It is a great pleasure to welcome you all again to this year's International Music Festival.
One of the most important forms of Cambodian and Western
cultural development is the performing arts, including music, dance and theatre. These art forms reached their peak in the past in their respective royal courts.

In the modern age, transparency of these courts gives us access to their various art forms that may be of great benefit for our contemporary daily life. Although very different in style, those art forms influenced almost all parts of society. As a great example, the Royal Ballet of Cambodia continues to perform successfully here and around the world.

In addition, Cambodia, as a modern and open society welcomes European art forms. The festival will provide an "open window of opportunities" enabling Cambodian people to experience European classical music.

I wish you all wonderful festival days.
HE Him Chhem
Minister of Culture and Fine Arts

It is a great pleasure for the European Union to sponsor the 9th International Music Festival, "Cambodian and European Court Music." Music is closely bound to the culture from which it originates and allows for relationships and understanding to be built across cultural boundaries.
We are therefore proud that this 9th International Music Festival will allow some of Europe's cultural heritage to be experienced in Cambodia, as well as open some of Cambodia's own traditions to a wider audience. Diplomacy involves building relationships between peoples and enhancing understanding across cultures.
Bearing this in mind, the European Union Delegation cooperates with various cultural institutions in Cambodia. This music festival, the EU Film Festival  and the Phnom Penh Photo Festival are just some examples which help build bridges between European and Cambodian culture. Improving mutual understanding and strengthening relationships across cultures are priorities for the European Union. Cultural events, such as the International Music Festival, play an important role in strengthening bonds between Europe and Cambodia.

Ambassador Jean-François Cautain,
Head of Delegation

This 9th edition of the International Music Festival Phnom Penh 2012 fills me with great pleasure. It is proof that classical music is an integrated part of the cultural scene in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Royal courts have played an important role in developping and safeguarding various forms of art, in the Kingdom of Cambodia as well as at the courts of European monarchs. Frederic the Great, the Prussian king, whose 300th birthday we celebrate this year, was a reknown flutist and composer, just as His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk has been known for his achievements in music and other fields of art.
Let us enjoy these wonderful masterpieces of classical music that we owe to the courts of enlightened rulers.

Dr. Wolfgang Moser
German Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

L'Europe Galante – or the Galant Style of music as a European music development stands for a light and elegant musical style. It is seen as a period between Baroque music and classical – romantic one.

The French term Galante (Galant) referred to a particularly courtly style of social manner. Gallant also means brave, noble or polite. In music, it is generally used to refer to lightly accompanied, clear, natural and pleasing music with balanced phrasing.

L' Europe Galante is also an opera-ballet, composed by the French composer André Campra. The opera ( world premiere 1697) is regarded as the first opera-ballet what introduces the 'case love' in four different countries: France, Spain, Italy and Turkey.

As a 'declaration of love' to Europe the German Composer Carl-Heinrich Graun followed up with an opera named L' Europe Galante (world premiere 1748).

I am looking forward to sharing with you, our audience, many interesting new musical experiences.

Anton Isselhardt, Festival Director