2500 young musicians kick off Esch2022 music summer

The fourteenth edition of the European Youth Music Festival has launched the summer of music with its 350 concerts, 100 ensembles and 2500 young musicians from 18 European countries. From June and throughout the whole summer, music in all its styles and genres will be in the spotlight in the European Capital of Culture. Apart from the established festivals - with prestigious partners such as the Rockhal and the Francofolies -, there will be some brand new festivals popping up in the south of Luxembourg and the neighbouring municipalities. Music will take over the concert halls but also some quite unusual locations in all the different neighbourhoods - industrial wastelands, nature reserves, former blast furnaces, public transport, parks, the banks of the river Alzette and even improvised picnics!

Visitors are also invited to create their own music in the many workshops organised throughout the European Capital of Culture. Sing your heart out, discover the sounds of tomorrow and instruments from all over Europe: Esch2022 aims to open up the world of music to people of all ages and also to the hearing impaired.

The festival season is on!

Open-air events in the university district of Esch-Belval

Following the great success of the first edition of the Open Air Belval with Sting in 2018, the Rockhal is presenting three exceptional open-air concerts this year, in partnership with Esch2022, featuring major artists in a unique and majestic setting, at the foot of the blast furnaces of Esch-Belval right across the street from the Rockhal: the pop music superstars Black Eyed Peas will be performing on the 15 June, followed by Imagine Dragons on the 16 June, and the American rock stars The Killers on the 10 July. www.openairbelval.lu

A DJ set in the remains of a former blast furnace

Also in collaboration with the Rockhal, Esch2022 presents LA FRAICHEUR at Socle C on 16 July 2022. This concert (DJ set) accompanies the exhibition Earthbound - In Dialogue with Natureorganised by Esch2022 in collaboration with HEK (House of Electronic Arts) and presented at the Möllerei in Esch-Belval from 4 June to 14 August 2022. LA FRAICHEUR revisits the concept of the traditional club at Socle C, which will be transformed into a hotspot for music and dance. Next up is the Serbian Filip Xavi, known as one of the main players in the contemporary Serbian techno scene.

The Festival NBRDRS (No Borders)

The globalisation of media economy and cultural industries generated in particular by digital platforms such as Netflix or Spotify have and will transform the limits of how we consume contemporary cultural goods. By taking into account this new reality and the new geographical dimensions of culture, the Rockhal, in collaboration with Esch2022, aims to highlight this diversity as well as the influence of the younger generations in order to confront them with the already extremely cosmopolitan territory of the European Capital of Culture. In this context, several emerging and established hip hop and rap artists from Cape Verde, Italy, Portugal, Serbia and neighbouring countries, will perform, exchange and interact with their audience in a totally new and unique format at Socle C, a venue steeped in history and looking to the future at the same time. As a result, all physical, geographical, digital and cultural borders will collapse during the last few days of July, and the love of music will be our only common denominator. Festival NBRDRS

Francofolies d’Esch-sur-Alzette

The Festival des Francofolies d'Esch-Alzette is the latest addition to the Francofolies family, which exists all over the world, and it has great ambitions. The festival aims to promote the city and the country's image on an international scale, to uphold Luxembourg's multiculturalism and to pass on the vibrant heritage of francophilia and francophonie in the Grand Duchy. The festival wants to be a pioneer in Luxembourg and presents itself as both a modern event for contemporary music and an environmentally friendly one. The content of the Francofolies Esch/Alzette will be in line with the festival's philosophy and will be treated in a playful, experimental and aesthetic way, from the artistic programme to the scenography and the logistics. This way, there will be a common “green” thread running through this brand new Esch adventure!

Apart from the concerts REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER / ALCEST / BRUTUS / SCARRED at the Kulturfabrik on 08.06 and Sofiane Pamart at the Escher Theater on 11.06.2022 at 3 pm, there will be performances at the Gaalgebierg Park in Esch-Alzette with Francis of Delirium / Lala&Cie / Charles / Juliette Armanet / Thylacine / PNL / Mezerg on 10 June at 5.15 pm and with Lil Star, Maz, Poupie Eddy de Pretto Lujipeka, Roméo Elvis, Vladimir Cauchemar, Damso on 12.06 at 3 pm. Full programme: Le festival (francofolies.lu)

USINA 22, a new festival on the site of the former steel factory in Dudelange

As the “Zeltik”, “Like a Jazz Machine”, the “Fête de la Musique”, the “Fête des Cultures”, “Eat, Beat & Culture” and the “Summerstage” have clearly demonstrated, festivals have shaped the life in Dudelange for many decades. In this spirit, it was an absolute must to create a new festival within the framework of the European Capital of Culture Esch2022 and the “Usina 22” festival was born. For the very first time, three of Luxembourg's biggest festival organisers have collaborated to create a brand new open-air festival from 11 to 12 June, taking place on the site of the former steel factory with, among others, Kings of Leon, Alice Merton, Fools Garden, Caribou, Tuys, Francis of Delirium, Mathilda, The Myterines, Tukan, Culture The Kid, Klein, Claire Parsons, Siegfried & Joy, Chasey Negro, Crack Cloud... In collaboration with Den Atelier and De Gudde Wëllen the organisers have created a festival that combines the traditions of a “Food For Your Senses”, a “Rock-a-Field”, a “Siren's Call” and a “Fête de la Musique”. One of the objectives of this new festival is to give more visibility to the different institutional, associative and commercial partners. Usina22

Thanks to the cooperation with the HörgeschädigtenBeratung SmH, people with a hearing impairment have the opportunity to try out the Immersive Live® solution by wearing “vibro-acoustic” waistcoats at a number of different concerts. This tactile device converts amplified music into vibration for a more intense experience during live concerts, sound experiments or dance performances. Its gentle approach, without sound amplification, is also suitable for people with hearing aids. This process, implemented within the framework of Esch2022, allows for a better consideration of the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing public by the venues, but also by the artists, and ensures a better involvement of the hearing impaired. (Reservation via info@esch2022.lu)

Finding music in the different neighbourhoods and discovering unusual places

The European Capital of Culture wants to unleash creative energy through a range of participatory projects, driven by exchange, dialogue, active participation and co-creation. The different formats are designed to introduce participants to new artistic disciplines and encourage new encounters, discussions and forms of expression. These more intimate projects in all the different neighbourhoods, on trains or in other unusual places, aim to complement the major festivals.

Estivales de l'Alzette

The Estivales de l'Alzette are a celebration of the diversity of arts and cultures, reflecting the richness of the region by involving the population, cultural associations and local communities. The Estivales de l'Alzette are four days of festivities (08.07.2022 - 10.07.2022) revolving around the cultural and associative diversity of the region, combining music, dance, cinema, theatre and gastronomy. To inaugurate the Festival du Film Italien de Villerupt, a film-concert will take place at L'Arche in collaboration with the Philharmonie Luxembourg. Estivales de l'Alzette

7SÓIS LUSO MED ESCH ORKESTRA

The objective of the 7SÓIS LUSO MED ESCH ORKESTRA is to create an intercultural orchestra consisting of 6 musicians from Cape Verde, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Luxembourg. The 6 musicians were selected within the framework of a programme developed in the 30 cities of 11 countries of the Mediterranean and the Portuguese-speaking world where the Sete Sóis Sete Luas Festival takes place. These musicians don't know each other, don't speak the same language, and have never worked together, but they share the universal language of music. Following a one-week artistic residency in the city of Esch-Alzette, 11 concerts will take place between 1 and 11 July 2022 in the 11 Luxembourg cities of the Esch2022 territory. This production, which revisits the musical traditions of the Mediterranean, includes the participation of local amateur ensembles such as choirs, in partnership with the Institut Européen de Chant Choral (INECC) Luxembourg. The project is directed by Italian composer and multi-instrumentalist Stefano Saletti. www.festival7sois.eu

Luxembourg Pride

To kick off the Luxembourg Pride in style, the famous queer artist Boy George and Edsun, wearing the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress, will perform on the 4th of July from 7 to 8 pm! (Free concert, Brillplatz, Place de la Résistance in Esch-Alzette) luxembourgpride.lu

NoiZi, A Street Band Festival

NoiZi, A Street Band Festival is a truly innovative project in Luxembourg that is spontaneous and full of energy. The “StreetnoiZe Festival” provides a brand new, more vibrant and direct approach to musical culture in the Greater Region. This wind music festival wants to take music out of the concert halls and bring it back to where it came from: to the streets, where it can be enjoyed by people who are not necessarily fond of traditional cultural events. The Harmonie de Soleuvre offers musical performances that think outside the box, that are freer and simpler, that encourage the spontaneous participation of other musicians and that invite the public on 16, 17 and 18 July to dance and freely express their joie de vivre. The organisers want to launch a vibrant, 'fresh' and loud festival that encourages people to experience the passion of “unplugged” music wherever they are, in the middle of the street, with bands and groups from all over Europe. NoiZi, A Street Band Festival

Minett on Tour

The Minett on Tour project organised by the Harmonie Municipale de la Ville de Differdange invites all orchestras in the Esch2022 territory to play a 10-minute concert in each participating town on 18 June. This event will give music enthusiasts the opportunity to discover 19 concerts in the south of Luxembourg and in the neighbouring French towns. A final concert will be organised at the Stade Municipal in Differdange. The orchestras will be joined by pupils from the music schools of the region to form a giant orchestra with a symbolic number of 2022 musicians. Minett on Tour

Hidden Session

The Hidden Session project invites you to a series of events between 22 June and 2 July that will feature music in extraordinary places, organised by the non-profit organisation HIDDEN SESSIONS. They aim to introduce the Luxembourg and international communities to so-called ‘hidden’ locations in the European Capital of Culture Esch2022. Each Hidden Session is designed to bring residents and visitors closer to locations of particular historical and cultural significance, while challenging the traditional commercial conventions of cultural events. Hidden Session

For jazz lovers, Esch2022 and the two other European Capitals of Culture, Kaunas 2022 (Lithuania) and Novi Sad 2022 (Serbia), have created the project Jazz eXchange!, a trilateral collaboration initiated by the municipality of Dudelange in order to create a “Jazz” work with musicians of very different cultural, historical, social and political backgrounds. After a first visit to Luxembourg, the musicians are currently preparing their next performances in Kaunas. JazzeXchange

Acoustic Picnics

We invite the public to participate in the “acoustic picnics”, a series of thirty events organised by the municipality of Dudelange, taking place from mid-July to mid-September 2022 in the Haard nature reserve. In accordance with the ecological spirit of “Zero Waste”, we will use solar-powered LED lamps and no electric sound system. The smaller format of these picnics creates a unique closeness between the artists and the public, who will be encouraged to sing, dance and set the pace of the event. We will be offering different styles of music: traditional local music (Mineurslidder), classical music, singer-songwriter concerts and we will be creating a piece of music for a project that uses the environment of the Haard as a resonance body, as inspiration or even as a musical instrument. Acoustic Picnics

Musical Train

This is a collaboration between the UGDA Music School, the Union Européenne des Concours de Musique pour la Jeunesse (EMCY), Natų knygynas and the Conservatoire de Musique de la Ville d'Esch. It consists of two simultaneously organised activities from 18 to 21 June in the European Capitals of Culture 2022 Esch-Alzette (Luxembourg) and Kaunas (Lithuania), with a final activity in Brussels.

Four young musicians from all over Europe, including one from Luxembourg, will meet in Esch-Alzette for a week of workshops, rehearsals and concerts. Afterwards, they will travel by train to Brussels where they will meet the other musicians from Lithuania for the final event. At the same time, four young musicians, including a Lithuanian musician, will meet in Kaunas where they will carry out awareness-raising campaigns and flash mobs on trains, in railway stations and in refugee, cultural and social centres. They will then travel across Europe by train with performances in Warsaw and Berlin before joining the other group of musicians in Brussels for the final concert. Musical Train

Belong

BELONG: (Be, Embrace, Learn, Orchestrate, Navigate, and Give) aims to preserve the world's cultural heritage while promoting intercultural understanding and exchange around folk arts and creating synergies between multidisciplinary and multicultural art forms. BELONG engages musicians and artists through a series of master classes, bootcamps and workshops, in which artists teach each other the arts and music of their countries and cultures and attempt to blend their individual styles into a unique artistic creation. This work will be presented in a series of concerts taking place over the course of the project. BELONG serves as a reference for the cultural identity of the Esch2022 territory by highlighting the artistic potential and cultural diversity of the region through the creation of a versatile, unique and inclusive product that is attractive to everyone, regardless of their cultural background.

The project includes concerts and masterclasses of folk rock music, classical Indian music and tablas, oriental jazz, flamenco dance, folk music, an Egyptian dance workshop or masterclasses of Gnawa music, Chinese traditional music, Swedish traditional music, African rhythmic music, African dance, Mongolian traditional music, Afro-Venezuelan music, Egyptian zar and flamenco. Belong

La Roda

The “Roda” project offers capoeira and Afro-Brazilian dance classes (Maculele, Jongo, Puxada de Rede, Samba de Roda) for absolutely everyone in the municipalities of Esch-Alzette and Differdange. The participants of the project will put their acquired knowledge to good use by creating a cultural theatre event.

Uelington Ramos de Oliveira (“Professor Pelezinho”), president of the association, will pass on his experience in the field of capoeira and, more broadly, of cultural and sports education. Capoeira and Afro-Brazilian dances bring the participants together in a circle, a so-called “roda”. La Roda

Turning science into music with the Sound of Data project

SOUND OF DATA “science meets music”, a project developed by the Fonds National de la Recherche and Jean-Paul Bertemes, is a collaboration with the Rockhal that aims to transform scientific data into music. It explores new ways of creating, interpreting and experiencing music and art by using multi-sourced data as the basis of the creative process, i.e. by remixing scientific and artistic approaches. The project focuses on the idea of using data sets gathered in different contexts as the basis for a musical composition.

This concept will be used on four different datasets (traffic data, historical data, crowd sourced data and 3D body scan data) in order to explore topics of high societal relevance and to correspond to the main artistic themes of Esch2022. The tangible results of the project and a training programme for musicians and scientists will contribute to the development and dissemination of this art form in the Esch22 region beyond 2022. www.thesoundofdata.lu

“Les Voix des Terres Rouges”

Through “Les Voix des Terres Rouges”, the Orchestre national de Metz is launching a participative choral project together with two historical institutions of the cross-border choral scene: INECC Mission Voix Lorraine and INECC Luxembourg. This project is based on a collective amateur practice approach and not on collective practice by amateurs. This creation for choir and orchestra resulted from a commission to the Luxembourg composer Catherine Kontz, who is internationally renowned and knows the region very well. The aim of the project is to invite amateur choirs from the region - of all levels, adults and children - to join the Orchestre National de Metz in performing a new work inspired by the region's industrial past (in particular through the use of different sound materials) and by the diversity of its cultures today. This participatory project will bring together amateur choirs (children and adults) to work together throughout the year 2021/22, and will result in concerts in June and July 2022. « Les Voix des Terres Rouges »

Sing, craft and play with your family at SKIP and throughout the whole country

The SKIP is the space dedicated to young audiences of the European Capital of Culture, Esch2022, and offers a wide range of activities for children, teenagers and adults from the region. In the coming weeks, children will have the opportunity to discover a multitude of workshops. The Spectacle Makey Makey on 10 and 11 June teaches them to play music using fruit or to build a video game controller using modelling clay in order to play Mario Bros. During this workshop, Ben Konen, a teacher from Luxembourg, will explain to the participants how they can make their environment interactive. The DIY LUFTORCHESTER workshop from 2 to 3 July gives participants the opportunity to create musical instruments out of recycled materials or items collected in nature. The workshop ends with a mini-concert involving all the participants. On 23 July Hip Hop for Kids will combine text, beats and energy. This interactive workshop will introduce both children and adults to the different facets of Hip Hop and Rap and how this musical genre is all about self-expression and verbal as well as physical engagement. From 27 to 30 July, the BEATBOX FEAT workshop invites you to play and compose a solo piece of music. With a simple rhythm and bass line combined with a melody you can create a new, original song, using only your mouth as an instrument (beatboxing) and experimenting with a loop station.

The Mini-Francofoliesare dedicated to the younger audiences. During the Francofolies in Esch-Alzette and throughout the week leading up to it, children have the opportunity to attend concerts indoors or in a park, meet the musicians, have fun in workshops, enjoy a musical tasting event or discover the backstage area. The Kinnerskanner-Orgelkidsshow in Dudelange (St Martin's Church) on 12 June introduces children to the “king of all instruments”. Organists from all over the world are lining up to play on the Dudelange organ. To understand how this giant instrument works, children have the possibility to take part in a workshop to build their own miniature replica from a model kit containing all the essential elements to make it sound like its life-size model!