Bridging Cultures Through Music: The “Pontes” Concert at the Brazilian Embassy in Berlin
Duo VBH presents a musical dialogue between Brazil and Europe
September 24th, 2025
On Thursday, 25 September 2025, the Embassy of Brazil in Berlin will host the concert “Pontes” (“Bridges”), performed by the acclaimed Duo VBH, featuring Brazilian cellist Monica von Bülow and German accordionist Niels Hamel. The event will begin at 19:00 (doors open at 18:15) at the Brazilian Embassy in Berlin. Admission is free, but registration is required due to limited seating.
Founded in 1996, Duo VBH brings together two remarkable musical journeys. Monica von Bülow, a Brazilian cellist of Italian and German heritage and winner of the Young Soloists Competition in Brasília, combines international experience in orchestras, chamber music, and teaching with training in the United States and Germany. Niels Hamel, pianist, accordionist, and music therapist, lived over two decades in Brazil, where he studied both medicine and music, and today works on projects that connect music, science, and social inclusion. Together, they create a partnership that combines technical mastery, cultural diversity, and creative expression.
The “Pontes” project proposes a musical dialogue across eras, styles, and geographies. The program includes Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Cirandinhas, Ernst Mahle’s intense Duetos Modais, works by César Guerra-Peixe, the delicate Berceuse by Henrique Oswald, compositions by Chick Corea, and classics by Astor Piazzolla, including Oblivion and La Mort du Canard. From Brazilian folklore to European Renaissance sonorities and contemporary creations, the repertoire celebrates music as a bridge between tradition and innovation, connecting different cultures and sensibilities.
The concert also marks the first opportunity to announce the “Brasil em Concerto – Brasilianische Klänge” program, a new series of Embassy concerts for the 2025–2026 season. This initiative will introduce Brazilian concert music in a systematic and chronological way, accompanied by introductory lectures in German. The official launch will take place on 2 November 2025, at 15:30, in the Berliner Philharmonie, featuring Brazilian pianist Pablo Rossi as a special guest. The first concert in the Embassy series is scheduled for 11 November 2025, at 19:00, showcasing works by Carlos Gomes and Leopoldo Miguez.
