Julia Mauritz

Marcus Bosch is one of the most prominent figures in the German conducting scene – and a much-sought-after guest conductor across the world. He works as a full professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich (HMTM), is Artistic Director of the Heidenheim Opera Festival, conductor-in-residence with the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock and principal guest conductor with the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Konstanz.

Founded in Munich in 1998, these four musical idealists focus on performing unknown and contemporary compositions. In 2019 they released their first part of String Quartets by Friedrich Gernsheim. In March 2020 their recording of Max Reger’s String Sextet F Major, op. 118 and Clarinet Quintet A Major op. 146 will be released on cpo.

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

With many of the Beethoven 250 anniversary events sadly cancelled, the great man’s genius can still be celebrated thanks to the many new recordings of his works appearing during 2020. A new cycle of the symphonies is a big event for any orchestra, and the superb Solistes Europeèn Luxembourg and their chief conductor Christoph König have over the past few years been recording all these ground breaking masterpieces.

“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).

Belgian clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe is forging a reputation as one of the most exciting and original clarinettists of her generation, captivating audiences with her expressive, intense and lyrical performances. A former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, Annelien has won numerous international competitions. Her debut album Belle époque with the Orchestre National de Lille conducted by Alexandre Bloch was released in 2019 on Pentatone. She is the co-founder of Brussels-based CAROUSEL Chamber Music Ensemble.