bulletinThe Credit Suisse special magazine www.credit-suisse.com/emagazinewww.credit-suisse.com/emagazine .. JuniJuly 2005 Kultur Erfahrungsaustausch:World Zu Besuch Orchestra bei sechs Bauherren. Serviceteil: 18 Seitenfor Tipps Peace und Tricks zum Bauen. The Credit Suisse Tour 2005: The World Orchestra for Peace makes guest appearances in London, Berlin, Moscow and Beijing Interview: Maestro Valery Gergiev Cultural sponsorship: A happy marriage of art and business SCHERER KLEIBER CD / PHOTO UNICEF R. LEMOYNE For OVER 50 YEARS UNICEF has been working to secure the well being of children world wide. Ensuring every child’s right to a good and healthy start in life, to quality education, and to grow into adulthood in health, peace and dignity are pillars in UNICEF’s work. Our world faces REAL CHALLENGES; the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, escalating conflict, poor access to education, discrimination against girls, endemic poverty. UNICEF is in the forefront of a global movement to develop a new agenda for children. Building a world truly fit for children demands the involvement of each and every one of us. YOUR SUPPORT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE. For every child Health, Education, Equality, Protection ADVANCE HUMANITY www.unicef.ch, post account donations: 80-7211-9 CREDIT SUISSE Bulletin_Special Editorial 03 Photo: Gee Ly Music Inspires and Brings People Together Lovers of classical music can rejoice: This increasingly difÞ cult for many cultural institu- year, and for the Þ rst time, the World Orches- tions to Þ nance their projects and productions, tra for Peace, under the baton of the renowned and so companies have become increasingly conductor Valery Gergiev, is going on tour in important sponsors of institutions and artists, several countries. Since the founding of the thus supplementing the public sector. In this orchestra in 1995 to mark the Þ ftieth anniver- way, they offer a considerable contribution to sary of the UN, several concerts have taken the diversity of the cultural offering. place, namely in 1998, 2000 and 2003. Thanks For more than 20 years, sponsorship has to the support of Credit Suisse, the orchestra enjoyed a prominent place in the corporate is celebrating its ten-year anniversary this year and communication strategy of Credit Suisse. with a tour taking it to London, Berlin, Moscow As part of our cultural sponsorship strategy, and Beijing. Around one hundred musicians we have commitments in the spheres of art from over sixty international top orchestras and classical music at the highest level. “World from forty countries are coming together to Orchestra for Peace – The Credit Suisse Tour form a unique ensemble with an important 2005” is our greatest cross-border cultural mission of global signiÞ cance. At the same commitment and is the highlight of this year’s time, the orchestra embodies passion and cultural calendar. Which is a very good reason perfection, with which it delights its interna- for dedicating a special edition of our stake- tional audience. holder magazine “bulletin” to it. We hope you Passion and perfection are not only essen- Þ nd it fascinating reading, and wish you many tial in music, but also in banking, our core busi- unforgettable moments as you enjoy classical ness. Although long believed to be irreconcil- music. able, business and culture are actually closely related. Over the past few years, it has become Walter Berchtold, Chief Executive Officer, Credit Suisse www.austria.info I Yes, I would like to receive information on Austria, the land of culture. ¡ Culture at its best. I Yes, I am particularly interested in the Mozart Year 2006. During the Mozart Year 2006 Austria will honour one of its most important artists with a rich array of events. Name: But not only then is the country one of the world’s most exciting cultural regions. Austria’s cultural scene always enjoys a high international reputation for its superior Address: quality. This quality reveals itself also in the way people live and treat their guests: their friendly, relaxed interaction with visitors, the delicious food and the world-class E-Mail: wines can all be summed up with one word:“cultivated”. Österreich Werbung Postfach, 8036 Zürich, Tel. 0842 10 18 18, Fax 044 451 11 80, [email protected] CREDIT SUISSE Bulletin_Special Contents 05 Orchestra 06 Sir Georg Solti How the Dream of Being a Great Conductor Came True 10 Portraits Bulletin Introduces Four Members of the Orchestra 14 Who’s Who The Members of the World Orchestra for Peace 2005 Conductor 18 Valery Gergiev The Maestro’s Fight Against Cultural Poverty 22 Maestros Amazing Facts from the Annals of Conducting Facts 26 Country Comparisons Interesting Insights into the Cities of the Tour 30 Repertoire Interesting Details on the Repertoire and the Composers Credit Suisse 32 Interview Toni J. Krein on the Cultural Sponsorship Activities of Credit Suisse 34 Promoting Young Talent Catapulting Young Talents to Stardom 37 Classical Music Sponsorship All Good Things Come in Sevens 40 China Urs Buchmann Merges Banking and Music in Beijing 42 At a Glance The Cultural Commitments of Credit Suisse Publishing details: Publisher Credit Suisse, P.O. Box 2, CH-8070 Zurich, tel. 044 333 11 11, fax 044 332 55 55 Editors: Ruth Hafen (rh) (project lead), Andreas Schiendorfer (schi), Rebecca Schraner (rs) (volunteer) Marketing: Veronica Zimnic, tel. 044 333 35 31, e-mail: [email protected] Assistant: Karin Mari Internet www.credit-suisse.com/emagazine Proofreading text control, Zurich Layout www.arnold design.ch: Simone Torelli, Urs Arnold, Arno Bandli, Saroeun Dan, Georgina Balint, Annegret Jucker, Daniel Peterhans, Monika Isler/Karin Cappellazzo (planning and execution) Advertising Yvonne Philipp, Strasshus, CH-8820 Wädenswil, tel. 044 683 15 90, fax 044 683 15 91, e-mail [email protected] Printing NZZ Fretz AG Reprinting permitted with attribution “From the Credit Suisse Bulletin magazine” www.credit-suisse.com/emagazine Your link to our know-how Sir Georg Solti “I’m a good as well as a bad musician. Your performance alone is what matters, not the acclaim you reap. None of the honors bestowed upon me will make me a better musician.” CREDIT SUISSE Bulletin_Special History Orchestra 07 Text: Karin Mari Solti’s Dream Sir Georg Solti, the renowned conductor, founded the World Orchestra for Peace in 1995. It is a unique ensemble of approximately one hundred musicians from around the world that performs on very special occasions. The Credit Suisse Tour 2005 takes place as part of its ten-year anniversary. Georg Solti, born in Budapest in 1912, knew already at age thirteen Since then, the orchestra convened several times on special occa- that he wanted to become a conductor. At a concert by Erich Kleiber, sions (see the table on page 8), each time with outstanding musi- in his hometown, the young Solti experienced the electrifying energy cians from first-class orchestras. The entire organization involves emanating from the conductor that held both the musicians and the approximately one hundred people – each a leader in their field – who audience in its spell – an event that helped him discover his calling. He make individual contributions toward putting on concerts for the was drawn to music already at a very early age, learned to play the cause of peace in a relatively short time. Not an easy task, when piano, and had his first public appearance at age twelve. Having dis- considering that the musicians come to rehearsals from around the covered his love for conducting, he devoted all his energies to its world and have to organize their leave in the orchestras in which they pursuit and never veered off this path for the next seventy years. He normally play. Furthermore, the musicians do not get paid, and this passed countless milestones, overcame obstacles, and ultimately strengthens their commitment toward a worthy cause. The purpose reached the summit of his career, always in the company of people is to use, in Solti’s words, “the unique strength of music as an am- who spurred him on in his development. At the end of his long career, bassador for peace” and to communicate a sense of harmony on all he had the fortune of looking back over a fulfilled life. To quote from levels. his biography: “Every day I believe more strongly that I have a guard- Valery Gergiev Continues in Georg Solti’s Footsteps ian angel who has stood by me throughout my life. Of course there were also disappointments, but I enjoyed a blessed and wonderful life Unfortunately, Solti had only one opportunity to conduct the World for which I’m very grateful.” Orchestra for Peace. The maestro died unexpectedly shortly after his 85th birthday in the French city of Antibes while preparing for the The Founding of the World Orchestra for Peace orchestra’s second performance in Baden-Baden. So as not to jeop- The World Orchestra for Peace has its roots in a vision Solti had on ardize the concert, it was necessary to find a first-rate conductor who his eightieth birthday. At a celebration at Buckingham Palace and in could not only identify with the orchestra’s concept but would also be the company of Prince Charles, Princess Diana and numerous other willing to lead it in the future. The natural choice was, of course, Valery renowned guests, thirteen musicians from as many countries per- Gergiev, an outstanding conductor in his own right and a friend of formed Richard Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll” without a conductor. Solti Solti. Although they became acquainted only six months before Solti’s was completely taken by observing people from entirely different cul- death, Solti regarded him as a kind of soulmate who mirrored phases tures, with different languages and ways of life, who were transformed of his own life.