Concert information
At the invitation of the Berliner Philharmoniker
Info
The pianist Sunwook Kim has been acclaimed for his sensitivity, brilliance and stylistic confidence – all qualities well-suited to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, whose Piano Concertos No. 3 and No. 4 he performs with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. While the Third is tragic, serious and combative, the Fourth is lyrical, impetuous and playful. Two works by contemporary British composers will also be performed: Anna Clyne's string work Stride, which is inspired by Beethoven's music, and Helen Grime's Elegiac inflections, which demonstrates the diverse sonic possibilities of a wind ensemble.
Artists
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Sunwook Kim piano and direction
Programme
Anna Clyne
Stride
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, op. 37
Interval
Helen Grime
Elegiac inflections
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4 in G major, op. 58
Additional information
Duration ca. 2 hours and 15 minutes (incl. 20 minutes interval)
This concert has been made possible by the generous support of Hyundai Motor.
Chamber Music Hall
16 to 38 €
Series O: International Chamber Orchestras
Biographies
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
The Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE) was founded in 1981 by young musicians from the European Community Youth Orchestra. Today, ensemble is made up of 60 hand-picked members, soloists and section leaders from renowned orchestras, acclaimed chamber musicians, and professors. From the very beginning, the orchestra has worked with important conductors and soloists. Claudio Abbado was a particularly significant mentor in the group's early years; they made award-winning recordings together, including Gioacchino Rossini’s opera Il viaggio a Reims and all of Franz Schubert’s symphonies. Nikolaus Harnoncourt was also a seminal collaborator; they recorded all of Beethoven’s symphonies together, as well as playing for opera productions at the Salzburg Festival, the Vienna Festival and the Styriarte.
Today, the orchestra works closely with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sir Simon Rattle and Sir András Schiff, who (after Bernard Haitink and Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt) are among the orchestra’s honorary members, as well as with Sir Antonio Pappano and Robin Ticciati, among others. Since the 2018/19 season, the COE has performed regularly at the Philharmonie at the invitation of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation. A mainstay of the repertoire is Viennese classical music, which can be heard in performances all over the world with soloists such as Lisa Batiashvili, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Janine Jansen, Renaud Capuçon and many others.
Sunwook Kim
Born in Seoul in 1988, Sunwook Kim was the first Asian pianist and youngest person in 40 years to win the prestigious piano competition in Leeds, England; he was 18 years old. In June 2021, Kim made his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker – and was immediately invited back. Kim, who now lives in London, studied at the Korea National University of Arts and the Royal Academy of Music in London. He performs frequently in leading international concert halls, and is regarded as one of the best pianists of his generation.
Asked who was his strongest influence, Kim says: “András Schiff. He has been my mentor for many years. We met for the first time in Seoul at one of his masterclasses, and he invited me to play at his masterclass in Lucerne, Switzerland. I learnt so much from András, mentally, physically and musically.”
In addition to his piano studies, Sunwook Kim also trained as a conductor – supported by his second mentor, the South Korean conductor and pianist Myung-Whun Chung. He is currently music director of the South Korean Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra.
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