. In 2003, Theodory presented a concert in which he had the privilege of playing for the King of Jordan and the Sultan of Oman.

Source :NNA