The pre-selection jury of the Santander International Piano Competition has announced the names of the 20 selected candidates that will participate in the first stage of this year’s edition of this competition. Read More →

(c) Martin Hoffmeister

The pre-selection Jury (Augustin Dumay, Chairman; Daniel Stabrawa, Deputy Chairman; and Madeleine Carruzzo) have selected nine German, seven Polish, five American, four South Korean, three Chinese and three Japanese players, as well as violinists from Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Kazakhstan and Switzerland to take part in the Wieniawski Competition in Poznan, Poland. Read More →

Elbphilharmonie-Breaking Waves
(c) Moka-Studio

On Thursday evening, thousands of people gathered in the Port of Hamburg to see the light installation ‘Breaking Waves’ around the Elbphilharmonie by the Dutch artist duo DRIFT. Hundreds of illuminated drones danced around the concert hall following the opening concert of the Hamburg International Music Festival with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and Joseph Haydn’s Creation. The light installation will be shown three more times until 1 May, at 22:30 each evening

The Metropolitan Opera has announced a cast change for its production of Tosca during the 2022-23 season. Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska will replace Hibla Gerzmava in the title role. Read More →

This week’s Karajan Community Letter focuses on the Karajan Music Tech Conference. There is also information about the 1967 Carmen film and about Renate Holm, who died a week ago. Here is the link to this week’s Karajanist Community Letter. Read More →

Andras Schiff
Photo: Sheila Rock

Die Bach-Medaille der Stadt Leipzig 2022 geht an den Pianisten Andras Schiff. Das teilte das Bach-Archiv mit. Zeitlebens habe der 1953 in Budapest geborene Künstler Bachs Tastenmusik auf dem modernen Flügel in den Mittelpunkt seiner Recitals gestellt. Mit der Bachstadt Leipzig und dem Bachfest verbinde Schiff eine besonders intensive Zusammenarbeit. Die Auszeichnung wird im Rahmen des Bachfestes Leipzig 2022 am 16. Juni überreicht.

Design of the new Belgrade concert hall ©A_LA

London based architecture firm AL_A has been selected to design the new Belgrade Philharmonic Concert Hall. It will be built next to the Danube and  comprise four main venues, a 1,600-seat symphonic hall, a 250-seat recital hall, outdoor events space, a creative studio, rehearsal & teaching spaces, orchestral archive, jazz club restaurant and retail. Read More →

Simply Quartet
(c) Philharmonie Luxembourg

In der Konzertreihe mit jungen Künstlern, die von der ECHO-Vereinigung der Konzerthallen mit großen Erwartungen im Hinblick auf ihren künstlerischen Stand und die Entwicklung nominiert werden, trat das Simply Quartet auf. Uwe Krusch war für Pizzicato dabei. Read More →

Adam Fischer
(c) Eric Engel

This year with the live streaming of the ICMA Gala Concert the program played by the Luxembourg Philharmonic and Orchestre Royal de l’Opéra de Versailles with many winning artists from the 2022 panel reached over 40.000 people, and the number is continuously growing with the concert being still available in the YouTube channel of Deutsche Welle. Read More →

Philharmonie Berlin

Die Karajan-Akademie der Berliner Philharmoniker feiert am 7. Mai ihr 50-jähriges Bestehen mit einem Benefizkonzert im Großen Saal der Philharmonie Berlin. Der Erlös des Konzertes kommt der Karajan-Akademie zugute. Read More →