People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Günter A Buchwald
Günter A Buchwald, the longstanding musical director of the Slapstick Festival which returns to Bristol from January 25 to 28, is a composer, musician, conductor of silent and classic screen comedy, and leader of the internationally-touring European Silent Screen Virtuosi.
He lives in Freiburg, the capital of Germany’s Black Forest Mountains region, with his wife and four children but visits Bristol regularly.
Here are Günter’s top-five Bristol favourites:
is needed now More than ever
Slapstick Festival
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeGBjqrj2Lq
“2018 will be my 40th anniversary as silent film accompanist and my 13th participation at the festival as pianist, violinist, composer and conductor. There is no other place or festival where I can combine all my loves for slapstick films, music and humour.”
Colston Hall
https://www.instagram.com/p/BY2oD6hhBce
“Wow, I will never forget my first steps backstage at the Colston Hall, reading all the names of soloists and groups who have been playing in that hall before me… and I am a part of it! Only my experience of the concert hall of Vienna can compete.”
Watershed
“Always so exciting and vibrating with atmosphere. The Watershed is a melting place for people and ideas.”
The harbourside
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKuEzOnVwf
“Both a landing point and point of departure. You smell the sea, you visit the Arnolfini, We the Curious, Brunel’s SS Great Britain. You learn about Cary Grant. My whole family loves it! And not far away, at Queen Square last year I got to play on a public piano!”
Bristolian spirit
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdwzbKjnbMi
“The people of the town always welcome this young lad (!) from Freiburg with an open spirit. I feel united on serious themes of the world outside Slapstick as well as laughter and tears inside Slapstick. And it’s all about people. It’s a privilege to exchange ideas with the crew of Aardman Animations, to have (the triple Oscar-winning animator) Dick Williams in my band as cornetist; to play together with and conduct the famous Bristol Ensemble. Bristol is a city with charm and history; a city open for a great future.”
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