WildKat PR is pleased to welcome pianist Anika Vavic and flautist Katherine Bryan as new clients.

Pianist Anika Vavic made her performance debut at Vienna’s Konzerthaus in 2003, and as a result, was chosen for the 2003/04 season highly commended “Rising Stars” concert cycle, leading to further performances in some of the world’s most famous concert halls. Together with the Musikverein, the Österreichischer Rundfunk produced a CD of her recital program from the season; Anika’s first release. Her latest disc, featuring works by Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin and Prokofiev was released in 2010 to great acclaim.

Anika works regularly with orchestras such as the Mariinsky Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic and the MDR Orchestra Leipzig, and performs at festivals such as the ”White Nights” festival in St. Petersburg, the Istanbul Music Festival and Valery Gergiev’s Mikkelli Festival in Finland.

Her upcoming engagements include concerts with the Mariinsky Orchestra in July 2013, her debut performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the BBC Proms and at the Enescu Festival in August 2013 and her return to the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra in March 2014.

Flautist Katherine Bryan studied at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and won a full scholarship to study at The Juilliard School in New York. She has been a prize-winner at the Young Concert Artists International Competition in New York and was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition for three consecutive years.

As a soloist she has performed with many of the world’s finest orchestras and is currently in residence with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She has also performed as Guest Principal Flute with the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, BBC Scottish, Scottish Chamber, Royal Philharmonic, Northern Sinfonia, Halle, London Symphony and Swedish Radio Symphony orchestras.

In addition to her performing, she is also a lecturer in flute at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Following on from the success of her debut solo disc in 2010, which was nominated for an International Classical Music Award, Katherine is set to release a new recording of works by Rouse, Ibert, Martin and Debussy on 20th May 2013, when she will also perform at National Geographic, London. Katherine hopes this release will highlight the excitement and engagement of the flute as a solo instrument, as well as the great array of new repertoire available for flute players.

WildKat PR will be working with Anika and Katherine on their projects and press in the UK and across Europe.

Anika Vavic

Katherine Bryan

(Written on April 19, 2013 )

Tonight, pianist Kimiko Ishizaka will bring her acclaimed tour of Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier to London at the 1901 Arts Club at 7:30pm.

The tour, which was received with critical praise in the USA, sees Ishizaka perform all of Volume 1 of Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier. The New York Times described her as a “gifted and obviously devoted Bachian”.

Kimiko Ishizaka sprang to the attention of the public last May with the Open Goldberg Project when her recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations became available for anyone to download for free. On the first day the recording received over 200,000 listens and 50,000 downloads

For more information on the concert please visit the 1901 Arts Club website here.

(Written on January 30, 2013 )

Today, the conductor, pianist and Music Director of the Staatsoper Berlin, Daniel Barenboim, will celebrate his 70th birthday. Accentus Music, in association with ZDF and Arte, will honour the esteemed musician with a two-part documentary and a live broadcast on Arte of his “birthday concert” with the Staatskapelle Berlin. In addition, Accentus Music is pleased to announce the DVD release of Bruckner’s Symphonies Nos. 4-9 performed by Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin.

This evening, the Staatskapelle Berlin and Daniel Barenboim will give a concert in aid of a music kindergarten in Berlin, which will also mark the conductor’s birthday. Under the direction of Daniel Barenboim’s long-time colleague, Zubin Mehta, a new piece by Elliott Carter: “Dialogues II” will be performed. The work for piano and orchestra is dedicated to Daniel Barenboim, who will perform the piano part, as well as Beethoven’s 3^rd Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s 1^st Piano Concerto. Accentus Music will record the concert in co-production with ZDF and Unitel at the Berlin Philharmonie, which will be broadcast live from 20:15CET on Arte.

The two-part documentary; “Crossing Borders: Daniel Barenboim” by Paul Smaczny accompanies the artist in a search of the social significance of music and his tireless efforts for intercultural dialogue. The first part shows Barenboim working with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and follows him at sensational premiere concerts in Cairo and Gaza City. Part two highlights Barenboim’s efforts to overcome the Wagner taboo in Israel. Arte will broadcast the co-production of Accentus Music and ZDF tonight at 22:00 CET, following the special birthday concert broadcast.

Completing Accentus Music’s monumental celebration will be the release of a major symphonic series: Anton Bruckner’s “Mature Symphonies”. In 2010 Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin performed Bruckner’s Symphonies Nos. 4 to 9 in just eight days. Accentus Music and Unitel Classica recorded the six highly acclaimed concerts at the Berlin Philharmonie. In January 2013, Accentus Music will start with the release of Bruckner’s Symphony No 4.

Paul Smaczny, producer, director and founder of Accentus Music, has collaborated for over 20 years with Daniel Barenboim. In numerous concert recordings and publications, Smaczny documents the musical work of the Buenos Aires-born conductor and pianist. For his film, “Knowledge is the Beginning – Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra”, Smaczny won the 2006 International Emmy® Award for Arts Programming.

Broadcast date: Thursday, 15th November 2012, Arte

20.15: Daniel Barenboim Birthday Concert – Live from the Berlin Philharmonic

(A production of Accentus Music in coproduction with ZDF and Unitel, in collaboration with Arte.)

22.00: Crossing Borders: Daniel Barenboim (1/2): Music and Politics

23.00: Crossing Borders: Daniel Barenboim (2/2): Musical Approaches

N.B. Above times are CET.

(A production of Accentus Music in coproduction with ZDF, in collaboration with Arte)

For more information please visit the Arte website here, or the Accentus Music website here.

(Written on November 15, 2012 )

The Telegraph

The opera novice: Richard Strauss’ Salome – a Biblical family romance

Strauss’ opera Salome is a psychosexual drama full of excruciatingly beautiful music.

The Independent

Simon Bolivar Orchestra: Kids aloud

As the orchestra returns to Britain, Matthew Bell sees how music continues to change lives in Caracas… and in south London too.

The Guardian

Pianist Valentina Lisitsa: believe the hype

I suspected Lisitsa – about to debut at Royal Albert Hall – was a case of promotion over profundity. Then I joined her online audience and was wowed by her self-assured virtuosity.

BBC Music Magazine

Haiti launches a music initiative modelled on Venezuela’s El Sistema

Haiti’s government has launched a new project to provide music education for all ages and to encourage the formation of youth orchestras across the country.

Financial Times

The modern maestro

Conductors used to be famously autocratic, inaccessible – and old. Not anymore.

LA Times

Simone Dinnerstein – classical music’s ‘wandering bard’

The pianist isn’t following rules; she’s simply telling a story that begins with Bach.

Jessica Duchen

A good honours day for musos

It’s a bumper year for classical music and opera in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for the Diamond Jubilee.

Szigeti speaks

“The unforgivable sins of big business” – Joseph Szigeti’s opinion of the fact that the record catalogue contained only four recordings of Bartok playing the piano.

Gramophone

Classical music is honoured in the Birthday Honours

A knighthood for opera director David McVicar.

The Times

Gianandrea Noseda triumphs in Britten

He loves the orchestra. The orchestra loves him. So could the Italian maestro take over permanently at the LSO?

The ultimately difficult Troy story returns

War, suicide and pantomime – the Royal Opera House is braving Berlioz’s Trojan masterpiece.

What I’ve learnt: Carl Davis

New York-born conductor Carl Davis, 75, took his first music lessons aged 7 and moved to London at 18.

(Written on June 18, 2012 )

The Telegraph

Online piano star Valentina Lisitsa gets Royal Albert Hall debut

YouTube star and and virtuoso pianist Valentina Lisitsa signs record deal and will play a concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Jessica Duchen

A Music World Fair

This year’s International Wimbledon Music Festival is ‘A Music World Fair’ – a tremendously international job, lighting up South West London with performances by the Kopelman String Quartet, Alina Ibragimova, Nicholas Daniel and Sam West, Christine Brewer, Zuill Bailey, Cristina Ortiz, Mark Padmore and many more.

NY Times

Philadelphia Orchestra Submits Plan to Cut Debt

The Philadelphia Orchestra has laid out its plan to erase debts and cut costs in a major step toward exiting bankruptcy court.

The Guardian

King Priam, a pacifist’s opera, can still shed light on the trauma of war

Half a century after its first showing, Michael Tippett’s libretto based on the lliad is a fitting work for today.

Fischer-Dieskau’s 12 best recordings

Martin Kettle’s pick of the great baritone’s recorded output.

LA Times

Glenn Dicterow leaving New York Philharmonic, joining USC faculty

Glenn Dicterow, concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic for more than 30 years, will be leaving the venerated orchestra and joining the faculty of the USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles.

New West Symphony names Marcelo Lehninger as new music director

Marcelo Lehninger, the young Brazilian German maestro who serves as an assistant conductor for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has been named music director of the New West Symphony, which is based in Thousand Oaks.

Classical Music Magazine

Classical singles chart greeted with scepticism by industry

The launch of a weekly classical singles chart, the first of which will be released on 28 May, has been greeted enthusiastically by crossover artists but more sceptically by the core classical sector.

Gramophone

Anne-Sophie Mutter receives Distinguished Leadership Award

Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter has been awarded the Atlantic Council’s 2012 Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award, recognising her as ‘one of the most significant leaders of our society’.

(Written on May 25, 2012 )

Telegraph

Vijay Iyer: the scientist who turned to jazz

Vijay Iyer, who next month visits the UK with two different trios, has made it his life’s work not to fit into any preset roles or identities.

NY Times

Jonas Kaufmann Withdraws From the Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Die Walkuere’

Stuart Skelton will take over in Monday’s performance.

The Times

Yuja Wang: more than a sexy starlet

Her hemlines have made headlines, but there is much more to the rising piano star.

Classical Music Magazine

Festival 2012 corrals 12,000 events into purview

The Philharmonia Orchestra and Science Museum will break new ground for Festival 2012.

Arts Journal – Norman Lebrecht

Chaos at Malaysian Philharmonic as French conductor cancels

Alain Lombard pulled out from the latest concerts of the troubled orchestra, officially for health reasons, after two days of rehearsals.

Gramophone

Leeds International Piano Competition launches new award

Orchestra prize winner selected by Sir Mark Elder and members of the Halle.

Asher Fisch appointed principal conductor of West Australian Symphony Orchestra

The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) has appointed Seattle Opera principal guest conductor Asher Fisch as its new principal conductor and artistic advisor for a three-year term from 2014.

(Written on May 3, 2012 )

Evening Standard

Cultured Clubbing

New opera and contemporary classical music are becoming the sounds of choice for London’s clubbers

Gramophone

Joining Hands

Applause is an essential part of the concert experience

Genesis Foundation Announces New £25,000 Award

Recognising mentors of young artistic talent

Financial Times

Venerable House Expands Into New Arias

Peter Gelb, Metropolitan Opera general manager, has globalised its audience with ‘Live in HD’

LA Times

Mozart Piano Piece Believed Found In Austria

Experts in Austria say they have identified a piano composition that they believe was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when the composer was as young as 10 years old.

Telegraph

Chetham’s School Of Music Gets A Handsome New Home

Chetham school of music’s new building is something to add to the list of things that should make you proud to be British, writes Rupert Christiansen.

Only Kids Aloud: The Welsh Kids Who Took On The Maestro

When Valery Gergiev needed youthful voices, he turned to Only Kids Aloud

BBC News

Arts Groups Being Hit By Funding Cuts, Survey Says

More than one in 10 arts companies who lost all of their core Arts Council of England funding have shut down or are closing, according to research.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17536195

(Written on March 29, 2012 )

Daily Telegraph

Lang Lang at Latitude: should music festivals embrace classical?

Ivan Hewett wonders if classical music can cope with the great outdoors.

Independent

World’s first sex trafficking opera to premiere in the UK

Anya17 opens at the Liverpool Philharmonic today. The opera tackles the difficult subject of women forced in to prostitution.

Guardian

Close to you

Accompanists: The unsung heroes of music. Tom Service pays homage to the musicians condemned to sitting in the shadows.

Intermezzo

Tristan Und Isolde Und The CBSO.

This was a static Tristan und Isolde, even by concert version standards. But four enthralling hours proved that sometimes the music really is all that matters.

Jessica Duchen’s Classical Music Blog

How To Be Part Of Rox’s Love Album.

Jessica Duchen on the London premiere of Roxanna Panufnik‘s Four World Seasons.

Opera Chic

Bringing Out Brahms.

The definitive schedule for the 49th Festival Pianistico Internazionale of Brescia and Bergamo has been rolled out, titled “Brahms, the conservative progressive” in homage to the complex character of the German composer.

Arts Journal: Slipped Disc

Another Mahler Howler.

Norman Lebrecht on a Mahler Prize by the city of Klagenfurt, in southern Austria, which requires entrants to set a 1967 poem by Patti Smith.

(Written on March 7, 2012 )

WildKatPR is delighted to announce its new partnership with a very exciting international music project for spring 2012.

The Open Goldberg Variations project is an entirely fan-funded initiative which has allowed pianist Kimiko Ishizaka to make a new recording of the Goldberg Variations, soon to be available for anyone to download, for free, from May 2012. They also have formed a partnership with MuseScore, who have created a new edition of the Goldberg Variations score, and, with music technology company SampleSumo, a unique app that makes it possible to follow the score as it is being played. WildKatPR will be working with a European campaign promoting the forthcoming release as well as the accompanying concerts.

To view the Open Goldberg Variations website please click here.

(Written on February 27, 2012 )

We are delighted to begin 2012 with some exciting new additions to our client roster.

Bridget Cunningham is an award-winning harpsichordist, conductor and early music specialist whose research and performances have been featured on ITV, Sky Arts and BBC TV and Radio including Woman’s Hour, Front Row and Radio 3’s In Tune.  We are delighted to be working with Bridget on all her up-coming engagements and promoting her new album ‘Handel in Ireland’.

We are also excited to be working with the up and coming lyric soprano Nadine Mortimer-Smith who is appearing at St Alban’s Chamber Opera and in the Fourth London Festival of American Music in 2012, as well as producing her first recording. WildKat PR are working with Nadine in Europe and the USA, offering PR and consultancy services.

We also welcome the French Institute, the official French government centre for culture in the UK. Their classical concert series encourages cross-cultural exchange and highlights the rich history of French music. Upcoming concerts feature singers from the Royal Academy of Music, the Psophos Quartet, the Mercury Quartet, Ivan Ilic, Charles Owen and more.

We will also be working with an exciting young Baroque violinist, Johannes Pramsohler on his busy concert schedule which regularly takes him all over the world.  This year Johannes will be releasing his solo album with the International Baroque Players entitled ‘Pisendel – Violin Concertos From Dresden,’ which included previously unrecorded works by Handel, Fasch and Pisendel.

Finally, we welcome the pianist and composer Jean-Philippe Rio-Py. Jean-Philippe’s rhythmic compositions have already led him to record an album for Cutting Edge / Air Edel, and he will recording his second CD in 2012, as well as performing at the exclusive Box club in Soho.

Nadine Mortimer-Smith

For any enquiries, please contact WildKat PR on london@wildkatpr.com, or call us +44 20 7499 9334.

(Written on January 23, 2012 )