Piano

Nour Ayadi

Cello

Gautier Capuçon

 (Piano), nominated by (and performing with) 

An expressive meditation on Rachmaninov, Debussy, and Liszt

For me, [the piano] is the place where I find myself, where I can meditate, be almost in a sort of trance…it allows me to discover who I am, my limits…

The cellist is anchored in the ground, around his instrument, there is a union of two bodies… we wrap around each other, it’s very sensual.

Pianist Nour Ayadi, and cellist Gautier Capuçon, share an intimate relationship with their instruments that surpasses physical touch. It is a relationship that nourishes their sense of identity and grounds them in a universe that spins on the axis of musical strings. 

Mysticism echoes through Sergei Rachmaninov’s 

Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 19

. Reaching psychological breaking point in 1897 after a catastrophic premiere of his Symphony No. 1, hypnotherapy lulled the composer into recovery, after which emerged this sonata. Featuring close intervals, passionate single-note repetitions and bell-like sonorities, the symphony is reminiscent of the spirit of the Russian Orthodox Church. 

Mysticism and mystery are not limited to the four-movement form. Claude Debussy’s 

 (From a sketchbook) is a brief, yet seductive piano work of just fifty-five measures. Its “very slow (without rigour)” rhythm has a persuasive quality, rich with thoughtful repetition and meaningful pauses. First publicly performed by Ravel in 1910, it remains one of Debussy’s least known and most neglected works.

 lets its anxiety and torment be known. As repeated themes turn incessantly around each other, we can almost feel the anguish regurgitating through the notes. With obsessive motifs and sharp staccatos, the work departs from the slow pondering of the previous work. Written in the summer of 1904, Debussy had just left his first wife for singer Emma Bardac. Its title, he said, “is not [a reference to] Commedia dell’arte, but the tragic expression of existence.”

After ceaseless probing, we start a gradual descent into an inferno through the Devil’s Interval (a tritone). 

Après une lecture du Dante (Fantasia quasi Sonata)

 by Franz Liszt describes the journey of the soul into hell, beginning with descending tritones and dissonant harmonies that brings us to D minor – a key infamously associated with death in Romantic music. The second theme of this work is an enchanted chorale in the major, representing the uplifting nature of Heaven. Perhaps it is here that we witness the meditation and intimacy that both Ayadi and Capuçon experience with their instruments.

Nour Ayadi and Gautier Capuçon

D'un cahier d'esquisses

Masques

Après une lecture du Dante - Fantasia quasi Sonata

Piano and Cello Recital

Madelyn Kowalski

Nominated by Steven Isserlis, cellist Madelyn Kowalski joined us in concert with pianist Anna Han in March 2024 as part of the Ambassador Programme.

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Fauré and Kaija Saariaho

Romance for Cello and Piano in A Major, Op. 69

Papillon, Op. 77

Sept Papillons (Papillon I, III, VI)

Classeek Showroom performance, 7 March 2024

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Saint-Saëns - Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in F Major, Op. 123

Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in F Major, Op. 123

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Saint-Saëns - Romance, Op. 36

Romance, Op. 36

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Thomas Adès - Lieux retrouvés (I. Les eaux)

Lieux retrouvés (I. Les eaux)

Madelyn Kowalski, cello (USA) / Ambassador: Steven Issserlis

Soft yellow, blue and purple pastels paint scenes of reunion: A setting sun; A shore; A German Shepherd offering a balloon to a seagull that dives down to a dolphin. Painted by American cellist Madelyn Kowalski, these watercolour scenes demonstrate the same themes and artistic sensibility as composer Thomas Adès in 

 - each movement depicting a scene. We may ask ourselves how Kowalski will translate paintbrush to bow. In 

, we see. It begins with the stillness of water then transitions to an expanse of swirling motifs, as colours slowly muddy together. 

Equally dedicated to storytelling through music is American pianist Anna Han - described as “prodigiously gifted” by the Washington Post, with a vivid “display of imagination and taste…far beyond her years”. Together, Han and Kowalski will interpret Fauré’s 

. Muted in its melodic style, the compositional restraint allows an intensity of feeling to simmer near the surface. 

Such compositional restraint sometimes translates into lexical restraint. After the success of his 

, Fauré was encouraged to write another duo for cello and piano by his publisher, Hamelle. Fauré agreed and created “Piece for Violoncello”. Expecting more evocative imagery, Hamelle insisted he change the title. It became “Papillon” (butterfly). However, this did not necessarily emerge from deep artistic reflection. Reportedly, Fauré declared: “Butterfly or dung fly – call it whatever you want”. Comprising a single movement, this work nonetheless became a staple of Romantic repertoire. 

No dung flies are apparent in Kaija Saariaho’s 

 (Seven Butterflies). As a metaphor for the ephemeral, this work – one of Saariaho’s best – involves several extended techniques for the cello, such as harmonics, variable bow pressure, and sul ponticello. It demands technical dexterity and a mastery of different emotional worlds: “Sweet, light and free” in the first movement, “Calm, with sadness” in the third and “Always a little nervous, timeless” in the sixth. 

These emotional worlds are deliberately stirred in Camille Saint- Saëns’

 Sonata for Cello and Piano No.2 in F Major, Op. 123

. His third movement, he wrote, is “a romance that will delight cellists…the Adagio will bring tears to sensitive souls”. However, not all have heavy emotional weight: the second movement is a Scherzo with eight variations (including a fugue). The ending Rondo engages piano and cello in playful imitative games, “[waking up] anyone who’s slept through the rest of the piece.”  

Madelyn Kowalski, cello | Anna Han, piano

Cello & Piano Recital

We are delighted to announce 10 very promising open application instrumentalist finalists for the Ambassador Programme 2023-2024. Like last year, we were extremely impressed with the high standard of the applicants and thank everyone sincerely for the time and effort that has gone into applying. 

Here are the 10 finalists of our Ambassador Programme (instrumentalists) open application, for season 2022-23:

Next week we will be announcing the final instrumental artist and composer joining our Ambassador Programme from our open application, along with all nominated artists. Stay tuned for the final result! 

Open Application Finalists 

Ambassador Programme 2023-2024

We are delighted to announce the appointment of world-renowned cellist Steven Isserlis, as a Classeek Ambassador.

Acclaimed for his unique and distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, author and broadcaster, Steven is very much a passionate advocate for young artists. Sharing Classeek's mission of Discovering, Following and Supporting artists globally, he has been a mentor to many young musicians, and has been a strong advocate for the importance of music education.

“Nourishing and encouraging young musical talent is an important part of my life; so I am very happy to become an Ambassador for Classeek. I hope that we will collaborate in various ways in order to assist in the emergence and development of young talent.”

“When I met Steven I was immediately struck by his energy and commitment towards the younger generation. He will be a great addition to our roster of Ambassadors and we’re thrilled with this collaboration.”

 - Catarina Amon, Classeek Founder & CEO

We are very proud to have Steven join us as a figure of our Ambassador Programme, a powerful advocate for the importance of the future of music, and a valuable mentor providing advice and guidance to artists on their musical journey. We are thrilled to have Steven on board!

Announcing Steven Isserlis' Ambassadorship

Classeek Ambassador

Jeein You

Jeein You talks with Benjamin Woodroffe about her studies and life in Paris, insights into her musical background, and upcoming concerts and projects.

Jeein You interview

with Benjamin Woodroffe

Jeein joins the Classeek Ambassador Programme for season 2022-23, following her nomination by Gautier Capuçon. 

Jeein You was born in South Korea in 2002 and began studying cello at five. When she was seven she joined the Korea National University Of Arts Preschool under her tutor Chung Myung-Wha. Her ambassador Capuçon says, “Jeein is such a talented cellist and a very sensitive musician with an incredible ability to carry her emotions through music."

Jeein You & Samuel Parent | Rachmaninov, Sonata in G minor, Op.19

Sonata in G minor, Op.19

Classeek Showroom performance, December 2022

Jeein You & Samuel Parent | O Holy Night (encore)

O Holy Night

Jeein You & Samuel Parent | De Falla, Danza Española No.1 from “La vida breve”

Danza Española No.1 from “La vida breve”

Jeein joins the Classeek Ambassador Programme for season 2022-23, following her nomination by Gautier Capuçon. Jeein You was born in South Korea in 2002 and began studying cello at five. When she was seven she joined the Korea National University Of Arts Preschool under her tutor Chung Myung-Wha. Her ambassador Capuçon says, “Jeein is such a talented cellist and a very sensitive musician with an incredible ability to carry her emotions through music."

Jeein You & Samuel Parent | Granados, Intermezzo from 'Goyescas' (arr. G. Cassadó)

Intermezzo from 'Goyescas' (arr. G. Cassadó)

Jeein You & Samuel Parent | Bizet, Carmen Fantasy

Carmen Fantasy (arr. Buxton Orr)

Following last week's announcement of the finalists of our Ambassador Programme open application, we are excited to announce the final artist on our programme this season as violinist Alexey Stychkin!

Alexey, our first ever open application winner, joins eight other exceptional young artists who were nominated on the Ambassador Programme this season. Each musician will have the opportunity to perform a concert, broadcast live and in high definition from the stunning setting of Classeek’s private recital hall in Aubonne, Switzerland, and will receive opportunities for career enhancement, throughout the one-year programme.

Nominated by Sir András Schiff, 21-year-old pianist Avery Gagliano recently made her Carnegie Hall debut and released her debut album “Reflections” on the Steinway & Sons label. She gained international acclaim as the First Prize and Best Concerto Prize winner of the 10th National Chopin Piano Competition and was the only American semifinalist at the 18th International Chopin Competition in 2021.

Nominated by Renaud Capuçon, 22-year-old Paul Zientara began studying the viola at the age of seven at the Music school of Yerres in Yves Pruvot's class. In 2015, he joined the CRR (Regional Conservatory) of Paris in Françoise Gnéri's class. He regularly participates in international academies and masterclasses including the Kronberg Academy Festival

Nominated by Gautier Capuçon,  20-year-old cellist Jeein You was born in South Korea in 2002 and began studying cello at five. When she was seven she joined the Korea National University Of Arts Preschool under her tutor Chung Myung-Wha. Her ambassador Capuçon says, “Jeein is such a talented cellist and a very sensitive musician with an incredible ability to carry her emotions through music."

Nominated by Sir András Schiff, pianist Julia Hamos performs a programme of Bach, Bartók and Schumann. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, Hamos currently studies with Sir András Schiff at the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin and at the Kronberg Academy. In 2021 she worked with Daniel Barenboim in a succession of filmed masterclasses on Beethoven's solo piano and string sonatas.

Nominated by Sonia Simmenauer, violinist Bilal Alnemr began to study violin at the age of eight, at the Solhi-AL-WADI Conservatory. In 2007, he won the first prize in the national competition for young Syrian talents. His mentor Sonia Simmenauer says, “I was stricken when I met with Bilal the first time and his seriousness about being a musician. I admire his courage and dedication to music.”

Nominated by Sonia Simmenauer, 22-year-old Gigashvili is a frequent soloist and chamber musician working with various orchestras and taking part in festivals and masterclasses all over the world. He has always been passionate about music and was trained by famous Georgian pianist and teacher Revaz Tavadze where he continued his formal musical training at the Paliashvili Central Music School for Gifted Children. 

Nominated by Emmanuel Pahud, 24-year-old flautist Alberto Navarra began his studies under Maurizio Valentini at the Ghedini Conservatory in Cuneo. His ambassador Emmanuel Pahud says, “Alberto Navarra is a leading talent of his generation.” Alberto is also a laureate of the Severino Gazzelloni International Flute Competition and the Carl Nielsen Flute Competition.

Nominated by Sir András Schiff, 21-year-old pianist Tom Borrow began playing the piano at the age of 5 and has performed as a soloist with many native orchestras of his country, including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Symphony Orchestra.

Welcomed onto the programme via the open application, Russian-Greek violinist Alexey Stychkin, born in Moscow in 2000, comes from a family with deep musical and artistic roots. He began his musical studies at the age of five and continued on to study with Marc Bouchkov at the Liege Royal Conservatory. Alexey is currently studying his masters degree at the Hochschule fur Musik und Tanz in Cologne with Mihaela Martin, and this season  holds an academy position in the first violin section of the Staatskapelle Berlin. 

Each artist on the programme will perform at the Classeek concert hall during the season, in a variety of solo, duo and chamber recitals. Find out more about our 

Ambassador Programme Artists 2022-23

Latest news

This season we have 8 wonderful emerging artists nominated onto the Classeek Ambassador programme, by our ambassadors, including pianists Avery Gagliano, Julia Hamos, Giorgi Gigashvili and Tom Borrow, flautist Alberto Navarra, violinist Bilal Alnemr, violist Paul Zientara, and cellist Jeein You. 

This year for the first time, we also opened up the programme to applicants all over the world, to fill our last space on the programme. Having received applications from very high level musicians and a diverse range of instruments and applicants, the process has been difficult. We are thankful to all artists who applied this year as we have been amazed to discover so much talent through the application process.

We are delighted to announce the 13 finalists of our Ambassador Programme open application, for season 2022-23

Following the next round of the application process, we will be announcing the final artist of our Ambassador Programme, next week. 

Open application finalists

Ambassador Programme 2022-23

Cellist Jeein You joins the Classeek Ambassador Programme under the recommendation of Gautier Capuçon, bringing us a wide-ranging virtuosic recital programme with pianist Samuel Parent. Bookending the evening are arrangements and reimaginings of much-loved operas: Granados’s Goyescas and Bizet’s Carmen.

Goyescas was the last of Granados’s six operas, beginning life as a series of piano pieces inspired by the lavish paintings of Francisco Goya, a fellow Spaniard who had dominated the art scene a century earlier. These were later expanded into an opera, but the Intermezzo doesn’t feature in the original scores. It was added later – as many intermezzos are – to allow for staging changes between scenes. Despite this late edition, it has developed a life of its own beyond the opera halls, becoming a popular independent concert piece, performed in both orchestral and chamber arrangements. Evocative and dramatic, it is full of technical and musical challenges for both cellist and pianist, with Spanish influences heard throughout.

Moving from the sounds of Spain to the textures and sonorities of the Russian church, we are introduced to Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata in G minor, one of his most famous pieces of chamber music. Neither instrument is dominant here, with the piano introducing themes which are then embellished and expanded upon in the cello line. Written in 1901, it was a particularly critical time for Rachmaninov as a composer. He had endured a nervous breakdown and subsequent mental health crisis in 1897 following the failure of his First Symphony. 1901 signalled his return to his creative powers. His now hugely popular Second Piano Concerto was premiered in November, around the same time he started work on this sonata. 

We are brought back to the opera hall to finish, with Buxton Orr’s brilliant rendering of Bizet’s much-loved Carmen. Devised as an encore piece for a recital in 1985 New York, Orr’s Fantasy exploits the cello’s capabilities with double stopping, plucked notes and fast passages, while also remaining loyal to the original keys and Bizet’s musical style. It’s far from a whistle-stop tour of the opera’s famous tunes – they are merely hinted at, instead offering us an entirely new virtuoso composition.

Jeein You, cello | Samuel Parent, piano

A Carmen Fantasy (arr. Buxton Orr)

Duo Recital

Last night saw a memorable concert here at Classeek with a performance by Ambassador Programme artist and pianist Kim Bernard, joined on stage by our Ambassador, Gautier Capuçon.

Kim Bernard performed a lyrical and sensitive interpretation of Chopin's Ballade in F minor Op.52 and a spirited selection from Debussy. Joined by Gautier Capuçon for the latter half of the concert, the pair united to perform Grieg's Cello Sonata in A minor, followed by four captivating encores. 

Our season opened with a chamber concert by violinist Filipe Johnson, violist Dor Sperber, pianist Natalia Morozova, and composer/Classeek Ambassador Nimrod Borenstein. The season continued with artists of our Ambassador Programme, such as pianists Shir Semmel, Nathalia Milstein and Kiana Reid (nominated by Sir Andràs Schiff) and cellists Caroline Sypniewski and Anouchka Hack. 

We continue to collaborate with the Conservatoire de Lausanne in our pre concerts, offering the students a valuable platform to perform. We're looking forward to bringing you a whole new season of concerts with emerging young classical artists. Stay tuned for news on our upcoming season. 

Season 2021-22

Looking back on Classeek's season highlights

Kim Bernard

Kim joined the Classeek Ambassador Programme in season 2021-22, following his nomination by Gautier Capuçon. 

Born in 1999, Bernard Kim began studying piano at age 5 with Michèle Mary. He later went on to study at the Lyon National Superior Conservatory with Florent Boffard and Laurent Cabasso where he earned his masters degree in 2018, after which he began the Concertiste program at the Paris Regional Conservatory. With support from the Fondation, Kim has recorded his first album, “Chopin, Debussy, Ravel” on Warner Classics & Erato (2022).

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