Captivating audiences and critics alike, the Cheng² Duo (pronounced Cheng Squared Duo) distinguishes itself with its uncompromising musical integrity, undeniable chemistry, and unparalleled communication with its listeners. The brother-and-sister duo is formed by 21-year-old cellist Bryan Cheng, top prize laureate of the VI International Paulo Cello Competition, and pianist Silvie Cheng, recipient of the Roy M. Rubinstein Award for exceptional promise in piano performance. Named one of CBC Music’s “30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30”, the young and dynamic Cheng² Duo has been making music together for the past 16 years. Their refreshing approach to showcasing classical music to new audiences of all backgrounds is steeped in a rare balance of infectious joy and enthusiasm in their playing on one hand, and mature, historically-informed, and profound interpretations on the other. With wide-ranging repertoire from baroque to contemporary, from original arrangements inspired by folk music to new commissioned works, the duo has presented engaging recitals in notable concert halls throughout North America (Canada and USA), Europe (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, Italy), and Asia (China and South Korea). Now touring extensively, they have established a reputation for being invited for return engagements at prestigious venues and festivals, including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall (NY), the National Gallery of Canada, the Festival of the Sound (ON), Vermont’s Pro-Concert Series, and Ottawa Chamberfest. The duo has also been featured at numerous other international festivals, including Aspen (Colorado, US), Trasimeno (Italy), Usedomer (Germany) and CAMMAC (Quebec), as well as broadcasts on CBC Radio, ICI Musique, Radio-Canada International, Winnipeg Classic 107, Vermont Public Radio, WCRB Classical Music Boston, WCNY Classic FM, Kulturradio RBB Germany and Südwestrundfunk (SWR2) Germany. In the vanguard of creative programming, Bryan and Silvie are equally committed to presenting both traditional masterworks and the music of their time. Since 2013, they have commissioned nearly a dozen new works, as well as curated cross-disciplinary concert experiences that meld classical and contemporary music with jazz, poetry, and visual/media arts. World-class collaborative partners have included photographer and cinematographer Edward Burtynsky, Mercury Films, and multimedia studio Normal. Recent and upcoming concert highlights include debut recitals at Chamber Music at the Clark (Los Angeles), Dame Myra Hess Series (Chicago), National Arts Club (NYC), Harvard University, Virtuosi Series (Winnipeg), Cecilia Concerts (Halifax), Indian River Festival (PEI), Toronto Summer Music Festival, Germany’s Usedomer Musikfestival and TONALi Kiezfestival, and extensive tours throughout Canada and China. Cheng² Duo has released two critically-acclaimed albums on the German label audite: Violonchelo del fuego (2018) featuring Spanish works, and Violoncelle français (2016), which was selected as one of WCRB Classical Radio Boston’s top CDs of 2017. The duo’s recordings have been lauded by international press and publications in France, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, and USA for their “musical sensitivity”, “maturity and perfection”, “extremely imaginative and personal interpretation”, “taste, sure flair for phrasing, and beauty of sound”. Their third album, Russian Legends, will be released in spring 2019. For more information, visit cheng2duo.com and facebook.com/Cheng2Duo.

Die lautten compagney BERLIN ist eines der renommiertesten und kreativsten deutschen Barockensembles. Seit drei Jahrzehnten faszinieren die Konzerte unter der künstlerischen Leitung von Wolfgang Katschner ihre Zuhörer. Ganz gleich, ob als Kammerensemble oder als Opernorchester, mit ansteckender Spielfreude und innovativen Konzepten überwindet das Ensemble dabei immer wieder Grenzen und sucht die Begegnung mit neuen Klängen und anderen Künsten. Für ihre aufregenden musikalischen Brückenschläge wurde das Ensemble mehrfach ausgezeichnet. Die CD-Einspielung des Programms Timeless, das Musik des Frühbarock mit Werken von Philip Glass vereint, erhielt 2010 den ECHO Klassik. Mit dem Gewinn des Rheingau Musik Preises 2012 verbindet sich eine Auszeichnung für die innovativen Konzertprogramme der lautten compagney. Die lautten compagney ist regelmäßig zu Gast auf bedeutenden nationalen und internationalen Konzertpodien und Festivals, so u.a. im Concertgebouw Amsterdam, im Wiener Musikverein, bei den Händel-Festspielen Halle, beim Rheingau Musik Festival, beim Mosel Musikfestival und beim Oude Muziek Festival Utrecht. Zweimal jährlich laden Wolfgang Katschner und die lautten compagney zu AEQUINOX ein, den Musiktagen zur Tagundnachtgleiche im brandenburgischen Neuruppin. Seit 2014 sind die Barockmusiker auch das ensemble in residence des Festivals Alter Musik Bernau. Bereits mehrfach präsentierte sich die lautten compagney beim Barock-Fest ‚Winter in Schwetzingen‘. Mit etwa drei bis vier CD-Veröffentlichungen pro Jahr bei den Labels dhm/Sony und Carus ist die lautten compagney auf dem internationalen Markt präsent.

Trio Lirico Die drei Musiker des Trio Lirico verbindet zum einen ihre Leidenschaft für die Kammermusik; zum andern verfolgen alle drei auch ihre Karrieren als Solisten. Diese solistische Prägung im Kammermusikverbund ist das Markenzeichen des Ensembles: Die kammermusikalische Zwiesprache wird mit solistischer Leidenschaft gehalten, drei charaktervolle Persönlichkeiten „unterhalten“ sich auf Augenhöhe, pflegen ihre Individualität, ohne die Ensemble-Homogenität zu vernachlässigen. Dabei heraus kommt eine einzigartige Mischung voller Temperament, Spielfreude und reizvoller Spannungen. Hinzu kommt der nuancenreiche, beseelte Streicherklang und die gelungene Verbindung von Stiltreue und persönlichem Zugriff in den Interpretationen: All dies führte dazu, dass sich das Trio Lirico bereits kurz nach seiner Gründung im Jahr 2014 erfolgreich im Konzertleben etablieren konnte. Das weitgefächerte Repertoire des Ensembles reicht von der Klassik bis hin zu zeitgenössischen Werken; zusätzlichen Charme verleiht den Konzerten die Integration von Streichduos in die Trio-Programme. Anlässlich des 100. Todesjahres von Max Reger hat das Trio Lirico im Herbst 2016 sein Debüt-Album beim Label audite aufgenommen. Die CD ist im September 2017 veröffentlicht worden. Folgeproduktionen erschienen 2019 (Streichtrios von Weinberg - Penderecki - Schnittke) und 2024 in neuer Besetzung mit Hila Karni als Cellistin (Treasures). Georg Christoph Biller, (*20.09.1955) Thomaskantor, Dirigent, Komponist hat dem Trio ein Streichtrio – Rilke-Metamorphosen – gewidmet. Die Uraufführung fand am 28.09.2017 in Bayrischzell - Deutschland statt.

Der Ernst Senff Chor ist seit vielen Jahren eine anerkannte Institution im Berliner Konzertleben. Im Jahr 1967 von Professor Ernst Senff (Städtische Oper Berlin) als Kammerchor gegründet, entwickelte er sich zu einem renommierten und professionell arbeitenden Ensemble, das in kammermusikalischer bis zu großer Konzertbesetzung auftritt. Der Schwerpunkt des Repertoires liegt in der chorsinfonischen Literatur des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts. Der Ernst Senff Chor ist regelmäßig nicht nur von den großen Berliner Orchestern sondern u.a. auch vom Gewandhausorchester Leipzig und der Staatskapelle Weimar zu Konzerten, Rundfunk- und CD-Produktionen verpflichtet worden. Der Chor hat mit namhaften Dirigenten wie Claudio Abbado, Simon Rattle, Lothar Zagrosek, Eliahu Inbal und Hugh Wolff zusammengearbeitet. Konzertreisen führten den Chor in zahlreiche deutsche Städte, sowie nach Israel, Österreich und Spanien. Künstlerischer Leiter ist seit 2009 Steffen Schubert.

A new orchestra playing ancient music Thüringer Bach Collegium Thuringia is often described as the land of Bach, as the Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach (*1685 in Eisenach — †1750 in Leipzig) spent the first 30 years of his life in Eisenach, Arnstadt, Weimar and other towns and cities of Thuringia. He came from a musical dynasty that had already shaped the Thuringia music scene for 150 years at the time of his birth. Throughout the world, he is the most famous member of the Bach family of musicians. Thuringia practically »breathes« Bach and it has a long tradition of preserving Bach’s musical heritage. Although his works initially fell into oblivion after his death, classical music since the 19th century has meanwhile become inconceivable without them. Innumerable concerts and festivals honouring Bach and his music bear witness to this. In many areas of music, Bach paved the way and contributed to the enhancement of musical forms and language. Some of his works continue to transcend the established canon of forms. Hence, the »Bach« in the new ensemble’s name not only symbolises the programme itself but also its claim of offering a new, fresh and captivating sound. Thüringer Bach Collegium – ancient music heads for new shores A new star has risen in the sky of ancient music in Weimar. The Thüringer Bach Collegium is playing works by Johann Sebastian Bach, his ancestors (from the Altbachische Archiv), his sons and his contemporaries in a historically informed performance on antique instruments. The founders are two »old hands« in the orchestra business of Thuringia’s cultural scene. The ensemble is being conducted by the Gernot Süßmuth, Johann Sebastian Bach’s successor as concertmaster of the Staatskapelle Weimar. Christian Bergmann, general manager and double bass player, has been performing in the Staatskapelle Weimar for 17 years. Both musicians have been associated with the music of J. S. Bach since earliest childhood and youth. Christian Bergmann, for instance, was born in Arnstadt and baptised in the Bach Church. Real experts and connoisseurs with experience and musical enthusiasm The founders and other members of the Thüringer Bach Collegium have many years of experience as soloists and first-chair players in large symphony and opera orchestras. And, if required, the ensemble is complemented by freelance musicians, experts in the field of ancient music and, in particular, with special instruments not played in a conventional orchestra, such as the viola da gamba, recorder, natural horn and Baroque trumpet. They all allow their expertise from working with major conductors and soloists to flow into their music. Their wealth of experience from music culture to contemporary music, combined with the latest scientific insights into historical performances, complements and enlivens the current concert programme in the field of ancient and Baroque music. Regular performances with internationally renowned conductors and soloists enhances the orchestra’s musical spectrum. Instruments – witnesses of their era The Thüringer Bach Collegium plays on valuable historical string instruments, including violins from Giovanni Grancino or replicas of historical wind instruments. The string instruments are all around 300 years old. This means they were already being played and listened to during the lifetime of Johann Sebastian Bach. Thuringia Cultural Ambassador »The Thüringer Bach Collegium stands for immense musical enthusiasm and energy. Our concerts are intended to touch the listeners and to enable them to dive into a world beyond the everyday hustle and bustle«, says Christian Bergmann describing the motivation behind the newly founded ensemble. »We unite highly qualified musicians from the whole of Thuringia. As an ambassador from Bachland Thüringen, we wish to go out into the world to present Thuringia’s music culture and, above all, our rich treasure of Baroque music. Across all languages and generations, with music something ›resonates‹ – in the true meaning of the word – inside the listener. Baroque music has brought forth many pieces of music, which meanwhile are intuitively known to a broad public, for instance from commercials and films. In order to reach as many people as possible, we appear at festivals and in (Bach) churches. Here the threshold is lower than, say, in a theatre or opera house, where Baroque music is less frequently found in the repertoires.«