Matko Smolcic
(c) Christine Kocher
Croatian bassoonist Matko Smolcic is the Young Artist of the Year 2019 of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA). He received his first lessons from Mykhaylo Kraynyk at the Franjo Kuhac music school in Osijek. Since 2014, he has been studying at the Academy of Music in Zagreb with Zarko Perisic. From 2017 to 2018…
Elsa Dreisig
(c) Olafur Stainar Gestsson
The young French-Danish soprano Elsa Dreisig, now based in Berlin, will be honoured at the ICMA 2019 Award Ceremony in Lucerne for her fascinating CD Miroir(s), published by Erato: a well-deserved recognition for a real talent. ICMA Jury member Nicola Cattò from the Italian magazine Musica made the following interview with the singer.
Albina Shagimuratova
In the new recording of Rossini’s opera Semiramide, released by Opera Rara, Albina Shagimuratova sings the title role. This production has received an ICMA award in the category Opera. The Russian soprano spoke about it with Nikolai Rybinsky, opera reviewer of Radio Orpheus. Every recording has its own story. How do you remember this one?…
Nikolai Song and Yuan Yu, both winners of ICMA’s Discovery Award, took part in an in week-long intensive class with Professor Philippe Bernold at the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein. On our picture the young musicians are seen with their teacher and the Academy’s General manager Drazen Domjanic.
KKL Lucerne
The Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, orchestra-in-residence of the KKL Luzern, is hosting this year’s ICMA Gala and Award Ceremony on May 10, at the KKL. As Switzerland’s oldest symphony orchestra, it has gained an international standing and is perceived as one of the leading Swiss orchestras. Strongly anchored in Lucerne, a city with a worldwide reputation for…
Javier Perianes
(c) Josep Molina
In today’s music world pianist Javier Perianes has become, at the age of 40, the most renowned Spanish performer. His agenda runs naturally through the best stages and international festivals, where he performs in recitals as well as in concerts and tours with the most renowned orchestras and conductors. In recognition of such a successful…
Nelson Freire
(c) Gregory Favre (Decca)
At the age of seventy-four, and after seventy years at the piano, Nelson Freire has won the Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Classical Music Awards, which he will receive at ICMA’s Gala in Lucerne on 10 May. Child prodigy, endowed from his beginnings with an astonishing virtuosity, his trajectory has been built on freedom…
Francisco Coll
The very first of ICMA’s Composer Award goes to the Spanish composer Francisco Coll (*1985).Coll was formed in Valencia and Madrid, but in 2009 he became the only private student of British composer Thomas Adès. He completed his studies at the prestigious Guildhall School while beginning an impressive international career as a composer with commissions…
Lawrence Foster & Remy Franck
Foto: Cornelia Much
American conductor Lawrence Foster who will conduct this year’s ICMA Gala Concert with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra on 10 May at the KKL, was conducting a superb concert with Penderecki’s Eight Symphony in Warsaw, on April 18, with the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra Katowice (NOSPR) and the NFM Choir from Wroclaw. NOSPR hosted last…
