GREAT CHINA TOUR CHAMBER MUSIC Duo Kleinhapl & Woyke, Austria, 2008 | Duo Kleinhapl & Woyke, Austria, 2008 |
|
Tour Dates: 22 May - 2 June, 2008 "Impressing tone, powerful basses, crystal-clear overtones, shaded details and perfect bows show the cellist as a master of his instrument." Friedrich Kleinhapl - cello Andreas Woyke - cello Friedrich Kleinhapl Friedrich Kleinhapl, an Austrian cellist with Belgian roots, finishes his studies in Graz. Afterwards he is given a perennial state-scholarship for post-graduate studies. The final step of his education takes place in Paris, where he is instructed by one of the best teachers of the world: Phillippe Muller, who has an inspiring, challenging and motivating influence. Friedrich Kleinhapl then gets into contact with very renowned musicians: Claudio Abbado considers “his talent worth promoting”, Yehudi Menuhin pays tribute to him and characterises him as a “highly gifted young cellist”. The famous cellist Paul Tortelier is deeply impressed by his “brilliant technique” and values him as a personality, which allows “serious hope for a successful career as cellist”. Tibor Varga appreciates his confidence and his spontaneous intuition, “characteristics of a true talent”. All these great artists not only stimulate and confirm his creativity, eagerness to experiment and certain openness – but also lead Friedrich Kleinhapl towards contemporary music. The interpretation of Friedrich Gulda’s cello concert with brass orchestra (released on CD in 2001) is a first step towards the music of the 20th and 21st century. Meanwhile, the cellist is one of the most demanded interpreters of this concert. Next, he devotes himself to solo- and chamber music with the instrumentation cello and piano what also increases his appearances at concerts. He gives concerts not only in London, Paris, Brussels, Antwerp, Berlin, Bonn, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Bologna, Trieste, Warschau, Budapest, Zagreb and in many other cities but also in the USA, Canada, Mexico and at the Fair Festival in Teheran. In 1998, he even wins a selective competition under a jury formed by members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. As an award, the Austrian National Bank places the “Cello Giovanni Tononi, Bologna 1681” – part of the house-internal musical instrument collection – at his disposal. Friedrich Kleinhapl is still playing this extraordinary instrument today. More and more, the cellist gets an excellent reputation for his first performances of cello concerts composed by important contemporary artists: Christoph Cech’s cello concert in the Vienna Concert Hall, “Fantasy for Cello and Big Band” by Ed Neumeister (released on CD in 2001 for Ars Production), Johannes Berauer’s concert with vocal ensemble and percussion at Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s festival “styriarte”, Peter Herbert’s cello concert at the Bregenz Festival and the “styriarte”, and Dirk D’Ases’ cello concert with the Vienna-Concert-Society under Ulf Schirmer in the Vienna-Music-Society building and at the Bregenz Festival. At the moment, a concert for cello and symphony orchestra, written by the famous jazz-composer Bob Brookmeyer, is planned. For many years, Friedrich Kleinhapl has intensely tried to improve the sound of his cello; in 2003 finally he is able to cross the Rubicon: the violin-maker Peter Mörth discovers the acoustic properties of the material titan. After numerous trials, he finally is able to produce components for the instrument made of a special titan-alloy. In 2004, the company “Anton Paar” from Graz assigns a patent for the alloy and sells the instrument-components world-wide under the name “Titanovation”. 2003 – Cultural partnership with the HYPO Styria: the bank decides to sponsor Friedrich Kleinhapl. In 2003, Friedrich Kleinhapl takes on the artistic direction of the very well known Eggenberger Schlosskonzerte. Due to the tremendous success of 2003, he is asked to continue his artistic responsibility until 2006 and furthermore to develop a festival of international niveau. In the near future, Friedrich Kleinhapl can be heard at festivals and concert series, such as in the Munich Herkules Hall with the Munich Symphony Orchestra, with the Prague Symphony Orchestra, with the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra and the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. Further, an Asia-tour and concerts and master classes in Canada, Germany, Turkey and USA are to come. Andreas Woyke Andreas Woyke is a very versatile artist who approaches nearly all styles of music from classical to jazz, pop and crossover with much interest and safely stylistic feeling. Studying with famous artists like Aldo Antognazzi, Pavel Gililov and Rudolf Kehrer, Woyke finished his classical education with special honor and since that time engagements and a number of international competition prizes lead him into nearly every continent of the world. In press reviews his art of interpretation is highly honored, which never stays technically superficial. His classical repertoire embraces all époques from Baroque to Modern. As a chamber musician he is working together with instrumental players of all kind and singers; since 2003 as permanent Duo-partner of Friedrich Kleinhapl. Improvisation is a very important part of Woyke's artistic activity. Classical improvisation - i.e. creating agreements in baroque works and cadenzas of classical piano concertos - belongs to his work as well as free, spontaneous and stylistic independent improvisation. Those sound-paintings are influenced by classical elements as well as by jazz, pop, ethno and other new streams. They may be a part of classical recitals or self-standing large concert-pieces. Composition with improvising elements is part of Woyke's artistic life as well. "Acconci Island", a six-part-piece telling creation and character of the island in the Mur river, Graz, shall be mentioned here as well as other compositions Woyke is performing in classical programs and with his Fusion Band "D'Yamba", founded 2003. Andreas Woyke is constantly searching for new aspects of interpretation. The combination of historical authenticism with modern ways of listening and approaching to music is always a challenging task for him. Competitions he has taken part in, include: Bremer Klavierwettbewerb 1987: (1. prize), Int. Brahms - Klavierwettbewerb Hamburg, 1992: (1. prize), Int. Wettbewerb ‘Klaviermusik des 20.Jahrhunderts’ (Autro Mechana), Wien, 1994: (1. prize), Int. Bach - Klavierwettbewerb Saarbrücken, 1995: (3. prize), UNISA - Transnet Int. Piano Competition Pretoria, 1996: (2. prize und ‘Marc Raubenheimer Memorial Prize’) Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey Int. Piano Competition, Bathurst/Canada, 1996: (1. prize) Reviews "Impressing tone, powerful basses, crystal-clear overtones, shaded details and perfect bows show the cellist as a master of his instrument." "A congenial partnership, Finale Grande at the 'Eggenberger Schlosskonzerte' - standing Ovations." |
