Jukka-Pekka Saraste has established himself as one of the outstanding conductors of his generation, demonstrating remarkable musical depth and integrity. Born in Heinola, Finland, he began his career as a violinist before training as a conductor with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

 

 

An artist of exceptional versatility and breadth, Saraste feels a special affinity with the sound and style of late Romantic music. Equally, he maintains a strong connection with the music of our time, such as that of Dutilleux, Lindberg, Salonen and Saariaho, among others. He conducted world premieres of works by Wolfgang Rihm, Friedrich Cerha, Pascal Dusapin and others. Moreover, he is co-founder of the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, which has a strong emphasis on contemporary music.

 

 

Saraste has served as Chief Conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Cologne since 2010 and extended his contract in 2015 until the end of the 2018/2019 season.

 

His guest engagements have led him to the major orchestras worldwide, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, etc.

 

Yevgeny Sudbin has been hailed by The Telegraph as “potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century”. As BIS Records’ only exclusive artist, all of Yevgeny’s recordings have met with critical acclaim and are regularly featured as CD of the Month by BBC Music Magazine or Editor’s Choice by Gramophone.

 

 

His Scriabin recording was awarded “CD of the Year” by The Telegraph and received the MIDEM Classical Award for Best Solo Instrument Recording at Cannes. It was described by Gramophone as “a disc in a million” while the International Record Review stated that Yevgeny’s Rachmaninov recording “confirms him as one of the most important pianistic talents of our time”.

 

His 10th anniversary disc of Scarlatti Sonatas was received with equal rapture and not only hit No. 1 in the Classical Music Charts but was also nominated for the Gramophone Classical Music Award. Yevgeny was also nominated as Gramophone Artist of the Year in 2016.

 

China NCPA Orchestra is the resident orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Beijing. Established in March 2010, the orchestra consists of highly accomplished musicians from around the world, who perform in more than a dozen opera productions presented by its home venue each year as well as in ballets and regular orchestral concerts in its own season.

 

 

With a notably busy schedule, the young ensemble has fast established itself as one of the most adventurous and dynamic orchestras in the country.

 

The NCPA Orchestra demonstrates an abiding commitment to the highest levels of artistic excellence and takes pride in its long-term collaborations with the finest musicians of our time. Artists associated with the orchestra in the past few years have included Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Valery Gergiev, etc.

 

June 1st
1. Maurice Ravel: Ma mère l'Oye
I. Prélude
VI. Laideronnette, impératrice des Pagodes
VII. Le jardin féerique

2. Benjamin Britten : Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34

- Intermission -

1. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64
I. Andante - Allegro con anima
II. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
III. Valse. Allegro moderato
IV. Finale. Andante maestoso (E Major) - Allegro Vivace

June 2nd
1. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso
II. Andantino simplice
III. Allegro con fuoco
Pianist: Yevgeny Sudbin

- Intermission -

1. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64
I. Andante - Allegro con anima
II. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
III. Valse. Allegro moderato
IV. Finale. Andante maestoso (E Major) - Allegro Vivace