BMW Welt Jazz Award 2018’s finalists.

Munich. At the height of celebrating ten years of BMW Welt Jazz Award, two bands will compete against each other at BMW Welt’s auditorium: LBT and BartolomeyBittmann progressive strings vienna have been chosen for the finale on June 9. This year’s theme is “Jazz moves”. After their performances, the prestigious jury of BMW Welt Jazz Award picks the winning ensemble, which will be awarded with 10,000 Euro as well as with a trophy designed by BMW Design. The runner-up will receive a prize money of 5,000 Euro.

During six cost-free matinees, that took place between February and April, chairs were pushed aside and while the audience danced at BMW Welt’s double-coned structure, it also voted for their own favorite. The winner of the audience award, donated by Schloss Elmau, will also be announced at the finale and will be invited to perform at the Superior Hotel

The finalists will introduce themselves soon on the social media channels of BMW Welt and BMW Group Cultural Engagement: https://www.facebook.com/bmw.welt/ and https://www.facebook.com/BMW-Group-Culture/

Finalists

LBT

Together with bassist Maximilian Hirning and drummer Sebastian Wolfgruber, pianist Leo Betzl regularly performs as the rhythmic group known as LBT. The musicians also come together as part of Vincent Eberle Quintett as well as Jazzrausch Bigband, which recently received an invitation to perform at the Lincoln Center, New York. They started their trio three years ago, while studying at the University of Music and Theatre Munich. LBT has produced music that surprises its audiences with drama and excitement alike. The trio likes to experiment and has won various awards including Steinway’s young talent award, Kurt Maas Award and Hansjörg Henzler Jazz Award. With their new programme featuring a combination of techno and jazz, the three young musicians go perfect with the theme “Jazz moves” of BMW Welt Jazz Award 2018.

BartolomeyBittmann progressive strings vienna

With their powerful rock fusion, these two young musicians, cellist Matthias Bartolomey and violinist Klemens Bittmann, will demonstrate how to combine and further develop traditional Austrian string music and jazz improvisation. Hailing from the Austrian city of Graz, Bittmann studied classical violin as well as jazz violin with Didier Lockwood and made his name as a creative mind willing to transcend borders as founder of the ensembles Beefólk und Folksmilch. Viennese-born Bartolomey – generally known for his classical work including as solo cellist of Concentus Musicus – is also a fierce admirer of John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. At BMW Welt, the duo BartolomeyBittmann will showcase its outstanding and progressive skills as string players.

Jury

The distinguished panel of jurors includes renowned jazz experts and specialists of the jazz scene, who will choose the winner of the BMW Welt Jazz Award 2018. Led by Oliver Hochkeppel (journalist for music and cultural affairs at the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung), the jury includes the following members: Andreas Kolb (editor-in-chief of the magazines JazzZeitung and neue musikzeitung), Roland Spiegel (editor at the music desk and jazz expert at the German broadcasting station Bayerischer Rundfunk BR‑KLASSIK), Heike Lies (musicologist, Music and Music Theatre Division of the Department of Cultural Affairs of the state capital Munich) and Christiane Böhnke-Geisse (Artistic Director of the international jazz festival Bingen swingt).

As seen during the Sunday matinees, the final concert will be hosted by Beate Sampson (editor at German broadcasting station BR-KLASSIK). Dr Nicolas Peter, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, will present the winners with the custom-made trophy designed by BMW, alongside Dr Hans-Georg Küppers, head of the Department of Arts and Culture of the state capital Munich.

The final concert followed by an award ceremony will take place on June 9 at 7 PM at the auditorium of BMW Welt. Tickets are available through München Ticket or at BMW Welt.

This edition of the BMW Welt Jazz Award will once again enjoy the generous support of BR-KLASSIK, nmz, nmz-online and JazzZeitung.de as well as resort Schloss Elmau and the Department of Cultural Affairs of the city of Munich.

For further questions please contact:
Prof Dr Thomas Girst
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Cultural Engagement
Telephone: +49-89-382-247-53

Leonie Laskowski

BMW Group Corporate and Intergovernmental Affairs

Cultural Engagement

Telephone: +49-89-382-45382

Micaela Sandstede

BMW Group Corporate and Intergovernmental Affairs

Spokesperson BMW Welt

Telephone: +49-89-382-61611

www.press.bmwgroup.com

Email: presse@bmw.de

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