Artists & projects

Her ability to interpret works of music in both a spirited and sensitive fashion has drawn the attention of the international music scene to the German-Greek pianist Danae Dörken. On her new album “East and West” (Ars Produktion, release date: July 5, 2019), she fuses western piano compositions by Schubert, Grieg, Poulenc and de Falla with pieces by eastern composers such as Chopin, Bartók and the Greek composer Manolis Kalomiris.

Kiveli Dörken’s temperament, passion and dedication to music is palpable in every one of her concerts. With her infectious enthusiasm and captivating presence, she values a close contact with her audience, often addressing the listeners first, before sitting down at the piano and pushing the boundaries of sound diversity and artistic expression. The German-Greek pianist is presenting her first own studio album on the Ars Produktion label. It features two works by Josef Suk: the piano cycle “Things Lived and Dreamt”, op. 30, and the Piano Quintet in G Minor, op. 8 – the latter played together with outstanding musician friends.

The search for new concert forms and the dramaturgically meaningful fusion of old and new music are central to Titus Engel's career. Besides symphonic repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries, he has a deep passion for baroque music performances on historical as well as modern instruments.

"Holger Falk is anyway one of the intellectually and vocally most flexible singers on German stages" the Magazine Opernwelt wrote. Colourfulness, flexiblity and authenticity in his expression are the artistical sources of his international carreer as an operasinger as well as an interpreter of art song.

Vadim Gluzman’s extraordinary artistry brings back to life the glorious violinistic tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. His wide repertoire embraces contemporary music and his performances are heard around the world through live broadcasts and a striking catalogue of award-winning recordings exclusively for the BIS label.

“Sparkling virtuosity, sovereign artistry, alert interaction and a sophisticated sense of musical drama” – that is how the daily “Salzburger Nachrichten” describes the piano-playing of the American pianist Claire Huangci.

Simon Höfele, 25, is one of the most exciting trumpeters of the up-and-coming generation. He is BBC Radio3 new generation artist, Rising Star of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) 2019-20, nominated by Philharmonie Cologne, Konzerthaus Dortmund and Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and “Junger Wilder” at Konzerthaus Dortmund.

In 2014, cellist Benedict Kloeckner founded the "Internationales Musikfestival Koblenz“ (International Music Festival Koblenz; IMUKO). Since then, the festival with its world renowned artists has become an institution not only in this area. Despite the Corona crisis, there will be an edition in 2020 as well - though under different cirumstances. The IMUKO 2020 will take place as a series of mostly open-air concerts at the most beautiful venues along the Rhine Valley (July 4 - September 29), such as the cloister of Kloster Eberbach, in the park of Schloss Burg Namedy and the open air theater at the Loreleyblick Maria Ruh.

The Spanish pianist Judith Jáuregui has compiled four works for her new album "The Romantic Soul" for ARS Produktion that reflect the intimate collaboration of Clara and Robert Schumann as composers and performers.

The cellist Benedict Kloeckner releases his first duo album with the pianist Danae Dörken. “Between Nostalgia and Revolution” (Genuin, release date: July 5, 2019) features works by Robert Schumann, Dmitri Shostakovich and Bohuslav Martinů and showcases the duo’s breathtaking ensemble sound that is characterised by their ability to oscillate between deep inwardness and exuberant playfulness.

Roland Kluttig has been general music director at the Landestheater Coburg since 2010 and will be joining the opera Graz as new Chief Conductor from season 2020/21. In the 2019/20 season, he will be conducting “Rheingold” and “The Greek Passion” in Coburg, a new production of “Le nozze di Figaro” at Stuttgart State Opera and giving his debuts at Dresden State Opera (“Semperoper”) and with the Symphoniker Hamburg.

The Kuss Quartet has been standing on the international stage for 25 years and has remained true to its trademark by developing conceptual programmes, always searching with curiosity for the confirmation of the eternal "Muss es sein" of string quartet playing.

For his second studio album, #GoldbergReflections (Sony), the German violinist Niklas Liepe takes on Bach's Goldberg Variations in a version for violin and orchestra – and explores the continued resonance of this epochal masterpiece in our era with specially commissioned works by 11 contemporary composers.

Founded in 2007, the Linos Piano Trio is increasingly recognised as one of Europe’s most creative and dynamic trios. “Reinventing the repertoire”: it may seem like a tall order, but this is how the Linos Piano Trio describes the philosophy at the heart of its music making. The interest in discovering neglected works was the inspiration behind their debut CD (CAvi music), the premiere recording of the complete Piano Trios by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.

A native of South Korea, Klara Min has performed extensively throughout North and South America, Europe as well as South Korea, in some of the world’s most important concert venues including Wigmore Hall London, Carnegie Hall, Gasteig Munich and Berlin Philharmonie Hall. In the season 2019-2020, she will release the first recording of the series of Schumann (Arabesque, Carnaval, Kreislerianer) on Haenssler Classics.

The Paris based Quatuor Modigliani, which was founded in 2003, is a regular guest of the world’s top venues and finest String Quartet & Chamber Music series.

The Molyvos International Music Festival (MIMF) is a unique project in the North Aegean region that brings together the greatest international young talents for a four-day celebration of world- class classical music. The motto of the 2019 edition was "Dia-logos".

Hailed by Gramophone Magazine as "one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists", German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser has performed with the world’s leading orchestras. His latest recordings include the concertos by Dvořák, Lalo, Elgar and Tchaikovsky, which have gained him the prestigious Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik and the Diapason d'Or. Johannes Moser records exclusively for the label PENTATONE.

Biography Fabian Müller could establish himself as one of the most remarkable German pianists of his generation. He caused a great sensation at the International ARD music competition in Munich…

Compulsion and freedom are the poles between which the life and work of Ludwig van Beethoven can be placed. This is exemplified by his late work, which transcends the boundaries of form, becomes fragile and reaches a level of freedom and radicalism never before seen. Staged Concert for a string quartet, an electric guitar, four performers, a sound designer and two cameras.

It is already visible from a great distance: Hellenstein Castle, located 74 metres above the city of Heidenheim an der Brenz. The Heidenheim Opera Festival (Opernfestspiele Heidenheim) has been taking place here for more than five decades, celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary in 2014. It is one of the five oldest opera festivals in Germany, with a tradition to match. In 2017, more than 17,600 visitors came here to experience unique operatic performances and concerts in the ruins of the castle's former “Knights' Hall” (Rittersaal) – “one of Europe's most beautiful open-air music stages” (“Welt”) – or at other venues in the region.

As a conductor, Alejo Pérez possesses an inherent stylistic awareness and the ability to bring every detail of the most complex score to life. This has consistently secured him a firm place on the international opera and concert scene. From the 2019/20 season Alejo Pérez will be Music Director of the Opera Vlaanderen.

The three brothers Mark, Erik and Ken Schumann have been playing together since their earliest childhood. In 2012, they were joined by violist Liisa Randalu, who was born in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and grew up in Karlsruhe, Germany. Those who experience the quartet in performance often remark on the strong connection between its members. The four musicians enjoy the way they communicate without words: how a single look suffices to convey how a particular member wants to play a particular passage. Although the individual personalities clearly manifest themselves, a common space arises in every musical work in a process of spiritual metamorphosis.

American conductor Steven Sloane is a versatile and dedicated musician. A visionary, Sloane’s extraordinarily creative concepts have garnered him respect in artistic circles, as well as in the realm of cultural politics. Steven Sloane is a frequent guest with prestigious orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra or the San Francisco Symphony. Beginning in the 18/19 season, the long-term General Music Director of the Bochum Symphony has been named Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Malmö Opera. He has been appointed as new Music Director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (JSO) from the 2020/21 season.

Intelligent clarity and an in-depth and always curious musicality characterize Markus Stenz' work. Worldwide much valued, he has held a number of high-profile positions with international orchestras and opera houses including Principal Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra (2012-2019), Principal Guest of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (2015-2019), Conductor-In-Residence of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (2016-2019). He was General Music Director of the City of Cologne and Gürzenich-Kapellmeister for 11 years.

The new Saarbrücken "Ring" by the Hungarian directors and stage designers Alexandra Szemerédy and Magdolna Parditka should have been premiered in March 2020, but could not take place as planned due to the corona-lockdown. All dates have been postponed. ce.

From 5 June to 12 July 2020, the Grange Festival, an international centre of excellence in the heart of Hampshire, will once again this year be dedicated to the various facets of art, from landscape sculptures to opera evenings and musical and ballet performances.

“MAKEDONISSIMO”, meaning “very Macedonian”, sees Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski take a detour from Beethoven and Brahms to celebrate the music of his homeland, Macedonia. Inspired by Trpčeski’s passion for the folk traditions of his homeland, Macedonian composer Pande Shahov (b. 1973), in collaboration with Trpčeski created a six movement cycle he called Pletenki (Plaits).

The Ural Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1936, is one of the best symphony orchestras in Russia today. Famous for its high quality performance culture and its flexibility in acquiring new repertoire, the orchestra consists of more than 100 musicians, performing all major Western European and Russian works from the classical and romantic period as well as works by outstanding contemporary composers.

Brimful of energy, Antje Weithaas’ brings her compelling musical intelligence and technical mastery to every detail of the music. Her charisma and stage presence are captivating, but never overshadow the works themselves.

The concert lab project was initiated and conceived by the State Music Council of Lower Saxony and the Orchester im Treppenhaus (Orchestra In The Staircase). Seven selected junior dramaturges will develop a contemporary concert format for young audiences for the Beethoven anniversary year 2020 as part of a full scholarship.