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It all started with the Bummi song:
Stephan Katte
Age:
38
Marital Status:
married, 2 children
Residence:
Weimar
Current Occupation:
Horn player specialised in historical performance, lectureship at music universities in Weimar and Rostock
What was your first, defining experience with music?
That was when I was 2 or 3 years old, the Bummi song "A little teddy bear came home from the toy store" at the daycare centre.
What do you find special about your instrument?
Playing the natural horn well is only possible when the entire body and its senses are active, so basically it's a daily spiritual experience. And, at the focal point of its range is the natural major triad.
What was your most memorable concert experience in Bad Elster to date?
Schumann's concert piece for four horns with my colleauges from Weimar in May, 2005.
To me the Chursächsische Philharmonic Bad Elster is...?
…a very important location to gain experience with historical symphony programmes, which are often hard to come by.
Which composers do you associate with Bad Elster and/or the Chursächsische Philharmonic?
…it's difficult to choose just one. But if it has to be one, then Mozart.
If you were stuck on an abandoned island, which composers would you take with you?
Johann Sebastian Bach
Why should I go to classical concerts more often?
The magic phrase is 'slowing down'.
Which credo would you pass on to up-and-coming musicians?
My mentor Professor Karl Biehlig (as a young man, he was the teacher of Peter Damm, the horn soloist at the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden) always said: "If I'm not burning myself, I can't ignite others".
Which question would you have liked to answer?
None, thank you…
Herr Katte, thank you for your time!