The Alem Saz
International Music Festival, in its second year in the Kazakh capital,
culminated in a spectacular four-handed piano performance by the renowned duo
from Germany, Pianotainment. Stephan Weh and Marcel Dorn brought their
distinctive blend of various musical genres to the grand stage of the Qazaqstan
Concert Hall. With over 25 years of worldwide recognition, the duo's unique
international program has wowed audiences in over 100 countries. In an
exclusive interview with the Silk Way TV Channel, the artists shared insights
into their musical journey.
“We both play the
piano since we are four or five years old, and in 1996, when we were 18 or 19,
we met by chance in the German army. We had to do this military service, and we
recognized that we share a passion, and it’s piano playing and combining some
others styles with it - yeah, sometimes samba, sometimes bossa, and so on. And
from that day on, we started to play around in our region and we decided to name
ourselves Pianotainment because it combines piano and entertaining, and that’s
exactly what we are doing,” Stephan Weh of Pianotainment said.
This marked
Pianotainment’s second performance in Astana, following their debut in 2019 as
part of the Cultural Autumn of Germany program. The pianists regard it as a
great honor to grace the stage at the finale of the international festival.
Their performance not only commemorated German Unity Day but also served as a
vivid example of cultural diplomacy, acting as a cultural bridge that
strengthens the ties between Germany and Kazakhstan.
