Wild, soulful, captivating - at the beginning of the concert in Dachau, percussionist Christian Benning took the audience on a multifaceted rhythmic journey.
Dachau
- The lights go out.
In the Stockmann-Saal it gets very quiet.
Spellbound, the audience directs their gaze to the stage, which is shrouded in darkness.
It's been seven months since the last live concert took place in Dachau.
Suddenly the light comes on.
Drum sounds fill the room.
The spotlight is on the star of the evening: Christian Benning.
It's the icing on the cake that Benning is kicking off today.
Head of Cultural Office Tobias Schneider
The 25-year-old multi-percussionist masters his instrument like no other.
"It is the icing on the cake that Benning is kicking off today," said Tobias Schneider, head of the cultural office, happily.
Benning appears as a soloist all over the world.
Now he has come to his hometown Dachau.
“It feels amazing to play in front of real people,” said Benning.
“I want to offer you a special concert experience.” The 25-year-old succeeded completely.
For an hour and a half he took his audience on a breathtaking rhythmic journey into the world of drums and mallets.
Insights into the world of drums and mallets
Benning opened his concert on the setup with a powerful and fast piece.
On the marimba, Benning showed that he can also master soft and melodic numbers.
The audience was able to gain an insight into the instrument via a screen.
Because the cameras installed on the ceiling enabled the guests to see what was happening from the perspective of the musician.
In the following number, the award-winning musician demonstrated the diversity of a single drum with an entertaining performance.
Then another quieter number followed.
He let his sticks slide gently over the vibraphone, creating soft, bright and meditative sounds.
Playback with a difference
The subsequent playback performance was particularly entertaining, during which Benning gave his audience an insight into the musical theater. "For me it is also exciting to imitate instead of playing myself.", Says Benning. After he had finished his spectacular pantomime, the hall raged with clapping, shouting and whistling. Nostalgia filled the hall when Benning played “Yesterday” by the Beatles on the marimba.
It got loud, wild and spirited when Benning turned back to the snare drum. With a black and white film about a train ride running in the background, he gave the piece an individual artistic touch. The penultimate piece, which Benning dedicated to his late teacher, was particularly emotional. At the end of the varied and entertaining evening, the 25-year-old performed a self-composed work on drums, where, according to Benning, “it all began for me”.
After the percussionist had finished his whirling dance over the drums, the 96 spectators were completely beside themselves.
"Benning was just terrific," said Mayor Florian Hartmann.
He is proud that such a world star comes from Dachau.
District administrator Stefan Löwl could not miss the concert start with the exceptional talent.
“It's just something else to see concerts live.
I really enjoyed it. "
It's just something different to see concerts live.
District Administrator Stefan Löwl
The concert was sold out.
It was set up at very short notice.
It was only on Father's Day that it was decided to open with Benning, according to Schneider.
The head of the cultural office was completely satisfied “that everything went so well”.
Additional concert with Christian Benning
Due to the great demand there will be an additional concert with Christian Benning in the Thomahaus on Sunday, May 30th, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased from today via Munich-Ticket.
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