Alice Sara Ott

German-Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott has established herself as one of the most exciting musical talents of today. As well as high profile engagements with some of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, Ott is becoming increasingly known for her creative collaborations, with artists such as Francesco Tristano and Olafur Arnalds.

The Guardian commented after her recent performance with the London Symphony Orchestra that she “gave the kind of gawp-inducing bravura performance of which legends are made.”

In 2016-17 Alice Sara Ott released ‘Wonderland’, her major new album on Deutsche Grammophon of music by Grieg, with Esa-Pekka Salonen and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. She also undertook a five-date UK tour with Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia Orchestra in November 2016. In autumn 2017 she returns to the UK for the International Piano Series on 17 October and appears with Antonio Pappano and London Symphony Orchestra on 26 November.

In addition to a busy season of international appearances, Ott boasts a number of creative collaborations which showcase her skills as a designer and illustrator. She is creative advisor to German luxury brand, JOST, for whom she has designed a line of premium leather bags featuring origami elements, and she has also designed a range of stickers for Japanese messaging service LINE, which has already reached millions of users. Ott is also currently the global brand ambassador for Technics, the hi-fi audio brand of Panasonic Corporation.

Ott has recorded exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon since 2008.

www.alicesaraott

Nelson Goerner

Master of the Romantic repertoire and one of today’s foremost interpreters of Chopin, Debussy and Schumann, Argentine pianist Nelson Goerner brought his “interpretations of sublime inspiration” [Daily Telegraph] to London’s Wigmore Hall in September 2015 as part of a rich season of international appearances. Now, the award-winning “poet of the piano” turns his hand to Beethoven for his first major recording of the composer. Already boasting an imposing discography, the celebrated Argentinean pianist has committed to disc one of the most important and challenging works ever composed for the instrument, the ‘Hammerklavier’ Sonata and 6 Bagatelles. He releases in June 2017 the Fauré and Franck violin sonatas with Tedi Papavrami (Alpha), to be followed by the Chopin Nocturnes, in autumn 2017 (Alpha).

“His Kreisleriana is among the finest ever recorded.” Pianist Magazine

www.nelsongoerner.com

Víkingur Ólafsson

Possessing a rare combination of passionate musicality, explosive virtuosity and intellectual curiosity, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has won all the major prizes in his native country, including four Musician of the Year prizes at the Icelandic Music Awards and the Icelandic Optimism Prize.

As well as emerging as a high level soloist – having performed with Vladímir Ashkenazy at the opening concert of Harpa and also in Philip Glass’s Etudes at the Barbican in May 2015 – Ólafsson is seeking new ways to engage with audiences by leading several other innovative music projects.

He is Artistic Director of Vinterfest in Sweden as well as Artistic Director of the Reykjavik Midsummer Festival (which celebrated its 5th anniversary in 2016). Ólafsson set up his own record label Dirrindí and has released three albums to date, and he also persuaded Icelandic National Broadcasting Service to run a ten-part series on music called Útúrdúr (Out of Tune), bringing together the insights of high calibre musicians, artists and academics and welcoming new audiences to classical music with performances, interview and demonstrations at the keyboard. It featured guests including Alfred Brendel and Martin Frost and was broadcast to unanimous critical and public acclaim.

Ólafsson’s Vinterfest (or ‘Winter Festival’) takes place in Sweden from 16-19 February 2017, under the captivating theme of ‘Forbidden Music.’

In November 2016 it was announced that Ólafsson had signed as an exclusive recording artist for the prestigious global label, Deutsche Grammophon. The partnership launches with the release of Philip Glass Etudes in January 2017, to celebrate the composer’s 80th birthday.

www.vikingurolafsson.com
www.vinterfest.se/english/program-in-english/
www.reykjavikmidsummermusic.com/en

Patricia Kopatchinskaja

Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja is one of the most thrilling artistic forces on the global classical music scene today. A musician of the highest-level artistry, integrity and originality, she is increasingly in-demand for her vital and dynamic performances.

Her 2016-17 season features high profile concerto and chamber performances, including residencies at the Wigmore Hall and the Berlin Konzerthaus, and her continuing role as Artistic Partner of Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra in the US. She also tours internationally with Sir Simon Rattle and Berlin Philharmonic; Teodor Currentzis and Musica Aeterna; and Vladimir Jurowski and London Philharmonic Orchestra.

www.patriciakopatchinskaja

Michael Barenboim

Violinist Michael Barenboim is one of the most talented artists of his generation and has performed with some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras and conductors, including the Wiener Philharmoniker, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra under Pierre Boulez and Münchner Philharmoniker conducted by the late Lorin Maazel. A former student of Pierre Boulez, Barenboim is recognised for his versatile approach to repertoire with a particular focus on 20th Century works.

2015-16 saw Barenboim make a number of international debuts, with a particularly strong season in France. He was appointed artist-in-residence at the Orchestre symphonique de Bretagne and performed Boulez’s ‘Anthèmes II’ in a new ballet by Wayne McGregor at the Opera national de Paris. In December 2015 he made his debut at London’s Wigmore Hall, and in early 2016 Barenboim made his major Australia and New Zealand tour debut with a series of highly successful appearances across both countries.

In the 2016-17 season, Michael Barenboim brings the Berg violin concerto to Shanghai and to Manchester with the BBC Philharmonic and Juanjo Mena, and also performs the Prokofiev Violin Concerto no.1 with the Philharmonia Orchestra, as part of a busy season of international performances.

In January 2017 Barenboim releases his first solo recital album, of works by Bach, Bartok and Boulez.

Born in Paris, Barenboim grew up in Berlin in a multicultural environment, and has been Concertmaster of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra since 2003.

www.michaelbarenboim.com

Colin Currie

The world’s leading classical percussionist has been the driving force behind new percussion music for 20 years. An artist at the peak of his powers, Colin Currie has irreversibly transformed the landscape for percussion soloists, challenging today’s foremost composers to write new works.

In September 2014 Colin took centre stage at London’s Southbank Centre – where he is Artist-in-Residence – for the spectacular and unprecedented four-month percussion festival: Metal, Wood, Skin: The Colin Currie Percussion Festival. At the heart of the festival were major new works commissioned for Currie by Steve Reich, Louis Andriessen and James MacMillan. The result was a landmark event in the percussion world.

Colin continues to give world premiere performances both as a soloist and as a member of the Colin Currie Group, which he founded to perform the works of Steve Reich.

www.colincurrie.com
www.colincurriegroup.com
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/colincurrie

Chiaroscuro Quartet

The Chiaroscuro Quartet, led by Alina Ibragimova, is making its mark as one of the most exciting young ensembles around today. Performing on gut-stringed instruments, the ensemble has garnered high praise across Europe for its highly virtuosic, risk-taking, thrilling performances, and its commitment to authentic, historical approach. The quartet, which formed in 2005, has recently announced an exciting new recording partnership with BIS Records, beginning with the release of the Haydn string quartets Op.20. Volume one was released in September 2016. The group has also recently signed to major international management agency, Askonas Holt.

“Already they play with the breadth and authority of veterans” (Herald, Scotland).

“It’s not often you hear period instrument playing of such consummate and seemingly effortless virtuosity”
(BBC Music Magazine ‘Choice’ 5*/5*)

www.chiaroscuroquartet

Johannes Pramsohler

The entrepreneurial Baroque violinist Johannes Pramsohler founded his own chamber ensemble, Ensemble Diderot, in 2008. Over the years the ensemble has become increasingly recognised for its faithful interpretations and world-premiere recordings of little-known Baroque masterpieces.

After four album releases on the label founded by Pramsohler, Audax Records, Ensemble Diderot has most recently the world premiere recording of Meister’s Il Giardino del Piacere. The album of Meister’s spectacular trio sonatas completes a project originally started by Reinhard Goebel’s Musica Antiqua Köln. Ensemble Diderot worked closely with Goebel on the album release.

Ensemble Diderot launched the album in the UK with a special concert at London’s St. John’s Smith Square in May 2016. Widespread critical acclaim for the project already includes Chamber ‘Choice’ of the month in BBC Music Magazine.

www.johannespramsohler
www.ensemblediderot
www.audax-records

Kate Lindsey

Mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey, the opera star who excels in Mozart and Purcell but who grew up listening to the music of Broadway, releases her debut album on Alpha Classics in May 2017.

‘Thousands of Miles’ is the alchemical collaboration between Kate and the award-winning jazz pianist, Baptiste Trotignon. Featuring works by Kurt Weill and other emigré composers who left Europe for the US, the album brings together classical music and Broadway, old and new worlds, ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture, opera and jazz.

As well as this recital recording debut, Kate will also appear as Sesto in Clemenza di Tito at Glyndebourne in the summer 2017 season. Her turn as Nicklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann at the Royal Opera House in autumn 2017 attracted widespread critical acclaim.

www.katelindsey.com