The Ending Island

Founded by cellist Andrei Ioniță and pianist Catalin Serban, Spielende Insel collaborates with internationally sought-after soloists and combines top-tier musical ensembles with dramaturgically well-conceived programs.

Following projects such as the successful Liberating Echoes series, the ensemble is consistently continuing its artistic direction in 2026.

At the center of the evening is Johannes Brahms’ Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, a work of great energy and rhythmic tension, whose famous alla zingarese final movement makes the fascination with folk idioms immediately audible.

This openness to different musical languages connects Brahms with Antonín Dvořák. Dvořák’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat major unfolds a rich melodic flow, striking rhythmic impulses, and a palpable closeness to folk music—embedded in a clear, classical form. Brahms, who recognized and nurtured Dvořák’s talent early on, appears here as part of a vibrant exchange between different cultural spheres.

For this evening, the ensemble welcomes two outstanding musicians as guests: violinist Lisa Jacobs, who performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician and is highly regarded for her expressive musical language, and violist Karolina Errera, who has made a name for herself as a versatile chamber musician and regularly collaborates with leading ensembles and festivals.

In this concert, too, the musical dimension is expanded through an artistic perspective: works by Kristina Weiß & Friends enter into a dialogue with the program and open up additional spaces of perception between sound and image.

Performers

• Lisa Jacobs — Violin
• Karolina Errera — Viola
• Andrei Ioniță — cello
• Catalin Serban — Piano

Lineages II highlights the artistic connections and influences between the two composers and offers a multifaceted perspective on the development of chamber music in the 19th century. The Kühlhaus Berlin provides the ideal setting for this: a place where tradition and the present converge in a unique way.

Programme:

Antonín Dvořák: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 87

Johannes Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25

Venue: Kühlhaus Berlin

Date: May 29, 2026

Start: 7:30 PM