INTRODUCING TIANWA YANG “I suppose Yang’s playing can only be described as perfect, and perfect is a word I normally hate to use, because I normally think of perfection to be a myth.“ – Elaine Fine, American Record Guide INTRODUCING TIANWA YANG BIOGRAPHY Called “an unquestioned master of the violin” (American Record Guide) who “rises above her competition” (Fanfare), Tianwa Yang has quickly established herself as a leading international performer and recording artist. The young violinist, a resident of Germany and heralded by the Detroit News as “the most important violinist to come on the scene in many a year,” has debuted with such major orchestras as the Detroit, Seattle, Baltimore, Nashville, Kansas City and New Zealand Symphonies, in addition to the MDR-Sinfonieorchester-Leipzig, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Orchestre National d’Île de France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, and the Hong Kong, Buffalo, BBC, Deutsche Radio, Warsaw and Royal Liverpool Philharmonics. Ms. Yang has performed under the baton of renowned conductors Marc Albrecht, Andreas Delfs, JoAnn Falletta, Giancarlo Guerrero , Günther Herbig, Yoel Levi, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Gerard Schwarz, Vassily Sinaisky amongst others. Other international engagements include those at the Ravinia Festival, Virginia’s Arts Festival, London’s Wigmore Hall, Paris’ Salle Pleyel and Leipzig’s Gewandhaus. Ms. Yang has also given live concert broadcasts from the Schwetzingen Festival, broadcast by the SWR Stuttgart, from the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, broadcast by Deutschlandradio, and from the Montpellier Festival, broadcast by Radio France. As a critically acclaimed recording artist for Naxos, Ms. Yang will soon expand her discography with the release of the complete Solo Sonatas by Eugene Ysaye. Of her previously released recordings of Pablo de Sarasate’s complete works for violin, David Hurwitz of Classics Today calls Ms. Yang a “sensationally talented violinist,” while All Things Strings speaks of her “stunning effortless virtuosity” and “uncanny affinity for Spanish music.” Ms. Yang most recent releases are both Mendelssohn Violin Concertos and the works for violin and piano by Wolfgang Rihm. She has also has also recorded Piazzolla’s Las 4 Estaciones Porteñas with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and the Vivaldi/Piazzolla Eight Seasons performed with her own ensemble. The remaining two albums from the eight disc set of complete Sarasate works for violin are due for release during this season. During the 2012-2013 season, Ms. Yang continues to build her growing reputation in concert halls across Europe, Australasia and North America. She has given debut performances in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and New York on tour with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and will debut with the Pacific and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestras returning to many of the symphony and recital centers of the world. Raised in the Chinese capital city, Ms. Yang began studying violin at the age of four. Demonstrating unquestionable ability, Ms. Yang won six competitions as a young child. At the age of ten she was accepted to study at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing as a student of Lin Yaoji. Within one year, Hong Kong media described the young artist as “A Pride of China.” Ms. Yang recorded the 24 Paganini Caprices at the age of thirteen, making her the youngest artist to release the works. In 2003 Ms. Yang was awarded a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service to study chamber music in Germany, marking the beginning of her European career. Ms. Yang has won several awards during her career including the Volkswagen Foundation prize “Star of Tomorrow” by Seiji Ozawa and the 2006 “Prix Montblanc.” She holds a place on teaching faculty of the Music Academy of Kassel, Germany and is grateful to Lin Yaoji, Jörg-Wolfgang Jahn and Anner Bylsma for the musical insight and support they have offered throughout her career. .PSF*OGPSNBUJPOXXXUJBOXBZBOHDPNtXXXOBYPTDPNQFSTPO5JBOXB@:BOHIUN 2 INTRODUCING TIANWA YANG DISCOGRAPHY N E W R ELEASE N E W R ELEASE Wolfgang RIHM: Complete Works Felix MENDELSSOHN: for Violin and Piano Violin Concertos 5JBOXB:BOH WJPMJOt/JDIPMBT3JNNFS QJBOP (Tianwa Yang, violin, Romain Descharmes, piano, “The astounding technique of Yang and Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä, Rimmer bring these pieces vividly to life.” Patrick Gallois) – International Record Review, Outstanding “Naxos deserves praise for making “A diverse mix of great music, contemporary music accessible...through showcasing the best features of Romantic excellent performances” violin repertoire, featuring hummable – BBC Music Magazine tunes, orchestral passion, and delicate chamber music.” – Classic FM, CD of the Week SARASATE, P. de: Violin and Orchestra Music, Vol. 1 (Tianwa Yang, Navarre Symphony, PIAZZOLLA, A.: Sinfonía Buenos Martinez-Izquierdo) Aires, Aconcagua, 4 Seasons of Buenos Aires “mellifluous and delightful music” – ClassicsToday.com (Binelli, Tianwa Yang, Nashville Symphony, Guerrero) “A most engaging collection… freshness, spontaneity matched by committed, idiomatic playing.“ – MusicWeb International SARASATE, P. de: Violin and SARASATE, P. de: Violin and Piano Orchestra Music, Vol. 2 Music, Vol. 1 (Tianwa Yang, Navarre Symphony, Martinez-Izquierdo) (Tianwa Yang, Hadulla) “Tianwa Yang is a sensationally talented “Each piece is beautifully characterized and young violinist. She has technique to burn.“ played with great polish and confidence.“ – ClassicsToday.com – American Record Guide “At 24 [Tianwa Yang] may already be accounted an unquestioned master of the violin; I guarantee your ears will reassure you my colleagues and I speak the truth.“ – American Record Guide SARASATE, P. de: Violin and Piano “Yang rises above her competition...and Music, Vol. 2 challenges the finest violinists…“ – Fanfare (Tianwa Yang, Hadulla) “Everything here is a special and highly SARASATE, P. de: Violin and virtuosic treat, especially the violinist.“ Orchestra Music, Vol. 3 – American Record Guide (Tianwa Yang, Navarre Symphony, Martinez-Izquierdo) “Tianwa Yang plays marvelously, fearlessly, and with great freshness and verve“ SARASATE, P. de: Violin and Piano – ClassicsToday.com “immensely satisfying, entertaining and Music, Vol. 3 probably definitive disc.“ – The Wholenote (Tianwa Yang, Hadulla) “Once again, Yang proves herself as capable “An amazing violinist does wonders with of communicating Sarasate’s more lyrical Sarasate.” – MusicWeb International ideas as his most brilliant ones...Urgently Recording of the Month recommended.“ – Fanfare “Yang proves simply inimitable…Bravo!“ “full of surprise and delight“ – American – BBC Music Magazine Record Guide, Critic’s Choice “you’re sure to be charmed“ “Tianwa Yang plays with dexterity and – ClassicsToday.com lightness in her Sarasate survey“ ‘‘Yang is a phenomenon, and Handulla is a fine – Gramophone accompanist. Anyone who has heard previous “the music and playing are so electric there volumes will want this one, and anyone were probably sparks flying off the violin“ who has never heard Yang should get this – MusicWeb International, recording.’’ – American Record Guide Recording of the Year 3 REPERTOIRE – FURTHER WORKS ON REQUEST Samuel Barber Violin Concerto, Op.14 Béla Bartók Violin Concerto No.2 Ludwig van Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major, Op.61 STRA Romance in G major, Op.40 E 3PNBODFJO'NBKPS 0Q Leonard Bernstein Serenade for Solo Violin, String Orchestra, Harp and Percussion +PIBOOFT#SBINT 7JPMJO$PODFSUPJO%NBKPS 0Q Double Concerto in A minor for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, Op.102 Max Bruch Scottish Fantasy, Op.46 Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.26 .BSJP$BTUFMOVPWP5FEFTDP i$PODFSUP*UBMJBOPiJO(NJOPS 7JPMJO$PODFSUP/P i5IF1SPQIFUTi0Q &SOFTU$IBVTTPO 1PÒNF 0Q N AND ORCH "OUPOJO%WPSÈL 7JPMJO$PODFSUPJO"NJOPS 0Q LI "MFYBOEFS(MB[VOPX 7JPMJO$PODFSUPJO"NJOPS 0Q O He Zhanhao & Chen Gang Violin Concerto “The Butterfly Lovers“ VI &SJDI8PMGHBOH,PSOHPME 7JPMJO$PODFSUPJO%NBKPS 0Q Edouard Lalo “Symphonie espagnole” Op.21 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 Violin Concerto in D minor 8PMGHBOH".P[BSU 7JPMJO$PODFSUP/PJO#nBUNBKPS ,7 Violin Concerto No.2 in D major, KV.211 Violin Concerto No.3 in G major, KV.216 7JPMJO$PODFSUP/PJO%NBKPS ,7 7JPMJO$PODFSUP/PJO"NBKPS ,7 Sinfonia concertante in E flat major for Violin and Viola, KV 364 Adagio in E major, KV 261 3POEPJO$NBKPS ,7 Niccolo Paganini Violin Concerto in D Major, Op.6 Moses Fantasy Astor Piazzolla The Four Seasons for Solo Violin and String Orchestra (Arr. L. Desyatnikov) 4FSHFK1SPLPmFW 7JPMJO$PODFSUP/PJO%NBKPS 0Q Violin Concerto No.2 in G minor, Op.63 Maurice Ravel Tzigane 8PMGHBOH3JIN i$PMM"SDPw UI.VTJDGPS7JPMJOBOE0SDIFTUSB “-JDIUFT4QJFMio&JO4PNNFSTUàDL Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No.3 in B minor, Op.61 )BWBOBJTF 0Q *OUSPEVDUJPOBOE3POEP$BQSJDDJPTP 0Q Pablo Sarasate Complete Works +FBO4JCFMJVT 7JPMJO$PODFSUPJO%NJOPS 0Q *HPS4USBWJOTLZ 7JPMJO$PODFSUPJO%NBKPS 1FUFS5DIBJLPWTLZ 7JPMJO$PODFSUPJO%NBKPS 0Q Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons Antonio Vivaldi/Astor Piazzolla “The Eight Seasons” Henri Wieniawsky Violin Concerto No.2 in D minor, Op.22 Ludwig van Beethoven Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano Johannes Brahms Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano Claude Debussy Sonata for Violin and Piano ANO I César Franck Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major &EWBSE(SJFH 4POBUBGPS7JPMJOBOE1JBOPJO$NJOPS 0Q Wolfgang A. Mozart Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major, KV 301 Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor, KV 304 4POBUBGPS7JPMJOBOE1JBOPJO"NBKPS ,7 4POBUBGPS7JPMJOBOE1JBOPJO#nBUNBKPS