Second semifinal day – evening
program
Anton Kraft (1749-1820) – Concerto in C Op. 4
Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, dir.Vahan Mardirossian
From the very first note, he exuded confidence and was always willing to add refinement, for instance through a vibrato with a personal touch and an extra dash of smoothness. His performance demonstrates a profound understanding of classical music. He possesses his own distinctive style in interpreting lyrical passages. His artistic presence is enhanced by incredible precision in fingering and bowing technique, with which he managed to captivate the audience – and quite likely the jury as well.
program
Leopold Hofmann (1738 – 1793) – Concerto in D Badley D3
Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, dir. Vahan Mardirossian
A paragon of soulful playing, sensitivity, and elegance. She clearly felt the high intensity of the most challenging passages. Regarding technical finesse, she delivered considerable, yet entirely successful effort. What remains with us is her commitment and dedication, which oscillated between outstanding artistry and resilience. A remarkable performance, prepared through thorough study of the concerto score and its context, in effect with excellent intonation and phrasing, and an original approach to the pieces.
program
Harold Noben – Caffeine
Antonín Dvořák – Klid (Silent Woods) op. 68/5 B 173
Dmitry Kabalewsky – Sonata in B-flat op. 71
Adria Ye, piano accompanist
He brings a certain strangeness to his stage presence, which he also applies to his approach to the repertoire, as if guided by a vision that distances itself from the cultural context in which the pieces originated. He masters all the technical virtuosity of the cello, seeking an impeccable sound, an abstract perfection, but plays this complex repertoire – whose musicality has been left in question – with a kind of detachment and distance. There was a striking general affinity with the playing of the accompanying pianist.
program
Henri Dutilleux – Trois Strophes sur le nom de Sacher
Harold Noben – Caffeine
Christian Jost – Rumor Images
Hans Bottermund – János Starker Variations on a Theme of Paganini
Dina Ivanova, piano accompanist
With natural talent and skilled mastery of his craft—qualities born from study, intuition, and experience—Michael Wehrmeyer possesses an impressive stage presence, demonstrating complete command of all technical aspects of the cello: intonation and phrasing alike. He strikes a balance between warm, rich sonorities and shows both refinement and thoughtful strategy in creating effect. Admired for his personal interpretive stamp and the originality of his recital approach, he generously shares all his gifts in a deeply inspiring performance that draws enthusiastic applause from the audience.
