RESONANCES – Rückenwind Konzert Jana EN

ANUAL PROJECT RESONANCES

At the Open Day in 2026, composer Jana De Troyer presented her latest concert project, ‘Rückenwind’.

Presentation: ‘Rückenwind’, composed by Jana De Troyer – photos and videos: Bianca Wessalowski

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A musical celebration of cycling!
Whooshing, whirring, humming, rattling, clattering, buzzing. Cycling is never quiet. The sound of the wind, the road and now… on stage?!

Composer, saxophonist and bicycle player Jana De Troyer and her team invite you to “Rückenwind”, a staged concert entirely dedicated to cycling. In “Rückenwind”, bicycles are not only the central theme, but they become genuine musical instruments. Together with the harpsichord, saxophone and voice, a surprising soundscape emerges, ranging from percussive, booming, mechanically rattling noises to unexpectedly melodic sounds.

You can paint a bicycle, stroke it, hit it, polish it, ride it, pump it up and let the air out. In a musical context, all these sounds fit in so naturally, as if the bicycle had been built precisely for that purpose. It is therefore no surprise that this musical-mechanical device has already provided material for songs and musical pieces across genres. Whether in Queen’s ‘Bicycle Race’ with its bicycle bells or in Kraftwerk’s ‘Tour de France’. Juli has already cycled through the night on her bike, and Katie Melua sang of ‘9 Million Bicycles in Beijing’. With “Rückenwind”, a staged concert is now coming to the stage that presents the many facets of cycling with equal musical versatility. From art songs based on historical bicycle poetry, through operatic arias and noisy improvisations, right through to pop music and electronica, everything that’s fun (and has a connection to cycling) is played.

And what does cycling mean to you? Does your trusty old bike get you everywhere in your daily life? Do you enjoy a spot of cycling on your speedy road bike at the weekend? Does it mean freedom and mobility, getting to places where no bus goes? Whether as a piece of sports equipment on the road, a practical everyday companion, or heavily laden on a journey: each of us has our own unique relationship with cycling and our own unique cycling story. Wonderful experiences, goals achieved, but also frustrating repair marathons, getting soaked in a sudden downpour, or shivering in the cold until the sun comes out again.

Cycling brings people together. Whether protesting at a Critical Mass, lining the roadside during the Tour de France, or riding in Mum’s cargo bike. The bicycle has always been closely linked to social developments: at the start of its history as the ‘dandy-horse’, a silly pedal-less bike for the amusement of Victorian high society; later as a symbol of freedom in the emancipation movement; and today as a key pillar of the mobility transition. Just like cycling itself, “Rückenwind” aims to bring people together and spread joy and fun. Keen cyclists will get their money’s worth, as will die-hard concert-goers, fans of experimental music, curious couch potatoes, and the young and young-at-heart of all ages. So grab your loved one, hop on a tandem and come along!

“Rückenwind” is supported by the Claussen-Simon Foundation, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the Ministry of Culture and Media, the Possehl Foundation (Lübeck) and the Rehearsal Space Fund of the Hamburg Association of Independent Performing Arts. In cooperation with the Künstler:innenhaus Lauenburg.

Further dates
02.05.2026, 20:00 Zinnschmelze, Hamburg   
09.05.2026, 19:30 Kunstklinik, Hamburg
10.05.2026, 19:00 Honigfabrik, Hamburg
23.05.2026, 18:00 Schuppen 6, Lübeck
30.05.2026, 14:30 HausDrei, Hamburg
13.06.2026, 16:00 Stadtbücherei, Lauenburg

Links
Website: https://www.janadetroyer.com/rueckenwind
Contact: rueckenwind@janadetroyer.com

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More about the project „Resonances“

The exhibition and the project „Resonancen“ is funded by
in 2025

and in 2026