Dear music lovers,

it is now fifty years since Galerie St. Barbara was launched as the platform for our various activities such as musik+, the Tyrol Easter Festival, OrgelSPIEL and ORGELfest, and young people from Hall began to breathe life into the town through art and culture, both for themselves and for many others. In September 1968 the first exhibition opened with works by Anton Tiefenthaler, and more were to follow over a period of four years (including Nino Malfatti, Rudolf Wacker, Peter Prandstetter, Reiner Schiestl, Paul Flora and Gerhild Diesner). In the first few years up to 1972 already, an art gallery with music became a performing arts gallery devoted to a variety of disciplines. It made its mark on Hall and soon became well-known beyond the borders of Austria; to this day, it is a venue that attracts artists (and audiences) from all over the world. Since its inception, it has delivered powerful stimuli that have triggered a variety of initiatives. The focus at Galerie St. Barbara is on linking different forms of art and life. In the next two seasons we will be reviving the past and celebrating the present with trust in the future.

Good companions: John Tilbury presents music by Morton Feldman and also something of his biography as well as Cornelius Cardew and the related scene including Michael Parsons and Howard Skempton. Something new is offered by Philippe Herreweghe with his ensemble (also celebrating its jubilee): In the film Lebenslicht, which was commissioned from Clara Pons, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach is the frame to the drama. A highlight of sound and music is provided by Markus Hinterhäuser, who first joined us in 1992. He will be playing Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen with Igor Levit.

Many new friends have been made, also in recent years. We will again have the pleasure of hearing Jean-Guihen Queyras (Part 2 of Bach’s Cello Suites and contemporary responses). Together with their father Djamchid Chemirani, the grand master of the zarb, Bijan and Keyvan Chemirani bring us classic Persian music with elements of the here and now. In the field of contemporary music, the Ensemble Phace fathoms the infinite possibilities generated by music combined with electronics and moving images. After a three year break, with the help of the weather gods, the final concert will be held in the open air with Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien.

There will be young faces, too: Il Convito conducted by Maude Gratton (from Baroque to Romantic on original instruments), while Ageet Zweistra (Edding Quartet – Beethoven) and Romina Lischka (Hathor Consort – Purcell and modern music) approach the music of various periods with their experience of early music. All three are also members of Philippe Herreweghe’s ensemble.

Musicians from the Tyrol: Michael Schöch explores Schumann’s paths, his future and links with the past. The Marini-Consort-Innsbruck is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the Christmas concert. And in the framework of Zukunft.Musik Trio Artio, which was founded around the Tyrolean pianist Johanna Estermann, will be making its debut with music by Staud, Wisser, Pirchner and others.

For a more aware experience of the music there is also the Salons and .daneben (a journey through times and worlds with Gerhard Crepaz talking to musicians and composers).

We look forward to sharing some time with you and wish you moments of joy and relaxation as you browse through the programme.

Hannah Crepaz and team