Spa music – bandshells as functional sculptures

As a structural form of stage, the 'bandshell' (“Kurmuschel” or “Orchestermuschel”), defined by its shape, is a significant relic not only of musical practice, but also of the cultural heritage of spas. The lecture will open up perspectives on past and contemporary concepts of their use, examining different types of bandshells from a cultural, architectural as well as musical and artistic point of view, in order to grasp their full characteristic. Through a first archi-tectural analysis of exemplary buildings, we will illustrate how music pavilions in spa towns differ from other stage buildings in public spaces, due to their inherent sculptural, theatrical and semiotic features.

Sabine Lydia Schmidt studied Contemporary Arts at the University of Art and Design in Offenbach am Main. After her diploma in 2015, she has been working as cultural officer of the city. Since 2021 she is a PhD candidate with Prof. Dr Christian Janecke in Art History at the University of Art and Design in Offenbach