Skip to page content
  • WDCH
  • ACCLAIMED VIOLINIST ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER IN RECITAL AT WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
  • Apr. 8, 2008
  • Pianist Lambert Orkis Also Featured in All-Brahms Program, Part of Los Angeles Philharmonic Association’s 2007/08 Colburn Celebrity Recital Series

    TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008, AT 8 PM

    Series Endowed by a Generous Grant from the Colburn Foundation

    Multiple Grammy winner and revered violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association’s Colburn Celebrity Recital series on Tuesday, April 8, at 8 p.m. Appearing with her is pianist Lambert Orkis, in his Walt Disney Concert Hall debut, for a program of Brahms Violin Sonatas that includes No. 2 in A major, Op. 100, No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 and No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108. The duo has appeared together in recitals since 1988, and is currently performing Brahms’ Violin Sonatas as they tour the U.S. and Germany.

    Mutter and Orkis have frequently recorded together for Deutsche Grammophon, and won a Grammy for “Best Chamber Music Performance” for the Beethoven piano and violin sonatas, and a 2006 “Choc de l’année” award for the Mozart piano and violin sonatas audio recording.

    The Los Angeles Philharmonic's Colburn Celebrity Recitals offer virtuoso performances by world-renowned artists. The remaining performance for the 2007/08 season features violinist Midori and pianist Robert McDonald (April 13, 2008).

    For three decades ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER has been one of the greatest violin virtuosos of our time. Born in Rheinfelden in the state of Baden, the violinist launched her international career at the Lucerne Festival in 1979. A year later she performed as a soloist at the Salzburg Whitsun Concerts under the direction of Herbert von Karajan. Since then Mutter has performed concerts in all the major music centers of Europe, the U.S. and Asia. In addition to performing major traditional works she has continually treated her audiences to new and innovative repertoires: chamber music and orchestral works presented on equal terms. She also uses her popularity for charity projects and supports the development of young, exceptionally talented musicians. In 2008, Mutter performs concerts in Asia, Europe and North America. In memory of Herbert von Karajan she will play Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Seiji Ozawa during a European tour. Mutter will also be in charge of the musical direction of her Asian tour, during which she will play Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons together with the Trondheim Soloists as well Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 2. In a chamber music superlative Mutter will perform Beethoven’s String Trios together with Yury Bashmet and Lynn Harrell in Baden-Baden, Madrid and Stuttgart. Another U.S. tour features Bach’s Violin Concertos performed together with Camerata Salzburg under the direction of the violinist herself. The second solo part of the Double Concerto will be performed by the young violinist Vilde Frang, the recipient of a scholarship from the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation. Additionally for 2008, Mutter will again performworks, which premiered in 2007, including Sofia Gubaidulina’s Violin Concerto together with the Orchestre National de France under the direction of Kurt Masur, and Previn’s Concerto for Violin, Contrabass and Orchestra in its European premiere with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the composer and with contrabassist Roman Patkoló performing. The work was created at the behest of the “Anne-Sophie Mutter Circle of Friends Foundation.” The honors afforded Mutter for her many recordings include the German Record Prize, the Record Academy Prize, the Grand Prix du Disque, the International Record Prize and several Grammies. On the occasion of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 250th birthday Mutter recorded all of Mozart’s major compositions for violin on the Deutsche Grammophon label. She was awarded the “Le Monde de la Musique and “Record Geijutsu”, both for the year 2006, for her Mozart Project. The artist takes special pride in performing contemporary compositions for violin and contemporary composers Sebastian Currier, Henri Dutilleux, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutoslawski, Norbert Moret, Krzysztof Penderecki, Sir André Previn and Wolfgang Rihm have all dedicated works to her. Further premiere performances of the chamber orchestra works of Penderecki and Rihm are currently being planned. Mutter’s recording of Gubaidulina’s Violin Concerto “In tempus präsens” together with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Valéry Gergiev as well as her recording of Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor and E major performed together with the Trondheim Soloists under the direction of the violinist herself will be available in the summer of 2008 on the Deutsche Grammophone label. Also for 2008, the artist is establishing the "Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation," a foundation with the objective to further increase worldwide support for promising young musicians – a task which the violinist took on when she founded the “The Anne-Sophie Mutter Circle of Friends Foundation” in 1997. As part of her special interest in the medical and social problems of our time, Mutter regularly lends her support to these causes through charitable concerts. For example, in 2008 she will perform benefit concerts for the Berlin Philharmonic’s Orchestra Academy and for the Beethoven House in Bonn. Mutter is this year’s recipient of the International Ernst von Siemens Music Prize. She is a bearer of the Order of Merit of the German Federal Republic, 1st Class, the Bavarian Order of Merit, the Austrian Order of Merit for Service to the Republic of Austria, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and has received many other awards.

    LAMBERT ORKIS has received international recognition as chamber musician, interpreter of contemporary music, and performer on period instruments. His distinguished career also includes collaborative appearances with cellists Lynn Harrell, Anner Bylsma, and Han-Na Chang, violinists Anne-Sophie Mutter and Julian Rachlin, and violist Steven Dann, and he has performed with the Vertavo, Emerson, American, Mendelssohn, Curtis, and Manchester String Quartets. As a soloist he has made appearances with conductors including Mstislav Rostropovich, Leonard Slatkin, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Günther Herbig, Kenneth Slowik, John Mauceri, Robert Kapilow, Leon Fleisher, Christopher Kendall, and others. A multi-Grammy nominee, Orkis’ wide discography comprises works of the classical, romantic, and modern eras on many labels. In addition to frequent recordings for Deutsche Grammophon with Anne-Sophie Mutter, he has also recorded works of Brahms, Schumann and Chopin/Franchomme with Dutch cellist Anner Bylsma, and with violist Steven Dann, he appears on an ATMA Classique disc of works by Brahms. Orkis has released discs on Bridge Records of solo works written for him by George Crumb, Richard Wernick, and James Primosch. As a founding member of The Kennedy Center Chamber Players, comprised of principal players of the string and keyboard sections of Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra, Orkis performs to critical and audience acclaim. He also appears regularly in summer with Colorado’s Strings in the Mountains Music Festival. A CD entitled The Beauty of Two has been released by Dorian Recordings which includes duo sonatas by Grieg, Poulenc, Hindemith, and Martin? performed by members of The Kennedy Center Chamber Players. Orkis’ most recent solo releases on the Bridge Records label include, as fortepianist and pianist, three separate performances of Beethoven’s “Appassionata” sonata using fortepianos and piano based upon Viennese piano building designs. As founding member and fortepianist of the Smithsonian Institution’s Castle Trio, Orkis has given many performances including several cycles of Beethoven’s 28 major works for fortepiano and strings, and produced highly regarded recordings of Beethoven and Schubert trios. He has twice served as juror of, and performed for, the Trondheim (Norway) International Chamber Music Competition and Festival. The Carnegie Hall International American Music Competition for Pianists and the Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards Competition have also engaged him as judge on several occasions. As an Honored Artist for Taiwan’s New Aspect International Music Festival, he performed and presented master classes in Taipei. Orkis has held the position of Principal Keyboard of Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra since 1982. He is Professor of Piano at Temple University’s Esther Boyer College of Music in Philadelphia, where he was honored with the university’s Faculty Award for Creative Achievement.

    The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music — Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association’s involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008, at 8 PM


    WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles



    Colburn Celebrity Recitals



    ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER, violin

    LAMBERT ORKIS, piano



    BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100

    BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78

    BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108



    Series endowed by a generous grant from the Colburn Foundation.

    Tickets ($35 - $88) are on sale now online at LAPhil.com, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. When available, choral bench seats ($15) will be released for sale to selected Philharmonic, Colburn Celebrity Recital and Baroque Variations performances, beginning at noon on the Tuesday of the second week prior to the concert. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full-time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For information, please call 323.850.2000.

    # # #

  • Contact:

    Adam Crane, 213.972.3422, acrane@laphil.org; Photos: 213.972.3034