German soprano Julia Sophie Wagner is a highly sought-after concert singer, specializing in the vocal works of Johann Sebastian Bach. All of her projects originate in the quest for new audiences for art song and trying to reach them so they can discover their love of the genre.
“Being on stage with wonderful, talented musicians, making incredibly beautiful music, constantly learning and widening my horizons musically, mentally, and literally through travel involved, and by all this creating something meaningful for others — as fleeting as it may be — is a wonderful way to spend my life!” Julia says.
Princess Elise
One attempt to find this audience is Princess Elise, a fairytale written by Julia that is built around some of the most beautiful art songs by Schumann, Schubert, and Beethoven, and then turned into musical theater. This has been aired on the German National Radio as well as recorded on an album.
Most recently it was translated into English and will be shown during the 2019 Oregon Bach Festival on Saturday, July 13. It will be performed at the Wildish Theater in Springfield, Oregon, which is a new location for the Oregon Bach Festival as it broadens its reach to capture more audiences and serve the community.
“I get many wonderful reactions from children as well as their parents, and I am very curious to see what the children at OBF will think of Princess Elise!” Julia says.
Classical Music Education
The key for musical education is hands-on learning for all children, starting from a very young age, such as singing in daycare and kindergarten, learning an instrument, and joining orchestras and choirs in school.
“Classical music needs a certain knowledge and mind frame to be appreciated. That doesn’t mean that it has to be or should be something for an educated upper class,” Julia says.
There are many studies that prove music and the arts are of greatest importance for a healthy and thriving society, and she said funding for the arts in education should be one of the biggest concerns for any government.
It also is the responsibility of musicians and arts organizations, but the greatest responsibility is on parents.
“It’s easy to let your kids sit in front of a TV or a computer for most of their free time. Sing with your children! Teach them the songs you know, make up your own silly music — let music and singing be an active part of your life! Once that core interest is there, then high-quality music education will have a chance,” Julia says.
J.S. Bach and Other Classical Masters
Another project Julia is working on is related to the 100th year jubilee of the Bauhaus movement and transplanting the idea of it onto modern classical music. The Staatliches Bauhaus was a German art school that combined crafts and the fine arts, and had a profound influence upon subsequent developments in art, architecture, graphic design, interior design, industrial design, and typography. A chamber music program juxtaposing the music of J.S. Bach and new music was commissioned, and is exploring the questions of complexity and quality versus accessibility of modern classical music, all of which will be presented in respect to the architecture of the pieces as well as the concert space.
“J.S. Bach is someone who successfully never differentiated between art and craft, just like what the founders and followers of the Bauhaus were trying to achieve,” Julia says.
Julia also is working on another project she said is “about to become a butterfly”: a music video for Franz Schubert’s “Du bist die Ruh”, a beautiful love song that, when looking a little closer, isn’t quite as happy as it seems to be.
“I used the means of videography not to illustrate my singing, but to add another layer of interpretation,” she says.
In addition to OBF Family: Princess Elise on July 13, Julia will be performing at Bach in Motion on Friday, July 5, and C.P.E. Bach Magnificat on Tuesday, July 9.
Learn more about Julia Sophie Wagner.
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