Cultural events in Bonn
Deutsche Telekom's cultural commitments highlighting the importance of Bonn, Beethoven's birthplace, include the Telekom Beethoven Competition and the Beethovenfest.
The Beethoven Competition
Deutsche Telekom invites young talents from throughout the world to the competition, which takes place every two years.
The finalists of the tenth Telekom Beethoven Competition 2023 during the award ceremony at Telekom Forums, f.l. Caleb Borick (1st), Lovre Marušić (2nd) und Zhouhui Shen (3rd). © Norbert Ittermann
In the foyer of Deutsche Telekom headquarters during the competition with outdoor advertising for the competition. © Norbert Ittermann
Members of the jury in 2023 listen and judge carefully. From left: Julia Wolpold, Pavel Gililov, Ya-Fei Chuang, Gábor Farkas, Fumiko Eguchi, Arie Vardi, Soo-Jung Shin, Andreas Groethuysen, Zhe Tang. © Norbert Ittermann
International top class: The Telekom Beethoven Competition
Bonn will become the center of the international piano world: Between December 3 and 14, 2025, the Telekom Beethoven Competition (TBC) will bring outstanding young pianists from all over the world to the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. As a renowned competition, it is dedicated to the legacy of the great composer and at the same time provides inspiration for the music of the future.
Musical excellence and the promotion of young talent
The biennial competition is one of the world's leading competitions for classical pianists. Young talents are given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in front of a top-class international jury and take their careers to a new level. In addition to prize money, they can look forward to major concert engagements and long-term support. Deutsche Telekom is particularly keen to support young pianists, which is why the Group is actively promoting young musical talent with this competition.
Diverse repertoire and artistic challenge
The participants present themselves in several rounds of the competition with a demanding repertoire that covers all facets of Beethoven's oeuvre - from early sonatas to the late masterpieces. The competition demands not only technical perfection, but also a profound musical interpretation.
A highlight for music lovers
The competition rounds are open to the public and offer classical music fans a unique opportunity to experience outstanding young artists live. The highlight is the grand orchestral final, in which the finalists perform Beethoven's piano concertos together with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn. The competition will also be broadcast worldwide via livestream.
Beethoven city Bonn as an inspiring venue
The Telekom Beethoven Competition is organized as a Telekom event in cooperation with the Beethovenfest Bonn and works together with Steinway & Sons as an exclusive partner. The combination of tradition and innovation is reflected not only in the music, but also in the special ambience of the event.
Further information is available at: www.telekom-beethoven-competition.com
Beethovenfest Bonn
Every fall, the city of Bonn honors its most famous son, the great musical genius Ludwig van Beethoven, with a multi-week festival, Beethovenfest Bonn, comprising numerous concerts and a wide range of other events focusing on Beethoven's life and works. A total of more than 2,000 artists perform in the Beethovenfest framework. The festival's program attracts international attention, and it brings over 30,000 visitors to Bonn.
Great classical music: The Aurora Orchestra under its conductor Nicholas Collon presented Hector Berlioz's “Symphonie fantastique” at the end of the Beethovenfest 2022. The London-based orchestra plays complete symphonic works from memory and causes a sensation in the classical music world with its unique interpretations. At the Telekom Forum, it brought Berlioz's symphonic sound drama to life in all its drama and explosiveness. © Norbert Ittermann
High star density: Beethoven's rousing “Triple Concerto” with three soloists was added to this extraordinary musical evening at the Telekom Forum. Julia Hagen (cello), Kit Armstrong (piano) and Renaud Capucon (violin) together with the Aurora Orchestra provided a communicative firework display. © Norbert Ittermann
Telekom Electronic Beats x Beethovenfest 2022: Award-winning pianist, composer and singer Hania Rani wowed the packed Pantheon Theater. © Telekom Electronic Beats
Lights off, spotlight on: Hania Rani plunged the Pantheon hall into a trance with her hypnotic piano music. © Telekom Electronic Beats
Free hand: pianist Hans Suh performed his own concert at the Beethovenfest 2022. The 1st prize winner of the International Telekom Beethoven Competition Bonn 2021 demonstrated his multi-talent as a pianist, composer and conductor. © Jürgen Schwarz
Together with members of the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, the charismatic South Korean presented works by Elgar, Piazzolla, Beethoven and his commissioned composition entitled ‘Broadway’. © Jürgen Schwarz
For some time, Deutsche Telekom has been one of the Beethovenfest's main sponsors. The company's commitment to the festival highlights its ties to the Bonn region, and its cultural life, and to the rich musical heritage of Beethoven's birthplace. Again and again, Deutsche Telekom has presented memorable concert experiences during the Beethovenfest, such as performances by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The Group has also makes a point of promoting new and unusual concert formats that help position the Beethovenfest as an innovative music event. Beethovenfest events regularly take place in the Telekom Forum, at the company's Landgrabenweg location on Bonn's east bank of the Rhine River.
Every two years, Deutsche Telekom establishes a direct connection between the Beethovenfest and the renowned Telekom Beethoven Competition in Bonn (TBCB), in which young pianists show off their skills. The Beethovenfest is the main partner for the piano competition. The links between the Beethovenfest festival and the TBCB boost the attention given to both of the cultural highlights. The piano-competition winners often give their own concerts in the Beethovenfest framework.
One of the special Telekom projects at the Beethovenfest Bonn is the cooperation between the Beethovenfest and Telekom Electronic Beats. Since 2000, the Europe-wide music program has entered into a profound symbiosis with music, design, art, fashion and new technologies and continues to set its own impulses. Since 2022, Telekom and Beethovenfest have been inviting guests to a concert with a top-class live electronic act, curated by Telekom Electronic Beats.
Further information is available at: www.beethovenfest.de/en
