News

On 2nd June, Syrian violinist Bilal Alnemr and Czech pianist Marek Kozák played music by Smetana, Ysaÿe and Grieg for a good-humoured adult audience at the “Razzia” in Zurich, while on 3rd June, during a family concert titled “Tchaikovsky and his Nutcracker”, children’s eyes shone brightly – and not only because of the unexpected Christmas cookies, which were handed out to them.

“In Touch with Talent” has been run jointly by the Géza Anda-Foundation and the Orpheum-Foundation for many years. Both foundations are dedicated to the promotion of young musicians.

In the run-up to the 16th Concours Géza Anda 2024, a morning event was also held for host families, during which Marek Kozák played an interesting Rachmaninoff programme. We are still looking for host parents for the next Concours; you can find more information here.

The next Concours Géza Anda will be carried out between 30^th May und 8^th June 2024 in Zurich and Winterthur. It is open to participants from all countries who are born after 30^th May 1992. Details will be published on this website in Spring.

In 2021, Giorgi was awarded the Hortense Anda-Bührle Special Prize at the 15th Concours Géza Anda. The Géza Anda-Foundation recommended him to the Kissinger KlavierOlymp, where he won two prizes and was introduced to Sonia Simmenauer, who invited him to join her new project zukunfts.music and to become an artist of the Classeek Ambassador Programme.

Last week, one of Giorgi’s dreams came true, when he won as many as nine prizes at the Rubinstein-Competition in Tel Aviv, including the competition’s Silver Medal, the Chamber Music Prize, an Israeli Piece Prize, the Junior Jury Prize and five Audience Favourite Prizes from Tel Aviv and other regions in the country.

At the same time, Giorgi’s first solo CD, “Meeting My Shadow” is due to appear with label ALPHA very soon.

20 years ago, Alexei Volodin won the First Prize at the IX Concours Géza Anda in front of a renowned jury in the Great Hall of the Tonhalle Zurich. Since then, he has pursued an illustrious worldwide career. On 1 February 2023, he returns to the place of his victory with a rare recital, dedicated to Chopin. A beautiful opportunity to reminisce and rediscover this fantastic pianist.

Those who discovered his pianistic talents live at one of his 5 performances in Winterthur last week – and even more those who did not have a chance to be present – Julian’s new CD with two of the greatest Mozart Concertos, K. 488 and K. 491, might be of interest. They were recorded in Vienna with RSO Wien and Christian Zacharias and have just been released by label Alpha as part of the series “Next Generation Mozart Soloists”, which is produced by our partner, Orpheum-Stiftung.

Come and listen to Giorgi Gigashvili’s recital debut with music by Scarlatti, Beethoven, Messiaen and Schumann at Tonhalle Zurich on 14th November! This season foresees several exciting debuts for Giorgi. Moreover, Lisa Batiashvili invited him to record the Franck Sonata with her for a beautiful new CD just published by Deutsche Grammophon.

Julian Trevelyan plays Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Musikkollegium Winterthur five times between November 9th and 11th. 11th November is dedicated to a school’s project, whereby the students illustrate the music by means of a special app.

A huge bravo and thank you to the participants of our masterclass Mikhail Pletnev and their work with the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester! Following the concert on 8th September at Zurich’s Kleine Tonhalle, an audience poll determined that Anna Tsybuleva was to be awarded the audience prize. The Luzerner Sinfonieorchester evaluated the rehearsal process and its realisation during the concerts. After a vote amongst the musicians, the orchestra prize was also bestowed upon Anna Tsybuleva.

All rehearsals of Mikhail Pletnev’s mastercourse in Kriens/Lucerne are open to the public. Moreover, they will be streamed live.

During the final concert on 8th September you can vote for the most convincing performance by telephone – no matter whether you are enjoying the concert in the hall or at home in front of your screen. The numbers to call will be published on this website, within the stream and in the concert programme notes.

Get to know the programme of Mikhail Pletnev’s mastercourse at the MKZ Zurich, Florhofgasse 6, 8001 Zurich, on Sunday, 4th September 2022, 11 a.m.

Tianxu An, Anton Gerzenberg, Dinara Klinton and Anna Tsybuleva play piano pieces by Rameau, Beethoven, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Strawinsky, followed by an informal cocktail. Presentation: Prof. Tobias Richter.

Admission free, no seat reservation. Duration: about 2 hours.

The Géza Anda-Foundation presents a new project in collaboration with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra and under the guidance of Mikhail Pletnev: „Conducting from the Piano“. As a reminder of one of Géza Anda’s greatest artistic achievements, four notable young pianists are given a chance to work on a piano concerto by Mozart with an orchestra and eventually perform it in concert leading it from their instrument.

The rehearsals between 1st and 7th September 2022 at Orchesterhaus des Luzerner Sinfonieorchesters are open to the public. On 7th and 8th September, concerts take place in Kriens/Lucerne and Zurich.

Julian Trevelyan – here pictured at Rachmaninoff’s Steinway after his recital at Villa Senar on 18th June – gives a recital with works by Chopin and Schubert as part of the festival KlusClassics in Zurich’s MKZ on 1st July.

Since the access to his performances at 15th Concours Géza Anda was highly restricted due to the pandemic last year, this is the first chance for local Géza Anda afficionados to hear the winner of the Second Prize, the Mozart-Prize and the Audience Prize live in Zurich.

On 19^th June, Anton Gerzenberg stands in for the originally foreseen soloist in a matinée at Zurich’s Tonhalle. He will play Mendelssohn’s First Piano Concerto with The Management Symphony conducted by Paavo Järvi. This will be Anton’s debut at this historic venue.

In collaboration with the Géza Anda-Foundation and Lucerne Festival, German label Audite releases a CD with unpublished radio broadcasts from the IMF Lucerne on the occasion of Géza Anda’s 100^th birthday. The carefully restored recordings from 1955 and 1965 contain the Bach Double Concerto, which Géza Anda plays with his cherished friend Clara Haskil under the baton of Herbert von Karajan. Ferenc Fricsay and Ernest Ansermet, on the other hand, are the conductors in recordings of two Bartók concertos.

Wolfgang Rathert’s new book about Géza Anda contains the latest results of his meticulous research. Amongst others, it sheds light on various aspects of Géza Anda’s biography and career, his discography, his heritage and the history of the Géza Anda Piano Competition. Géza Anda. Pianist is available in English and German and published by „Wolke-Verlag“.

„Zeitzeugen – A series of contemporary witnesses of a great pianist“
No. 1 – Interview with Hans Jecklin