Kris Defoort's piano concerto "Music for the Heart" aims to capture the intensity of life and is built intuitively from improvisation, with the 'HEART' serving as a central musical motif.
Performer Biography
Kazushi Ono, conductor of the Brussels Philharmonic, has a musical personality shaped by both Japanese and European cultures, and he actively commissions new music.
Recording & Production
This album features live recordings from the semi-final and final rounds of the 21st piano edition of the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Performer Biography
Vahan Mardirossian, conductor of the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, is an internationally renowned pianist and conductor who often performs piano concertos while simultaneously playing and conducting.
Composition History
The album includes two newly commissioned works: Ana Sokolović's "Two Studies for Piano" and Kris Defoort's "Music for the Heart."
Historical Context
The Queen Elisabeth Competition, which this album celebrates, has been bringing music lovers together for almost 90 years, starting as the Ysaÿe Competition in 1937 and 1938.
Compositional Technique
Ana Sokolović's "Two Studies for Piano," titled "Magla" (Fog) and "Igra" (Dance), are based on two sets of pitches, including the DSCH cryptogram used by Shostakovich.
