News
7th Stift International Music Festival
The 7th edition of the Stift International Music Festival is almost here -12 concerts in 8 days, from 28 August till 3 September in the gorgeous Stiftkerk in Weerselo, in lovely surroundings in the eastern Netherlands.
Over the last six years Stift has gained a reputation as a chamber music festival of the highest level, with unusually intimate concerts by candlelight in the unique setting of the acoustically excellent, very atmospheric 14th century Stiftkerk in Weerselo, which is set in idyllic surroundings. The lunchtime concerts are given in in the lovely, ancient Koetshuis in Oldenzaal.
The theme of our festival this year is "Magical Journeys". The Orient Express, taking us to Istanbul, with some wonderful stopovers, we visit the cities of the north in the lands of fire and ice, for an evening of music that is both stark and incredibly passionate.We retrace Tchaikowsky's happy times in Italy and we follow Korngold on his voyage from child prodigy in Vienna to his succes Hollywood.
Tunde Jegede takes us on a very personal journey to Mali, in 'Exile and return' and after a teatime in London we spend the evening in Buenos Aires with bandoneon star Marcelo Nisinman. The Wednesday night will feature three interior journeys, by Palestrina, Osvaldo Golijov and Richard Strauss, some of the most touching music imaginable... and the festival finale is a festive evening in Vienna, delving into the rich musical treasures of that veritable City of dreams!
It is wonderful to welcome old and new friends, some of the most inspiring artists around...
The full concert program and many more details you will find on our new site: www.stiftfestival.com. I hope you'll agree we have an intense and possibly wonderful week ahead of us!
Brodsky Quartet at the Wigmore Hall
On Friday, June 3 the Brodsky Quartet performs a wonderful program including the Ravel and first Bartok quartets at the Wigmore Hall. The concert begins at 7 o'clock and you are warmly invited!
Summer Masterclasses in beautiful Cividale
From 8 till 13 August Daniel will be teaching a violin and chamber music masterclass in the gorgeous and atmospheric town of Cividale in the north-east of Italy, close to the Slovenian Alps. This has in the last years proved a perfect setting for intensive lessons as well as other pursuits such swimming in the river and enjoying wonderful coffee and food..
Piazzolla with world famous bandoneon virtuoso Marcelo Nisinman
Bandoneon star Marcelo Nisinman, Piazzolla's protegé, on stage in Amsterdam with Daniel Rowland (violin), Zoran Markoviç (doublebass), Frank van de Laar (piano) and Jan Bastiaan Neven (cello) in a stunning program of Piazzolla and Nisinman- on the program Piazzolla's amazing Four Seasons of Buenos Aires and Histoire du Tango, in the version for quartet by Nisinman, as well as many shorter pieces by both Piazzolla and Nisinman.
Nisinman, Rowland and Markoviç have performed this repertoire at festivals around the world -and this is a rare chance to hear this great bandoneon master in Holland - not to be missed!
The concert in the intimate recital hall of the Beurs van Berlage begins at 20.15. The full program:
- Histoire du Tango A. Piazzolla (Quartet)
- Ciudad Triste, Osvaldo Tarantino, new version by Marcelo Nisinman (Trio)
- El aeroplano, Pedro Data, new version by Marcelo Nisinman (Trio)
- Hombre Tango, Marcelo Nisinman (Quintet)
- Kill yourself step by step and be free, Marcelo Nisinman (Solo)
- Jeanne & Paul A.Piazzolla (Duo)
- Las cuatro estaciones porteñas A. Piazzolla (Quintet)
Düsseldorf Chamber Music Festival 'ChamberJam'
Round this Easter: Düsseldorf Chamber Music Festival 'ChamberJam' - 5 days,
6 terrific concerts in the atmospheric Johanneskirche in the heart of Düsseldorf: Elgar, Tchaikowsky, Haydn and much much more...
WELTSTADTKLANG - Düsseldorfer Kammermusikfest ChamberJam
Osnabrücker Chamber Music Festival
The lovely Osnabrück Chamber Music Festival is kicking off! Opening concert tonight with Purcell, Handel/Halvorssen,
Piazzolla, Nisinman and Schubert Trout Friday in the Stadthalle... And then much, much more :) - if you're in the area, one of
Germany's best restaurants is next to the hotel and Osnabrück is generally lovely!
Osnabrücker Kammermusiktage - CLASSIC CON BRIO Musikfestival
Elgar, Enescu and 'short stories' in Stellenbosch
Daniel performs the Elgar Violin Concerto in Stellenbosch, as well as the Enescu Octet and a recital of "Short stories", previewing his upcoming recital disc of that name with pianist Luis Magalhaes. All this is part of the International String Symposium at the University of Stellenbosch from 22-26 March. You are very welcome!
Metamorphosen at the QEH
Daniel directs Strauss' Metamorphosen at the QEH in London on Tuesday the 22 March. Read more here: Cadenza International Summer Music School Showcase - Southbank Centre
Dreams that weep: Two ChamberJam concerts in Holland
Daniel's ChamberJam Europe presents two concerts in Holland featuring some stunning young artists. With artists including David Cohen (cello), Tomoko Akasaka (viola), Joel Waterman (viola) and Antony Hewitt (piano), ChamberJam plays a highly emotive program of French masterworks entitled 'Dreams that weep' in the beautiful church in Tienhoven, by candlelight on March 18 and in the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam on Sunday afternoon, at 14.15 on March 20. On the program Ravel's wonderful string quartet, Poulenc's ultra-sensitive and disturbing violin sonata, written as a cry of anguish after the violent death of Lorca, and César Franck's sensuous and touching Piano quintet, as well as little gems by Satie and Debussy.
Royal College of Music
Daniel will be teaching at the Royal College of Music in London from the 11-12 academic year. For inquiries please contact the RCM, or write to Daniel personally
Summer masterclasses 2011
Daniel will be teaching several masterclasses in the summer of '11:
- 8-13 July: Stellenbosch Chamber Music Festival, South Africa
- 15-22 July: Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, Finland
- 7-14 August: Masterclasses in Cividale, Italy
- 28 August - 3 September: Stift International Music Festival, Holland
Russian love and death in the Beurs in Amsterdam
This Friday, January 14th, Daniel will perform with two of the most exiting young performers of this moment: Belgian cellist David Cohen and the wonderful Russian/Belgian virtuoso pianist Polina Leschenko.
At the heart of the program is Tchaikowsky's great piano trio. More details please see here.
Review for Vivaldi/Piazzolla disc in 'Scena'
We just received this glowing review of Daniel's 8 Seasons disc in the Canadian Music Magazine 'Scena'
Brodsky's new 'Rythm and Texture' CD is The Strad's record of the month
The Brodsky's new release has been gathering glowing reviews - here's the one that appeared in the Strad magazine in November.
Some reviews of Daniel's recent South Africa Tour
We have recieved these reviews of Daniel's recent South Africa Tour
Beurs van Berlage series 10-11
The 5 concerts of ChamberJam Europa in the atmospheric Beurs van Berlage are about to kick off with 'Love and Madness' - Janacek and Beethoven's Kreutzersonatas, Bartok's Melodia for solo violin and Schumann's wonderful Piano Quintet, with Hebe Mensinga, Joel Waterman, David Cohen and Katya Apekisheva.
See ChamberJam's full series of 5 exiting concerts at the Beurs van Berlage here
Tour: Classics by Candlelight
Daniel is touring Holland this November with a production called 'Classics by Candlelight' - with a very good little orchestra, consisting of several old friends. He'll be performing at 10 theaters, in places including Rotterdam, Apeldoorn, Gouda and Almelo. The program includes Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and works by Handel, Bach, and Mozart, and feature talented French soprano soloist Melody Louledjian. Daniel directs the show and also talks to the audience about the works performed. The stage is beautifully lit by candlelight, and the performers are dressed in period costumes.
8 Seasons record wins SAMA award
Daniel's '8 Seasons' record has won the prestigious South African Music Award (SAMA). During a ceremony at Sun City on April 16 this collaboration of Daniel with the Stellenbosch University Camerata won the prize 'Best Classical Record'.
Daniel's "8 Seasons" record has now had its worldwide release, and is available via iTunes, Amazon
Stift International Music Festival
The 5th edition of the Stift International Music Festival took place from 22-28 August, with as it's theme 'Love and Madness' - The festival was a sell out and considered by audiences the best one yet. The Stiftfestival also unveiled it's new logo and website: www.stiftfestival.com.
Stift '11 will take place from 27 August - 3 September, please mark these dates in your calender!
Summer 2010
It was a busy summer for Daniel, with many airmiles accumulated - the summer started with the Stellenbosch festival in South Africa, followed by Daniel first visit to the Kuhmo festival in northern Finland. From there it was to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with the Brodsky Quartet, followed by masterclases and concerts in lovely Cividale with Priya Mitchell, David Cohen and others. The summer was rounded off by the Stiftfestival. We plan to add photos here in due course.
Daniel will enter the studio at the end of the year to record his new record for Two Pianists Records: Short Stories, a musical voyage round the world through short pieces by Korngold, Szymanowsky, de Falla, Tchaikowsky, Elgar, Wagner, Piazzolla, Debussy and many others, with Luis Magalhaes on piano - each of which tells its own unique and touching story.
See here the announcement in the Two Pianists Newsletter (PDF)
Düsseldorf ChamberJam 2010 - Love & Madness
From 2 to 5 April ChamberJam Düsseldorf - 2nd Easter Music Festival will take place, following the succes of last years inaugural edition. The festival will bring together some of Europe's most highly acclaimed soloists and chamber musicians for 4 days of intensive music making in the beautiful Johanneskirche in the heart of Düsseldorf, a stone's throw from the Old Town and the Rhine and surrounded by an array of fine restaurants and cafés. The festival kicks off with a performance of Bach's magnificent St. John's Passion on Good Friday (with festival artists as principal players and conducted by Wolfgang Abendroth) and is followed by concerts on saturday night, Easter Sunday evening, and then on Easter Monday a full day of concerts. Throughout the festival the Festival Cafe will be a hub where artists and audience can meet and mingle. The theme this year is Love & Madness - and it will feature some of the best amorous, mad, sad and just plain gorgeous ever written.
See the full program of this exiting festival here
8 Seasons record nominated for award
Daniel's recent release of the 8 Seasons has been nominated for the South African Music Awards. Read the press release here
CD release 8 Seasons
Daniel's new CD of the Piazzolla/Vivaldi '8 Seasons' was recently released to critical acclaim. 'To know the meaning of the word fabulous, listen to this Piazzolla', wrote Paul Boekkooi, leading SA critic. The recording, with the Stellenbosch University Camerata was made at the end of Daniel's South African tour in September '08, in the Fismer Hall of Stellenbosch University, following a performance at Cape Town City Halls.
Upcoming recordings
News about Daniel's next releases on the TwoPianistsRecords label here soon...
Concerto tour of South Africa and new recordings planned
Daniel will be returning to South Africa in late June and in October. In June he will go into the studio with pianist Luis Magalaes to record a new CD -details here soon- and to take part, for the 6th year running in the wonderful Stellenbosch Festival from 2-10 July. In October and early November Daniel will be making an extensive concerto and recital tour, following his succesfull tour in the autumn of '08. Highlights will include:
- Tchaikowsky with the Johannesburg Philharmonic (October 6&7) more
- The 8 Seasons at the Aardklop Festival in Potchefstroom (Oct. 3) and Bloemfontein (Oct. 27) with the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa, Daniel as soloist/director
- Concerto with KwaZula Natal Philharmonic, Durban (Oct. 14) more
- Mozart Sinfonia Concertante & Schnittke Concerto Grosso (tbc) with Priya Mitchell (violin) and Camerata Stellenboch (Oct 24)
- Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with violinist Priya Mitchell and the Johannesburg Philharmonic under Maestro Bernhard Güller (Nov. 3&4) more
- Recitals in J'burg (more) (Oct 9), Pretoria, (Oct 10), Durban, (Oct 12) and Cape Town (Oct 23), also recitals in Knysna, Hermanus, Port Elisabeth, White Lodge, Grahamstown.
- Recording for TwoPianists Records with violinist Priya Mitchell - more details soon.
Carmen at Oxford
We received this video of the performance at the Holywell music room as part of the terrific OCMF '08 with theme 'Latin!'. Lots of Latin music, from Vivaldi to Piazzolla was played, and this Carmen Phantasy by Julian Milone for four violins and doublebass was so much fun... On stage were Daniel, Sascha Sitkovetsky, Karolina Weltrowska, artistic director Priya Mitchell and bassist Zoran Markovic.
Daniel at Kuhmo Festival
Daniel will be making his first visit to the celebrated Kuhmo Festival in Finland from 11-18 July. The festival is known as one of the worlds most important and exiting chamber music festivals in a beautiful spot in northern Finland. Read more about the Kuhmo Festival here.