Daniil Trifonov, Piano’s “Tender Demon”, Debuts with Four North American Orchestras, Tours With Gidon Kremer, and Returns to Carnegie Hall in 2014-15

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Daniil Trifonov, Piano’s “Tender Demon”, Debuts with Four North American Orchestras, Tours With Gidon Kremer, and Returns to Carnegie Hall in 2014-15

 

Pianist Daniil Trifonov burst on to the classical music scene as recently as 2011 but has quickly won the admiration of fellow musicians, superlative reviews, and acclaim as the most gifted player of his generation. His 2014-15 season shows the 23-year-old continuing to develop his repertory, extend his international reputation, build relationships with high-caliber artists, and demonstrate his versatility in solo, chamber and orchestral programs. The season includes performances at Carnegie Hall, orchestral debuts in Seattle, Toronto, Atlanta and Dallas, appearances with the Vienna, Cleveland, Chicago, and Philharmonia symphony orchestras, solo recitals in Munich and London’s Royal Festival Hall, and a pair of tours with Gidon Kremer and the violinist’s orchestra, Kremerata Baltica.

 

Trifonov has earned a reputation as “tender demon”; as legendary pianist Martha Argerich said of him: “He has everything and more. What he does with his hands is technically incredible. It’s also his touch – he has tenderness and also the demonic element. I never heard anything like that.” This rare combination of extreme sensitivity and sheer power is the theme of many of the rave reviews Trifonov has won. Michael Church wrote in the Financial Times of Trifonov’s 2012 Verbier Festival appearance, “It’s not just a matter of precision and weighting, it’s a unique amalgam of fastidious tenderness and seemingly unfettered wildness.” Including him in her Top 20 World’s Greatest Pianists selection for Sinfini Music, Jessica Duchen wrote, “His playing, vividly imagined, immensely sensitive and thrilling in its energy, puts him potentially in line with the finest of his forerunners.“

 

Trifonov starts his season performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ludovic Morlot (Sep 18-20), and plays the same work later in the year with the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev in Nagoya and Saitama, Japan (Oct 16 & 18). Richard Morrison of The Times wrote of Trifonov’s 2012 recording of the work with Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra, “His performance of the Tchaikovsky warhorse is nuanced but not mannered, virtuosic without being showy, and powerful yet not hammered, as many young Russian pianists do.”

 

Trifonov has benefited from the musical support of Gergiev since the early days of his career, and this season he further develops another powerful musical partnership, with the Latvian violinist Gidon Kremer. Together they tour North America with a typically varied program of Mozart, Glass, Weinberg and Schubert, starting in Princeton (Jan 5) and finishing in style in the Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall (Jan 23). European audiences also have a chance to hear the program, which the duo brings to Brussels (April 28) and Paris (May 5). The relationship develops in an orchestral context too, as Trifonov performs Chopin Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 with Kremer and his innovative ensemble, Kremerata Baltica. Their German and Swiss tour starts in Frankfurt (Feb 10) and ends in Munich (Feb 21). Trifonov has won great praise for his Chopin concerto interpretations. Neil Fisher from The Times (London) wrote of an April 2014 performance: “His performance of the F minor concerto dealt in small miracles that made up a thrilling bigger picture. The Mozartian elegance of the first movement flowered into a gorgeous tapestry of light and shade, tension and release. Above all, Trifonov tapped into Chopin’s sense of freedom at the piano, and his joy in its potential.”

 

Trifonov’s season also showcases his signature interpretations of Rachmaninoff.  He performs Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in his debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden (March 26-29); for his return to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Semyon Bychkov (April 16-21); and Piano Concerto No. 3 with the London-based Philharmonia Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy (May 15-17). He joins the Vienna Symphony Orchestra to perform Rachmaninoff’s Second Concerto under Gianandrea Noseda (Nov 11 & 12), makes his debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra playing Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with Asher Fisch conducting (Jan 8 & 10). He also makes his Cleveland Orchestra subscription concerts debut with Jahja Ling in a work by another Russian composer: Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 (March 19-22).

 

Trifonov is equally at home in solo repertory, and will be touring around the world with a program of works all new to him, including Bach, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111 and Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes. He begins his tour at London’s Royal Festival Hall (Sep 30), making several stops in Japan and Korea (Oct 8-21), and then on to Scandinavia, Russia and Europe, including a visit to Munich’s Prinzregententheater (Dec 5), with a much-anticipated return to the Carnegie Hall on December 9.

 

Trifonov has proved a favorite at the famous venue; his first two solo recitals sold out and this is his recital in three seasons there. His concert will be broadcast live on WQXR and streamed live at wqxr.org. His momentous Carnegie debut in 2013 was released on CD by Deutsche Grammophon, marking his first venture as an exclusive artist for the label, and Trifonov: The Carnegie Recital has received superlative reviews around the world. Geoffrey Norris of The Guardian wrote: “It is not merely the power and dexterity of Trifonov’s playing that make such an arresting impression, though the torrents of octaves in both the right hand and the left towards the end of the Liszt are astonishing in their brilliance, boldness and bravura. Rather, the key thing here is that Trifonov can harness his digital strength, stamina and skill to a highly developed sense of the music’s expressive substance.”

 

The electricity Trifonov generates on stage is visible in two recent medici.tv streams of performances from last month’s Verbier Festival, where Trifonov was soloist in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and presented an intimate recital featuring works by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Schumann. Anne Midgette described this powerful physical presence in a profile of the young pianist in the Washington Post in March 2014: “… pale of skin, lank brown hair hanging down the back of his head, bending and bobbing and weaving over the keys while his long, slender fingers caress and thunder and draw out and press down until every drop of music is wrung out.” She compared him with both Liszt and Rachmaninoff, and he has also been likened to Chopin. As Elijah Ho of the San Francisco Examiner described in 2012: “The pianist delivers by authentic means, and there is a sense of artistry and thoughtfulness that never wavers. Rarely does a performer come along who brings forth the most powerful comprehensive qualities of each composer they are playing. Daniil Trifonov has this ability; he is a generational talent.”

 

Further information can be found at the artist’s web site: daniiltrifonov.com

 

Trifonov performance dates 2014-15

 

Aug 30

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh Festival
Queen’s Hall

Stravinsky: Serenade in A

Ravel: Selections from Miroirs

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

 

Aug 31

Lucerne, Switzerland

Lucerne Festival

Mariinsky Orchestra / Valery Gergiev

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2

 

Sep 1

Basel, Switzerland

AMG-Solistenabende

Stravinsky: Serenade in A

Debussy: Selections from Images Book I

Ravel: Selections from Miroirs

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

 

Sep 4

Munich, Germany

Philharmonie Gasteig

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden / Christian Thielemann

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

Sep 18-20

Seattle, WA

Benaroya Hall

Seattle Symphony Orchestra (debut) / Ludovic Morlot

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

Sep 25-27

Toronto, ON, Canada

Roy Thomson Hall

Toronto Symphony Orchestra  (debut)/ Peter Oundjian

Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

 

Sep 30 – Oct 21

Recitals in UK & Asia

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

   Sep 30: London, England (Royal Festival Hall)

Oct 1: Birmingham, England

   Oct 8: Okayama, Japan (Okayama Hall)

Oct 10: Hyogo, Japan

Oct 12: Tokyo, Japan (Musashino)

Oct 13: Yokohama, Japan (Minato Mirai Hall)

Oct 14: Seoul, Korea (Seoul Arts Center)

Oct 21: Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo Opera City)

 

Oct 16

Nagoya, Japan

Nagoya Hall

Mariinsky Orchestra / Valery Gergiev

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

Oct 18

Saitama, Japan

Tokorozawa

Mariinsky Orchestra / Valery Gergiev

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

Oct 19

Chiba, Japan

Aoba no Mori

Stravinsky: Serenade in A

Tchaikovsky: Theme and Variations Op. 19

Rachmaninoff: Variations on a Theme by Chopin Op. 22

Schumann: Symphonic Etudes Op. 13, including Opus Posthumous No. 1, 4, and 5

 

Oct 29 – Nov 8 

Recitals in UK & Europe 

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

Oct 29: Manchester, England (Bridgewater Hall)

   Oct 31: Stuttgart, Germany (Liederhalle)

   Nov 2: Stockholm, Sweden (Konserthuset)

   Nov 4: Barcelona, Spain (Palau de la Musica)

   Nov 7: Lyon, France (Auditorium Maurice Ravel)

Nov 8: Paris, France (Théâtre des Champs Élysées)

 

Nov 11 & 12

Vienna, Austria

Konzerthaus

Wiener Symphoniker / Gianandrea Noseda

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2

 

Nov 14 – Nov 25 

Recitals in Italy & Russia 

Stravinsky: Serenade in A

Ravel: Selections from Miroirs

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

Nov 14: Rome, Italy (Parco della Musica)

Nov 21: Ekaterinburg, Russia

Nov 23: Perm, Russia

Nov 25: Moscow, Russia (Conservatory Great Hall)

 

Nov 27 – Dec 8

Recitals in Germany & Italy 

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

Nov 27: Frankfurt, Germany (Alte Oper)

Nov 29: Firenze, Italy (Teatro alla Pergola)

Dec 5: Munich, Germany (Prinzregententheater)

 

Dec 9

New York, NY

Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

WQXR live broadcast

 

Dec 22

Moscow, Russia

Pushkin Museum

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

 

Dec 30; Jan 2, 3 & 6

New York, NY

Avery Fisher Hall

New York Philharmonic / Juanjo Mena

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

Jan 5 – 23, 2015

U.S. Recital Tour with Gidon Kremer

Mozart: Violin Sonata in E-Flat Major, K. 481

Glass: Violin Sonata

Weinberg: Violin Sonata No. 3

Schubert: Fantasy in C Major, D. 934

Jan 5: Princeton, NJ (McCarter Theater Center)

Jan 13: Berkeley, CA (Cal Performances)

Jan 14: Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Jan 15: La Jolla, CA (La Jolla Music Society)

Jan 17: Beverly Hills, MI (Seligman Performing Arts Center)

Jan 18: Baltimore, MD (Shriver Hall)

Jan 20: Toronto, ON, Canada (Koerner Hall)

Jan 21: Chapel Hill, NC (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

   Jan 23: New York, NY (Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium)

 

Jan 8 & 10

Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Symphony Hall

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (debut) / Asher Fisch

Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

 

Jan 28 – Feb 1

Spain tour with Philharmonia Orchestra / Clemens Schuldt

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2

Jan 28: Madrid, Spain (Auditorio Nacional)

Jan 29: Barcelona, Spain (L’Auditori)

Jan 30: Oviedo, Spain

Feb 1: Valencia, Spain (Palau de la Música)

 

Feb 3 – 5

Recitals in Spain

Feb 3: Bilbao, Spain (Sociedad Filarmónica)

Feb 4: Lisbon, Portugal (Fundacao Gulbenkian)

Feb 5: Valladolid, Spain (Centro Cultural Miguel Delibes)

 

Feb 10 – 21

European tour with Kremerata Baltica

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2

Feb 10: Frankfurt, Germany (Alte Oper)

Feb 11: Essen, Germany (Philharmonie)

Feb 12: Neumarkt, Germany

Feb 13: Stuttgart, Germany (Liederhalle)

Feb 15: Mannheim, Germany (Rosengarten)

Feb 16: Geneva, Switzerland (Victoria Hall)

Feb 18: Hamburg, Germany (Goette)

Feb 19: Berlin, Germany (Philharmonie)

Feb 21: Munich, Germany (Prinzregententheater)

 

Feb 25-27

Prague, Czech Republic

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Jirí Belohlávek

Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

 

March 13

Boston, MA

Jordan Hall

Celebrity Series of Boston

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

 

March 19-22

Cleveland, OH

Severance Hall (debut)

Cleveland Orchestra / Jahja Ling

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

March 26-29

Dallas, TX

Meyerson Symphony Center

Dallas Symphony Orchestra (debut) / Jaap van Zweden

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

April 2-4

Washington, DC

Kennedy Center

National Symphony Orchestra / Krzysztof Urbanski

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3

 

Apr 10

La Jolla, CA

Museum of Contemporary Art

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

 

April 12

Aliso Viejo, CA

Soka Performing Arts Center

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

 

April 16-21

Chicago, IL

Symphony Hall

Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Semyon Bychkov
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

April 26

London, England

Southbank Centre

Philharmonia Orchestra / Yuri Temirkanov

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1

 

April 28

Brussels, Belgium

Palais des Beaux-Arts

Recital with Gidon Kremer

Mozart: Violin Sonata in E-Flat Major, K. 481

Glass: Violin Sonata

Weinberg: Violin Sonata No. 3

Schubert: Fantasy in C Major, D. 934

 

April 29

Brussels, Belgium

Palais des Beaux-Arts

Kremerata Baltica

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1

Weinberg: Piano Quintet

 

May 5

Paris, France

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

Recital with Gidon Kremer

Mozart: Violin Sonata in E-Flat Major, K. 481

Glass: Violin Sonata

Weinberg: Violin Sonata No. 3

Schubert: Fantasy in C Major, D. 934

 

May 13

Mestre, Italy

Teatro Toniolo

Bach: TBD

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111

Liszt: Transcendental Etudes S. 139

 

May 15-17

London, England

Southbank Centre

Philharmonia Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3

 

 

daniiltrifonov.com

 

twitter.com/daniil_trifonov

 

www.facebook.com/daniiltrifonov.page

 

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© 21C Media Group, August 2014

 

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