We began the tradition of artists-in-residence in our 126th season, and this time we are going back to having a pianist by inviting Sir András Schiff, a world famous British artist of Hungarian origin. The bulk of his repertoire consists of Baroque, Classical, and Romantic works, but he also devotes himself to music of the 20th and 21st centuries.
During a season-long residency, closer ties and more intensive collaboration with selected artist bring significant enrichment to the Czech Philharmonic. Artists-in-residence appear repeatedly during the season in a variety of formats and in diverse repertoire. We will see András Schiff with the Czech Philharmonic in a dual role as pianist and conductor at the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival, in October at subscription concerts with chief conductor Semyon Bychkov, and in February with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra as part of the Czech Chamber Music Society’s season. Then in March he will join the Czech Philharmonic for concerts in Vienna, Hamburg, and Munich as part of the orchestra’s European tour.
Dvořák, Beethoven and Mozart
with Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and András Schiff (piano) on the programme
Sir András Schiff is acclaimed around the world as a pianist, conductor, pedagogue, and instructor. He inspires both audiences and critics, bringing mastery and intellectual insight to his interpretations. He was born in Budapest in 1953 and studied piano there at the Franz Liszt Academy under Pál Kadosa, György Kurtág, and Ferenc Rados and in London under George Malcom. His complete performances of the Beethoven sonatas and of the works of Johann Sebastia Bach, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, and Béla Bartók have been an important part of his performing career.
He has collaborated with the world’s top orchestras, but he is now focusing mainly on solo recitals, conducting at the piano, and unique conducting projects. His Bach concerts have become a yearly highlight at the BBC Proms, and he also appears regularly at the festivals in Verbier, Salzburg, and Baden-Baden as well as at London’s Wigmore Hall. For the 2022/2023 season, he was the artist-in residence of the New York Philharmonic.
Vicenza is the home of Cappella Andrea Barca – Schiff’s own chamber orchestra consisting of international soloists, chamber players, and friends, which he founded in 1999. With them, he has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Lucerne Festival, and the Mozartwoche in Salzburg, and there is a coming concert tour of Asia and a European series of Bach piano concerts. The orchestra is the curator of the festival at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza.
Sir András has close ties to the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, with which he accepted the role of Associated Artist in 2018, affirming his interest in playing period keyboard instruments.
He continues to support new talent, especially through the series Building Bridges, which arranges performances for talented young artists. He also teaches at the Barenboim-Said Academy and in Kronberg, and he gives frequent lectures and masterclasses. In 2017, Bärenreiter published his book Music Comes Out of Silence, with essays and interviews with Martin Meyer.
Sir András Schiff has received many honours including a Gold Medal from the International Mozarteum Foundation (2012), Germany’s Great Cross with Star of the Order of Merit (2012), the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal (2013), British knighthood for service to music (2014), and an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Music (2018). The Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University honoured him with the 2021 Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance.
