WDR Big Band - Live From Studio 4: Premiere of "Soul Christmas" as a Livestream on the Internet

COLOGNE, Germany, December 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The WDR Big Band will be offering a visually and acoustically unique live concert experience on 12th December at 7.00 p.m. (CET). The now traditional "other" Christmas concert of the WDR Big Band will be offered to viewers and listeners for the first time this year as a livestream.

Under the title "Live from Studio 4", the WDR Big Band will be establishing a new format and, with this Internet appearance, will celebrate Christmas in its own special way. Here, the Christmas carols will be given a somewhat different interpretation, without losing the spirit of the atmospheric season. Also appearing this year will be the British-Nigerian soul singer Ola Onabule and the harmonica virtuoso Berthold Matschat.

The "Soul Christmas" programme will be streamed from Studio 4 of Cologne's broadcasting centre with pictures and sound. A total of seven cameras, including two so-called 'Q-Balls' (remote-controlled mini-cameras), will provide a special visual approach - viewers will get the feeling they are "in the middle of the orchestra". Big band Producer, Lucas Schmid:  "With this future-oriented form of broadcast we would like to present the WDR Big Band in a way that makes it accessible to a new audience".

Direction and arrangements of "Soul Christmas" are in the hands of Richard DeRosa, the designated Chief Conductor of the WDR Big Band, starting the season 2014/15.

Following the first half of the concert, Lucas Schmid and Jörg Heyd will conduct exclusive interviews with the guest singer, Ola Onabule, and with Richard DeRosa and provide fascinating insights behind the scenes.

In other words, good news for all those who otherwise find the sound of bells a little too sweet...

Stream at http://www.wdr-orchester.de

Press contact: Barbara Feiereis, WDR Presse und Information, Tel. +49-0221-220-7122, barbara.feiereis@wdr.de