Treeline
June 22, 2026 from 4:00 p.m.
Emmaus Church, Dresden-Kaditz
An Extraordinary Concert Project Blends Music and Nature Around the Kaditz Linden Tree
As part of the international project "TREELINE," British composer and pianist Graham Fitkin will present a new composition—commissioned specifically for this occasion—featuring piano and electronic soundscapes. The evening’s program will be rounded out by additional works by the composer, performed by musicians from the Staatsoperette Dresden.
This concert constitutes Dresden’s contribution to a Europe-wide project that uniquely interweaves music, nature, and sustainability. On May 15, 2026, Graham Fitkin embarked on a bicycle tour spanning approximately 4,000 kilometers across Europe—from Romania to Great Britain—during which he will perform concerts at around 20 different stops along the way. A central starting point for each stage of the project is a regionally significant tree, which determines the concert venue and serves as the artistic inspiration for the corresponding musical composition. Audio recordings of the tree’s immediate surroundings—and in some cases, even sounds captured from within its trunk—are incorporated into the composer’s creative process and integrated directly into his musical works. For Dresden, the choice fell upon the Kaditz Linden—the city’s oldest tree—which has stood for centuries as a defining natural and cultural symbol of the district.
Preceding the concert, a "Linden Festival" will take place, designed to bring together local initiatives, art, science, and music to create an open space for encounter and exchange across all generations. The festival will focus on the Kaditz Linden as a unique landmark, the last remaining primeval forests of Europe, and pressing issues of nature conservation, as well as the vital importance of community and networking. Various scientific partners and initiatives will present their work, invite visitors to engage in dialogue, and curate an afternoon filled with conversation, art, and shared experiences. The Lindenfest and the concert are deliberately designed to form a cohesive whole: while the festival creates space for encounters, exchange, and shared experiences, the concert channels these impressions into music.
Admission is free; donations are welcome.
Program:
4:00 PM – Festival Opening
Under the Kaditz Linden Tree, inside the Emmaus Church, and in the garden of the "Alte Kirchschule" (Old Church School):
Opportunities for meeting and mingling, an art exhibition, a storytelling café, open dialogue, and information regarding the Linden tree, nature conservation, and the Treeline project. Various initiatives introduce themselves.
Food and refreshments will be provided.
5:00 PM – Lecture
Forestry scientist Prof. Andreas Roloff will speak about ancient trees, using the Kaditz Linden as a prime example.
6:00 PM – Treeline Concert in the Emmaus Church (Festival Highlight)
Featuring works by Graham Fitkin for harp, clarinet, and string quartet.
Graham Fitkin himself will perform his *Treeline* composition on the piano—covering all 20 trees featured in the journey—with select movements performed here exclusively in collaboration with musicians from the Dresden State Operetta Orchestra.
Encore
Linden Tribute Dance with the "ArtRose" Ensemble
