Czech Philharmonic • Maxim Emelyanychev
At the delayed Rudolfinum debut of the conductor Maxim Emelyanychev, we will hear music by the three great figures of Viennese Classicism: Haydn’s last symphony, a Beethoven opera overture, and a cello arrangement of a flute concerto that Mozart originally composed for oboe.
Programme
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
A Midsummer Night's Dream, ouverture from music for Shakespeare's play, Op. 21
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (arr. for cello by George Szell)
Flute Concerto No. 2 in D major, K 314
Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 104 in D major, Hob. I:104 “London”
Performers
Václav Petr cello
Maxim Emelyanychev conductor
Česká filharmonie
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When Maxim Emelyanychev was singing in a boys’ choir in Nizhny Novgorod, his fellow pupils nicknamed him Mozart. He attached little importance to being compared to the musical genius, but the son of a singer and of a trumpet player had a clear vision of his future career from his childhood, when he spent time with his parents at rehearsals. “Music is the main thing” is his answer to questions about whether he feels himself to be more a pianist, a harpsichordist, a cornetist, or a conductor.
If he had to choose who to go with for a glass of wine, he would know right away: “I would really like to spend some time with Mozart. Above all, I think he would be good company, and we wouldn’t even have to do much talking. We’d have a drink, make some music together, and then maybe play billiards without any big formalities…”
At concerts, he likes to play compositions from various periods: “I enjoy combining different epochs; after all, musical development is a chain of mutual influences. When you understand what preceded Beethoven, you can interpret his music so it sounds revolutionary even today. I think the arts have to be contemporary, vital, and surprising. They should pack a punch that takes you out of your comfort zone.”
At the same time, from his position on stage, he aims to create a sense of calm and harmony at concerts — something listeners can ideally carry with them beyond the concert hall…
Performers
Václav Petr cello
One of the finest Czech cellists, Václav Petr has served as concert master of the Czech Philharmonic cello section for over a decade. He has performed as a soloist since the age of 12. As a member of The Trio, he has also devoted to chamber music.
Václav Petr learned the rudiments of viola playing at the Jan Neruda School in Prague from Mirko Škampa and subsequently continued to study the instrument at the Academy of Performing Arts in the class of Daniel Veis, graduating under the guidance of Michal Kaňka. He further honed his skills at the Universität der Künste in Berlin under the tutelage of Wolfgang Boettcher, and also at international masterclasses (in Kronberg, Hamburg, Vaduz, Bonn and Baden-Baden). He has garnered a number of accolades, initially as a child (Prague Junior Note, International Cello Competition in Liezen, Talents of Europe) and then in Europe’s most prestigious contests (semi-final at the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann, victory at the Prague Spring Competition).
At the age of 24, after winning the audition, he became one of the youngest concert masters in the Czech Philharmonic’s history. As a soloist, he has performed with the Czech Philharmonic, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Philharmonia, the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava and the Philharmonie Baden-Baden.
Václav Petr has made a name for himself as a chamber player too. Between 2009 and 2020, he was a member of the Josef Suk Piano Quartet, with whom he received first prizes at the competitions in Val Tidone and Verona (Salieri-Zinetti), as well as at the highly prestigious Premio Trio di Trieste. In 2019, he, the violinist and concert master Jiří Vodička, and the pianist Martin Kasík formed the Czech Philharmonic Piano Trio, later renamed The Trio. During the Covid pandemic, they made a recording of Bohuslav Martinů’s Bergerettes (clad in period costumes), which would earn them victory at an international competition in Vienna.
Maxim Emelyanychev conductor
Shortly after his conducting debut at the age of 12, Maxim Emelyanychev was invited to conduct quite a few of the international baroque and symphonic orchestras in Russia. Then, in 2013, he became Principal Conductor of the historically informed orchestra Il Pomo d’Oro and Principal Conductor of the Nizhny-Novgorod Soloists Chamber Orchestra. In 2014, he made remarkable debut in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Sevilla Teatro de la Maestranza.
These critically acclaimed performances were swiftly followed by a series of symphonic guest engagements all over Europe, for example with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, London Philharmonic, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony, Atlanta Symphony or Seattle Symphony; frequently touring with the orchestra Il Pomo d’Oro (for example three different concert tours, in Europe and the USA, with Joyce DiDonato last season). His successful operatic debut made him lead several other Mozart productions at the Opernhaus Zürich, Geneva Grand Theatre and Toulouse Théâtre du Capitole.
An invitation to conduct the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on a last-minute replacement led the enthused musicians to appoint him their new Principal Conductor, effective from the autumn of 2019. And on the very first days of his mandate as Principal Conductor, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra extended his contract until 2025.
In 2022/2023 Maxim tours the USA with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and makes his debut appearance with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Czech Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Osaka Kansai Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Helsinki Radio Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic and returns to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and to the Royal Opera House in Mozartʼs The Magic Flute.
Maxim has recorded quite a few CDs as the head of Il Pomo d’Oro, among which two CDs with Joyce DiDonato (Gramophone Award 2017, Gramophone Classical music Award – Category Opera 2020) and one with counter-tenor Jakub Orlinski. In 2019 his first CD with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Schubert Symphony no. 9 – the very symphony of his appointment as their Principal Conductor – was awarded 5 ***** by The Guardian, The Times and The Scotsman. Maxim’s first solo album was released in 2018, featuring Mozart Sonatas on fortepiano (Choc de Classica 2018 and the ICMA 2019).
Maxim was awarded in 2013 the Golden Mask for his participation in the stage production of Nozze di Figaro of the Perm Opera Theatre conducted by Teodor Currentzis. He is also a recipient of the Young Talent Award 2019 in the Music Section of the Critics’ Circle. The same year he was awarded an international Opera Award in the NewComer category.