Dubai, UAE
Inspired by the creativity of the Soviet era and its urban folklore, Alexey Shor wrote his ‘Well Tempered Chanson’. The cycle takes the cosmopolitan culture that developed in the city of Odessa during the 1920s as a point of departure to undertake a musical journey, describing a time full of radical changes in social, economic, cultural and moral life. With a fine sense of irony discernible in the title referring to Johann Sebastian Bach, Shor reevaluates the urban romances, or ‘chansons’, that were looked down upon by the cultural establishment of their time. Borrowing from baroque, classical and Latin American music, these original scores appear converted to such an extent that even connoisseurs might have difficulties in recognising them. Along with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Marius Stravinsky, Belgian violinist Leonard Schreiber plays the leading part which Shor wrote for the warm, colourful and velvety sound of the violin.
Sergei Prokofiev left Russia soon after the October Revolution but never really detached from his homeland. When Prokofiev composed his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3, he was still living in the New World, though a large part of the score was written in France. His concerto was received with indifference at its première in Chicago in 1921, but its success was all the greater when it was performed in Paris only one year later. Ever since, it has been the composer’s most popular piano concerto. Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son plays the solo part in this concert that closes with Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic poem ‘Šárka’. Written as a part of the cycle of symphonic poems ‘Má Vlast’ (“My Fatherland”), ‘Šárka’ never enjoyed the popularity of the famous ‘Vltava’ (“The Moldau”). This may, in part, be due to its bloodthirsty subject — an old Bohemian tale about an ancient war between men and women. Šárka, a beautiful maiden, uses her beauty to seduce the knight Ctirad, so that the women can overpower him and his men. Despite the plot’s cruelty, the music is full of drama and bold beauty.
Stravinsky looks to be a major talent. (Music OMH) Stravinsky’s approach lent the music special change. (BachTrack) Born in Kazakhstan to a musical family Marius Stavinsky began playing the violin when he was four-years old. Educated at the Moscow Central Music School and the Yehudi Menuhin school, he went on to become the first former Soviet student to secure a scholarship to Eton College. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London, in 2002. Stavinsky’s passion for conducting began aged 13 after playing the Brunch Violin Concerto for Mariss Jamsons - now one of his regular conducting mentors.
In 1998 he spent a summer assisting Claudio Abbado in Peter Brook’s production of Don Giovanni at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, and his studies at the Royal Academy were led by Igor Golovchin and Thomas Sanderling, with masterclasses from Kenneth Kiesler and Eri Klas.
From 2002-2005, Stravinsky returned to Moscow to study conducting with Vladimir Ponkin, working as his Assistant Conductor in both the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and the Helikon Opera. Whilst resident at Helikon Opera, his performances included fully staged productions of Berg (Lulu), Bizet (Carmen), Giorgdano (Siberia), Poulenc (Les Dialogue des Carmelites), Prokofiev (The Story of a Real Man), Rimsky-Korsakov (Kaschei the Immortal), Shostakovich (Lady Macbeth of the Mtensk District), and works by his forebear Igor Stravinsky (such as Mavra).
In 2007, Stravinsky was awarded the position of Chief Conductor & Artistic Director of the Karelia Philharmonic Orchestra, becoming the youngest conductor in Russia to hold such a post. Following his five-year tenure in this role, he then – at the personal invitation of Vladimir Jurowski – took up the position of Assistant Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2013/2014 season. Since then he has gone on to work with top orchestras around the world, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia, Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Berlin Staatskapelle, Queensland Symphony, and Tokyo Opera Philharmonic.
Stravinsky enjoys a particularly strong profile in Russia, working with top orchestras and institutions including the Russian National Orchestra, Russian Philharmonic, and the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra. He regularly conducts at the Mariinsky Theatre (both in symphonic concerts and operatic performances), and enjoys a close collaboration with the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia ‘Evgeny Svetlanov’ (GASO).
Stravinsky boasts a diverse repertoire, and a discography that includes world premiere recordings of Ignaz Brüll’s Violin Concerto and Symphony in E minor, Salomon Jadassohn’s Symphony No.1, and Pavel Pabst’s Piano Concerto, on the Cameo Classics Label. During his tenure as Chief Conductor & Artistic Director, Stravinsky also released recordings of major works by Thomas Blower, Dororthy Howell, Joseph Holbrooke and Sergey Zhukov with the Karelia Philharmonic Orchestra.
Resident in Berlin, Stravinsky also spends time in St. Petersburg, where during the 2016/2017 season he became Founder & Music Director of the St. Petersburg Festival Orchestra – launched with a performance of Oedipus Rex at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in February 2017. Highlights of Stravinsky’s 2017/2018 season include productions at the Berlin Staatsballett with the orchestras of the Berlin Staatskapelle and Deutsche Oper, and debuts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Royal Festival Hall, London), and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
Yeol Eum Son’s graceful and timeless interpretations, crystalline touch and versatile, thrilling performances have caught the attention of audiences worldwide. Praised for her widely eclectic concerti repertoire, ranging from Bach, all-Mozart, early German and Russian Romantic to Gershwin and Ligeti, Yeol Eum has collaborated with major ensembles worldwide such as Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Dresdner Philharmoniker, The Tonkunstler Orchestra at the Grafenegg Festival, Bergen Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Seoul Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Moscow Virtuosi among many others.
Yeol Eum performs with conductors such as Dmitri Kitayenko, Valery Gergiev, Vasily Petrenko, Vladimir Spivakov, Andrew Manze, Susanna Mälkki, Omer Meir Wellber, Cristian Măcelaru, Pietari Inkinen, Jonathan Nott, Mikko Franck, Nicholas Collon, Joshua Weilerstein, Joana Carneiro, Pablo González, Case Scaglione, Roberto González-Monjas and Yan Pascal Tortelier.
Across the 20/21 season Yeol Eum serves as Artist in Residence with the Residentie Orkest from the Hague. In front of the Dutch audience and under the baton of conductors Nick Collon, Pablo González and Joshua Weilerstein, Yeol Eum presents a selection of some of the finest concerti of the piano repertoire including Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.4, Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Ravel's Piano Concerto in G. Beyond Zuiderstrandtheater in the Hague, her residency will take her to some of the major venues across the Netherlands including Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, Apeldoorn's Orpheus and Utrecht's TivoliVredenburg, Yeol Eum also gives a recital at the Hague's Nieuwe Kirk and a Masterclass at the Hague's conservatory.
In summer 2019 Yeol Eum made her Royal Albert Hall and BBC Proms debut with the BBC Philharmonic interpreting Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 15. Her most recent debut with the Liverpool Philharmonic (Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto) was met with high acclaim for which Johanna Roberts wrote: Yeol Eum Son throughout demonstrated the technical excellence partnered with lyrical sensitivity that have made her one of the most sought-after concert pianists in a virtuoso performance that was much appreciated by the audience. During her recent UK tour with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Yeol Eum returned to London’s Cadogan Hall and debuted at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and at Basingstoke’s the Anvil Concert Hal (Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the left hand). Following her hugely successful debut with Aurora orchestra earlier in 2019, Yeol Eum © 2017 IMG Artists; Please do not make alterations to this biography without contacting IMG Artists. was instantly re-invited and features as a soloist on their March 2020 tour under Nick Collon (Mozart Piano Concerto No.23) with concerts taking place at King’s Place in London as well as at St George’s concert hall in Bristol and at the Apex concert hall in Bury St Edmunds. Yeol Eum subsequently makes her debut with Aurora Orchestra at the opening of the Heidelberger Frühling festival.
A distinguished Mozart interpreter, in the recent concert seasons, Yeol Eum made major UK debuts with the CBSO in Birmingham (Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21) and at London’s Cadogan Hall with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (Mozart’s Piano Concerti No’s 8 & 21). Her London debut coincided with Onyx CD release of a highly acclaimed all-Mozart recording featuring Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.21 with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner for whom it was the very last recording. According to The Times Yeol Eum Son is a model of clarity and fleetness whilst Gramophone called the recording an uncommonly fine Mozartian debut.
Further concerti debuts across the 19/20 season and beyond include collaborations with Budapest Festival Orchestra (Rachmaninov No. 2); West Australian Symphony Orchestra (Mozart No. 21); New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (Mozart No. 27); St Paul Chamber Orchestra (play-direct of Beethoven No.4); Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (Beethoven No.4); Liège Philharmonic (Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue and Variations on I got Rhythm); Helsinki Philharmonic (Yashiro Piano Concerto); WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne at the RadiRo Festival in Bucharest (Rachmaninov No. 2); Philharmonie de Paris debut with Orchestre National d'Île-de-France (Rachmaninov No.2); RTVE Symphony Orchestra (Szymanowski Sinfonia Concertante) and a tour of Belgium with the Flanders Symphony Orchestra (Liszt No.1). Following her previous successful collaborations, Yeol Eum returns to Gävle Symphony Orchestra (Chopin No.2), Bergen Philharmonic (Rachmaninov No.2), Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne (Prokofiev No.2) and Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken (Prokofiev No.3).
A sensitive, emotional and powerful recitalist, Yeol Eum gives frequent solo and chamber performances across the globe. Most recent recitals include debuts with San Francisco Chamber Music Society, The Phillips Collection in Washington DC, Helsingborg Piano Festival, International Piano Series Fribourg, Istanbul Recitalleri, Moscow's House of Music, Welsh debut at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Scottish recital debut at the East Neuk Festival for which The Scotsman presides Yeol Eum for having found that vital emotional connection with the music and physically embracing its raw energy and dynamic extremes with ferocious virtuosity. In the 19/20 season and beyond Yeol Eum makes recital debuts in Luzerne's KKLSaal, Bern's Paul Klee Centre, Porto's Casa da Música, Belgrade's Kolarac Concert Hall and at the Tallin Piano Festival.
An avid chamber musician, in 2018 Yeol Eum was appointed Artistic Director of Music in PyeongChang, the biggest music festival in her native Korea. Yeol Eum is responsible for programming both summer and winter festivals at the Olympic site in PyeongChang. Further chamber highlights in 2020 include appearances at Philharmonie Cologne for collaborations with the principle players from WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne (Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 arranged for Piano and String Quintet) and with Quatuor Modigliani. © 2017 IMG Artists; Please do not make alterations to this biography without contacting IMG Artists. Yeol Eum’s new releases include two DECCA albums: recital CD Modern Times- featuring solo piano music written between 1910-1920 by Berg, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Ravel, and Schumann and Brahms CD with violinist Clara-Jumi Kang. Previous albums include debut CD of complete Chopin Etudes (2004); Chopin Nocturnes for Piano and Strings (2008); prize-winning Cliburn Competition live performance (2009) and a multi-channel SACD O’ New World Music (2012).
Yeol Eum is Honorary Ambassador of the Seoul Arts Center and her home city of Wonju. A double Second Prize winner at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in 2011 and at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009, Yeol Eum Son was a student of Arie Vardi at the Hochschule für Musik Theater und Medien Hannover in Germany, where she now lives. She holds a degree from the Korean National University of Arts.
Leonard Schreiber was born in Belgium, and starts the violin at the age of five. At six he gives his first concerto appearance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders. At fourteen he moved to London to the specialised 'Purcell School of Music' and at sixteen entered the Royal College of Music with Prof. Felix Andrievsky followed by Prof. Levon Chilingirian where he won all the prestigious awards the college had to offer.
Leonard is known as a versatile and passionate musician. Besides his active solo career, he also became a member of the piano trio 'Trio Chausson' from 2015 to 2018. He also played concerts around the world with wonderful musicians such as Boris Andrianov, Nicholas Angelich, Yuri Bashmet, Boris Berezovsky, the 'Borodin Quartet', Juozas Domarkas, Itamar Golan, Michael Guttman, Dimitri Illarionov, Dmitri Jurowski, Andrei Korobeinikov, Gavriel Lipkind, Valentina Lisitsa, Sir Roger Norrington, Jean-Bernard Pommier, David Reiland, Vadim Repin, Melvyn Tan, Neil Thomson, Maxim Vengerov, Vladimir Verbitsky, Kazuki Yamada…
He played at the 'Oriental Arts Centre' in Shanghaï during the World Exhibition. This concert was recorded on the label EMI. His CD with the London Symphony Orchestra 'Violin Heritage' with works of Franck, Vieuxtemps, Ysaÿe and a piece composed in Memory of the Holocaust by Dirk Brossé conducted by the composer himself, won several awards. (CD of the year 'Monde de la Musique') He regularly tours in South America, in Russia and in all the European Cities, in the most prestigious concert halls. Besides the usual concerts, Leonard had the honour to play several times for HRH Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, and for many other Royalties and Heads of States around the world.
Leonard plays on a Alessandro Mezzadri violin of 1710, on loan by Georg von Opel.
'Leonard Schreiber, as soloist, was at one with the conductor’s approach... The cadenza in the Khachaturian Concerto,was given with wry sardonic humour that brought David Oistrakh, the work’s dedicatee, to mind.' Musicweb-international
'Truly innovative and original recording performed with great sensitivity and flair' Quote by Maxim Vengerov on Leonard's recording with the London Symphony Orchestra.
The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, IBA was established in 1936 as a small studio ensemble, which grew into the Palestine Broadcasting Service Orchestra. With the foundation of the State of Israel the orchestra became the national radio orchestra, known as the Kol Israel Orchestra. In the 1970s, the orchestra was expanded and became the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Broadcasting Authority. The orchestra was the first to perform in Israel the works of Sofia Gubaidolina, Henri Dutilleux, Alfred Schnittke and others. Through the years some of the greatest musicians have performed with the orchestra, among them Arthur Rubinstein, Igor Markevitch, Otto Klemperer, Henryk Szeryng, Isaac Stern, Radu Lupu and Yefim Bronfman. One of the most notable premières performed by the orchestra was The Seven Gates of Jerusalem by the Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, conducted by Lorin Maazel, which was composed for the finale of the Jerusalem 3000 celebrations. This was a joint venture with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. The orchestra often tours in Europe and the United States, and has played in some of the most prestigious venues. Recently JSO had successful tours to USA, where concerts took place from Florida to Massachusetts and for the first time a tour in Japan, both tours with Dmitry Yablonsky as conductor and soloist.
