BBC Interview with Kent Nagano now online available (March 2015)

The BBC interview with Kent Nagano, which was conducted in January 2015 on the occasion of his concert with BBC Symphony Orchestra, is now available for streaming on BBC Radio 3 Music Matters.

Kent Nagano talks about the influences of his musical education, about his associations with composers like Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez and Olivier Messiaen and also about his views on New Music and its importance for the future of classical music in general.

Please click here to listen to the interview.

CD published: Kent Nagano and Audi Youth Choir Academy (March 2015)

Kent Nagano conducts Rihm’s Tutuguri in London (January 2015)

After more than 5 years, Kent Nagano is returning to London on 31 January 2015 to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Wolfgang Rihm’s “Tutuguri” – a work for large orchestra, percussionists, taped chorus and speaker. The performance at the Barbican in London is the UK premiere of Rihm’s “Poeme danse”. Kent Nagano has conducted this monumental piece before to great acclaim – at the rostrum of the BR Radio Symphony Orchestra Munich in 2012.

The concert is part of the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s “Total immersion: Percussion” – an interactive day featuring masterclasses, performances, talks and workshops at the Barbican, London. Please click here for more information.

Rarities on CD: French trumpet concertos (January 2015)

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Paul Merkelo – Principal Trumpet with the orchestra for over 20 years – have recorded rarely played French trumpet concertos that are renowned for being some of the most demanding pieces for this instrument.

The French repertoire draws attention to a period in Europe that saw the liberation of its people at the end of World War II, and a rejuvenation of its soul through their artists, writers, and poets. This freedom of expression is clearly heard in the works of Henri Tomasi (1901-1970), Alfred Desenclos (1912-1971), and André Jolivet (1905-1974). Their interest in the sound of the trumpet and its ability to fit into a jazz idiom, as well as being a highly virtuosic instrument, gave birth to three of the most beautiful trumpet concertos.

Paul Merkelo recorded this repertoire accompanied by his colleagues under the baton of Music Director Kent Nagano at Maison symphonique de Montréal. The CD has just been released by Analekta.

Kent Nagano: Book publication & CD releases (September 2014)

Kent Nagano: „Erwarten Sie Wunder! Expect the unexpected

Kent Nagano’s book „Erwarten Sie Wunder! Expect the unexpected“ will be published on 6 October by the Berlin Verlag. Based on his own biography, Kent Nagano discusses the importance and future of classical music: Classical music is in danger of disappearing from the everyday reality of the general public and becoming an antiquarianism of a social elite. Its loss would not only impoverish society from a cultural perspective, but would deprive it of inspiration, wit, emotional depth and a sense of community. Concerned about a change of values in the western societies, Kent Nagano makes a passionate plea for classical music. The book is being published in German, a publication in English and other languages is anticipated for the near future. Please click here for further information (in German).

CD releases

There will be three new CDs being released in October under the baton of Kent Nagano. Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 “The Poetry of Freedom” will be published by Sony Classical as the last part of a recording of all the Symphonies by Beethoven with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under Kent Nagano.

A CD with Japanese Children Songs has been recorded by Analekta with Kent Nagano and the OSM. Kent Nagano was intrigued by those songs when he heard his daughter singing them. He comments: “They were at once both, intensely moving emotionally and disturbing. Their haunting, mysterious beauty has continued to entice all generations since their creation making them actual and vividly relevant to our modern world.”

The label Edel publishes a complete recording of all piano concertos by Beethoven together with the Triple concerto played by Mari Kodama (with Kolja Blacher, violin, and Johannes Moser, cello). The piano concertos No. 4 & 5 are released for the first time as part of the box. Kent Nagano leads the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.

Virée classique in Montréal (August 2014)

Kent Nagano and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal will be hosting the third edition of their succesful “Virée classique” from 14 to 16 August: This grand Montréal classical-music festival is a true celebration of classical music and will feature more than 30 concerts taking place in four venues, including the Maison symphonique de Montréal. The opening concert on 14 August presents Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with a chorus of 1,000, a large-scale free concert on the Olympic Park’s Esplanade Financière Sun Life. On 15 and 16 August Kent Nagano and the orchestra welcome artists such as violinist Vadim Repin, pianists Rafał Blechacz, Andreas Haefliger and Marc-André Hamelin, soprano Erin Wall and many others. Together they will present a splendid variety of solo recitals, chamber music and orchestral concerts. As a special concert-event, the festival is staging Leonard Bernstein’s A Quiet Place.

Kent Nagano comments: “Offering musical experiences to a broad and diverse audience is a special role that the OSM takes very much to heart. As musical ambassadors for all Montrealers, we deeply value the opportunity to reach an ever-growing audience of experienced and potential music lovers.”

Please click here for the full programme.

Kent Nagano leads Vorsprung-Festival (July 2014)

Up until 2016 inclusive, conductor Kent Nagano will be leading the “Vorsprung Festival” as part of the Audi Summer Concerts. In its first year, the new series comprises five concerts.

The “Vorsprung Festival” will focus on the Audi Youth Choir Academy with two concerts on 10 and 13 July together with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano. Kent Nagano has already worked with the Audi Youth Choir Academy on several occasions in the past.

The “festival within a festival” also provides a platform for renowned musicians such as pianist Rudolf Buchbinder (16 July), tenor Ian Bostridge (11 July) and the ChorWerk Ruhr ensemble (12 July). Following the evening of Lieder by Ian Bostridge, the members of the Youth Choir Academy will have an opportunity to chat with the singer as well as with Kent Nagano. This – along with the performance by the young award-winning cellist Raphaela Gromes in the same concert as Rudolf Buchbinder – reflects Nagano’s desire that the “Vorsprung Festival” should provide a platform for talented young people to meet internationally renowned artists.

More Information on the Audi Sommerkonzerte