Three Questions to: Ricarda Rommerscheidt

What connects you with the life and work of Beethoven or not?

I was born in Beethoven's birthplace Bonn and still live and work here today. My father completed his Abitur after World War II at the Beethoven Gymnasium; my daughter received her Abitur certificate there last year. I myself studied across the street at the Juridicum.

Now - in 2026 - the Beethoven Gymnasium celebrates its 400th anniversary. According to old records, the gymnasium was expanded into an academy at that time and became part of the University of Bonn after an imperial approval from Vienna. In 1798, Ludwig van Beethoven is listed there as a student. In 1925, the school finally receives the name of the greatest son of the city of Bonn.
(Source: General-Anzeiger Bonn, 15.01.26)

Why are you going on this fictional journey with Beethoven and us this year?

I encounter Beethoven as a brand, as a tourist magnet here in Bonn daily - so often that I haven't noticed him for a long time. He is virtually everywhere in the form of small sculptures, souvenirs, pastries, chocolates, or as a namesake for public infrastructure: street, square, parking garage, ship, orchestra, hall, school...

Since I've been part of this project, I walk through the city with open eyes and ears again, looking for all traces of Beethoven - real ones from the past, art in his honor, up to 'Tineff' (knick-knacks in souvenir shops) with his 'logo' on it. I've made it my task to photograph everything about it. 

What excites me about this interdisciplinary art project is the search for aspects of Beethoven that we look at anew together, reflect on, that flow into our works and thus perhaps enable new, different, or current access to his work - to him himself - especially for people (like me) who are not so classical music-oriented.

Have there been events in your life that were directly or indirectly related to Beethoven?

Three come to mind spontaneously:

As a teenager, I was "persuaded" to show my father's godson Bonn. In addition to the government district (at that time Bonn was still the federal capital), Beethoven's birthplace was also on the agenda - so I saw it from the inside for the first (and so far last) time.

After a completely delayed train journey, I dragged myself tiredly through the city center to home. Suddenly music sounded, made me run faster and more joyfully - on our market square the "Ode to Joy" was being sung (at the traditional end of the Bonn Festival each September) and I arrived home in a great mood.

On a vacation, we had a hotel with a piano. Our daughter sat down at it, took out her phone, and played "Für Elise" according to YouTube instructions. She doesn't actually play any instrument, but after a while, it didn't sound so bad.