Andrew Manze, Lukas Sternath

Andrew Manze, Lukas Sternath

»My career feels a bit like the history of conducting: from a standing violinist to concertmaster and eventually with just a baton in my hand.« Andrew Manze was a celebrated baroque violinist in the early music scene for a long time, then decided in favour of the conductor’s podium – and is now also passionately immersing himself in the great romantic scores. He fell in love with music and his current profession at an early age: as a child, he simply plucked a branch from his parents’ garden and swung it to symphonies from the radio. Today, our guest conductor is known as a creative free spirit and exudes a lot of British charm. We are pleased that he is once again conducting one of his favourite programmes with us: Grieg wrote his famous piano concerto in 1868 as a newlywed – a very vivacious piece with memorable melodies and typical Norwegian rhythms, for which we welcome the young artist Lukas Sternath as soloist. There is also the colourful and compelling work »Transit Underground« by Swedish composer Tobias Broström, born in 1978. We will conclude with Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5, which he began in the middle of the First World War. It nevertheless carries a largely optimistic tone in a sea full of superb soundscapes – including the »swan theme«, sounding like film music. It will be a thrilling musical experience with Andrew Manze, because his overflowing joy in the compositions is inspiring and his impulses spark new ways of playing – and when everything works together in harmony, he is happy: »For me, the act of making music is everything. I love the magic when musicians come together, think about music and then something fantastic emerges.«

Lukas Sternath

Lukas Sternath

Join pianist Lukas Sternath for a mesmerising recital featuring an eclectic programme full of contrasts.

Gewandhausorchester, Andrew Manze Dirigent

Konzerteinführung mit Ann-Katrin Zimmermann um 18.45 Uhr - Schumann-Eck

Gewandhausorchester, Andrew Manze Dirigent

Konzerteinführung mit Ann-Katrin Zimmermann um 18.45 Uhr - Schumann-Eck

Lukas Sternath, piano

In 2025, giving the closing concert of the Rising Stars Festival and thereby bringing a crowning finale to a whole week of concerts by the most exciting young stars of the classical music world is the task of a young Viennese musician at his peak. Since Lukas Sternath discovered his love of music as a member of the Vienna Boys Choir, he soon arrived at the piano and so on the path to success. At the ARD International Music Competition in 2022, he did not just achieve first prize, but was also awarded with seven special prizes – unique in the history of the prestigious competition! He has since studied with Igor Levit and provides his recital with a challenging programme for the piano. Sternath goes all out and opens the programme with the »Chaconne« by Sofia Gubaidulina – a highly concentrated piece which evokes the spirit of Johann Sebastian Bach in a modern tonal language. Sternath does not seem to want to indulge in breaks and proceeds with the Handel variations by Johannes Brahms. He made a joke out of taking an artlessly dancing topic as the starting point of an absurdly virtuoso work. PatKop, as star violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja calls herself when she composes, writes the work commissioned for Lukas Sternath’s Rising Star concerts. Her works are consequently just as full of surprises as are her unconventional interpretations of other composers. With Franz Liszt’s legendary Sonata in B minor, the evening finds its brilliant end point with another pinnacle of the piano repertoire.

Andrew Manze | Daniel Müller-Schott

British-born Andrew Manze began his impressive career as a violinist and conductor of early music. Since then the vitality and spontaneity he acquired in the early music scene now covers every era of music history. With Schumann’s Cello Concerto of 1850 he ventures into the innermost precincts of romanticism. Endless dreamlike melodic lines and a fervent urge to communicate characterise the solo part, making this concerto, to Munich cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, one of the most personal of all works for cello and orchestra. Manze’s unconventional and daredevil approach is as welcome here as it is in Beethoven’s First Symphony, where the composer’s idiosyncratic and trailblazing will to expression already flares up behind a seemingly classicist façade.

Andrew Manze | Daniel Müller-Schott

British-born Andrew Manze began his impressive career as a violinist and conductor of early music. Since then the vitality and spontaneity he acquired in the early music scene now covers every era of music history. With Schumann’s Cello Concerto of 1850 he ventures into the innermost precincts of romanticism. Endless dreamlike melodic lines and a fervent urge to communicate characterise the solo part, making this concerto, to Munich cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, one of the most personal of all works for cello and orchestra. Manze’s unconventional and daredevil approach is as welcome here as it is in Beethoven’s First Symphony, where the composer’s idiosyncratic and trailblazing will to expression already flares up behind a seemingly classicist façade.

Andrew Manze | Daniel Müller-Schott

British-born Andrew Manze began his impressive career as a violinist and conductor of early music. Since then the vitality and spontaneity he acquired in the early music scene now covers every era of music history. With Schumann’s Cello Concerto of 1850 he ventures into the innermost precincts of romanticism. Endless dreamlike melodic lines and a fervent urge to communicate characterise the solo part, making this concerto, to Munich cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, one of the most personal of all works for cello and orchestra. Manze’s unconventional and daredevil approach is as welcome here as it is in Beethoven’s First Symphony, where the composer’s idiosyncratic and trailblazing will to expression already flares up behind a seemingly classicist façade.

Rising Stars: Lukas Sternath

For lovers of chamber music the Recital Hall is the venue of choice. You can hear the musicians breathe and you can practically touch them. This hall is also cherished by musicians for its beautiful acoustics and direct contact with the audience. In the Recital Hall you can hear the best musicians of our time. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Recital Hall for yourself!