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2008 we celebrate the 20th jubilee of the "Klevischer Klaviersommer", which annually takes place in the idyllic area of the "Forstgarten Kleve" and invites the audience to enjoy a pleasant concert experience.
Thinking about the possibility of presenting something very unique this year, the technical manager Georg Neinhuis had the idea of connecting the Klaviersommer-jubilee with another one: the 120th anniversary of the famous and outstanding russian pianist Heinrich Neuhaus.
Neuhaus' family originates from lower Rhine city Kalkar, neighbourtown to Kleve, and is primarily committed to making pianos. Heinrich Neuhaus' father Gustav is the son of the factory owner Wilhelm Neuhaus (factory name: "W. Neuhaus Söhne Calcar"). Making music, especially playing the piano, is tradition in the Neuhaus' home, and so Gustav decides to become pianist rather than fabricant. After finishing his studies in Cologne, he moves to Russia, where he builds up his own music school and lays the foundation for his son's later success.
Heinrich (nickname "Harry") is born 1888 and becomes one of the most significant personalities of the history of piano playing in the 20th century, both as pianist as well as piano pedagogue (for further biographical information see 2008).
Teaching young pianists was not only Heinrich Neuhaus' profession, but is Professor Boguslaw Jan Strobel's, too. He is the art director - or rather the "heart" - of the Klevischer Klaviersommer. Due to his work at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf, he tutors many foreign students and holds up connections to the asian area. So this year a special accompaniment are international workshops and master classes, in which students from Korea improve their skills.
Besides Prof. Strobel some considerable tutors will teach the piano workshop (July 17 to July 28), and give the concerts of the Klevischer Klaviersommer afterwards: Anna Malikova, Prof. Vladimir Krajnew, Prof. Elena Richter (who plays the concert with her daughter Ekatarina Richter) and Stanislaw Bunin - the grandson of Heinrich Neuhaus!
A transboundary concert is planned, too: the orchestra (orchestral master classes from July 9 to July 16) will perform in Museum Het Valkhof (Netherlands) on July 13.
Accompanying lectures and exhibitions will deliver further insights in the life and work of Heinrich Neuhaus.
Besides a receipt of the pupils of the master courses (date not assured yet), a final evening is planned in the "Hotel Cleve". Students and responsible persons will meet the officials and the numerous sponsors then.

We hope you thoroughly enjoy the visit of this website as well as the concerts in Kleve in this special year 2008.