A new wind for Brandenburg: François Leleux leads the Potsdam Chamber Academy!

A new wind for Brandenburg: François Leleux leads the Potsdam Chamber Academy!

The Brandenburg classical music scene is on the move! A breath of fresh air is blowing through the Kammerakademie Potsdam (KAP), as François Leleux will take over the artistic direction from the coming 2025/26 season. He succeeds Antonello Manacorda, who is also highly valued in the musical world. The KAP, which has stood for innovative musical projects since its founding in 2001, is looking forward to this new phase.

François Leleux, an internationally sought-after oboe virtuoso, brings impressive experience to his new tasks. As an artistic partner of the Camerata Salzburg and artist-in-association at the Orchester de Chambre de Paris, he has set standards both as a musician and as a conductor. His passion for music and his desire to allow the audience to participate more deeply in the concerts are what set him apart. In his plans, he would like to bring the 33 members of the KAP onto the stage with a new approach - in semi-darkness in order to specifically draw attention to the music. “Tuning the instruments in public damages the audience’s ears,” says Leleux, who wants to make his performance modern and close to the audience by avoiding applause after the musicians enter in order to concentrate entirely on the music.

A look into the future of KAP

The first season under Leleux will be entitled “Movement” and will start on September 6th with a concert that includes Haydn’s symphony. His vision is to intensify contact with the audience and bring a breath of fresh air with innovative program ideas. He is also planning introductions before the performances and encores after the concerts in order to immerse the listeners even more in the world of classical music. These new elements are part of his plan to make the KAP even more interactive and accessible, including through visits to schools to get younger generations excited about classical music. With his fresh approaches, Leleux has already hit the nerve of the ensemble, as Tobias Lampelzammer, orchestra director, emphasizes.

But it's not just the Potsdam Chamber Academy that's experiencing change. The cultural sector also has new faces at other institutions in the region. Hasko Weber will take over as director of the Cottbus State Theater on an interim basis, while Berthold Schneider will aim for long-term management there in 2026. In addition, Jörg-Peter Weigle, 72 years old, is passing on the musical direction of the Brandenburg State Orchestra to 36-year-old Felix Mildenberger, which indicates a generational change. Georg Quander is said farewell in the Schloss Rheinsberg chamber opera; his successor, Jelle Dierickx, was previously program director at the Potsdam Sanssouci Music Festival.

A new era begins

These developments show that a new creative pulse is beating in Brandenburg. From leading minds like Bettina Jahnke at the Hans Otto Theater to Heike Bohmann in the Nikolaisaal to Dorothee Oberlinger at the music festival - the region is well attended. The commercial management at the theaters in Cottbus and Brandenburg/Havel is also making progress because women have responsibility there.

François Leleux's impressive international career and his new ideas for the KAP not only arouse anticipation for the next seasons, but also help to further enrich the Brandenburg classical music scene. The coming months will be exciting and promise to make the KAP concerts an unforgettable experience, and the audience can look forward to a breath of fresh musical air.