Christian Zacharias Makes Carnegie Hall Debut

In December, pianist Christian Zacharias, whose celebrated career has thus far spanned three decades, will give solo recitals presented by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Wednesday, December 7 at 8pm) and by San Francisco Performances at Herbst Theatre (Friday, December 9 at 8pm) before making his long-awaited Carnegie Hall recital debut on the Stern/Perelman stage in New York (Tuesday, December 13 at 8pm). Known for his uncompromising individuality and thoughtful approach to concert programming, Zacharias' recitals include C. P. E. Bach's Sonata in A Minor and his Rondo in C Minor; Brahms' Klavierstücke, Op. 119; Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110; and Schubert's Piano Sonata in D Major, D. 850.

The qualities that make Christian Zacharias one of the world's most celebrated pianists have enabled him also to make his mark as a conductor, festival director, musical thinker, writer, and broadcaster: integrity married to individualism; deep musical insight matched by a sure poetic instinct; a brilliance in communication; a charismatic and commanding platform manner.

Zacharias made his name first as a pianist, and continues to appear in concerto and recital worldwide. His career to date has also been distinguished by a number of important chamber music relationships with esteemed colleagues including the Alban Berg Quartet, the Leipziger String Quartet, Heinrich Schiff, and Frank Peter Zimmermann.

This tendency to embark on long musical journeys with kindred spirits is also reflected in his work as conductor. Since 2000 Zacharias has been Principal Conductor of the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne and with them he made a number of critically acclaimed recordings, including works by Mozart, Schumann, Chopin, and Michael Haydn. Especially notable is their ongoing complete cycle of Mozart's piano concertos. Volume III won an ECHO Classic 2008, and Volume IV both the Diapason d'Or and Choc du Monde de la Musique. The most recently released Volume V (Piano Concertos K 175, 246, and 488) has also been awarded the ECHO Classic 2010.

Zacharias has also been Principal Guest Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since the 2002-03 season, and in 2009 he became an "Artistic Partner" of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Additionally, he enjoys long-term relationships with many other orchestras such as Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and Scottish Chamber Orchestra with whom he appears as a regular guest. Most recently he has embarked on an operatic career with productions of two very different works: Mozart's opera seria "La Clemenza di Tito" (Geneva) and Offenbach's Opéra bouffe "La Belle Hélène."

Zacharias' career has been marked by many awards and prizes, including, recently, the 2007 Midem Classical Award "Artist of the Year" in Cannes. After having been awarded for his services to the culture in Rumania in 2009, Christian Zacharias has recently been bestowed the highly honorable title of a "Officier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the French state. He achieved international attention as prizewinner in the Geneva Competition in 1969 and the Van Cliburn Competition in 1973. In 1975, he won First Prize in the Ravel Competition in Paris and began an international career with recitals at major international venues, award-winning recordings, and concerts with the world's leading orchestras and conductors. Since 2011 Christian Zacharias has been professor for orchestra playing at the Academy of Music and Drama Gothenburg.

On the occasion of his 60th birthday, 2010, the Alte Oper Frankfurt arranged an "Artist's Portrait" of him, which presented him as pianist, conductor, chamber musician, and as Lied accompanist with five concerts and three films. Renowned ensembles and colleagues appeared alongside him: he conducted the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Opern-und Museumsorchester Frankfurt. In autumn 2011 he conducts a new production of La Nozze di Figaro at the Opéra Liège. Further conducting and playing engagements lead him to the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, The Hague Philharmonic, the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Gürzenich Orchester Köln as well as to the Konzerthausorchester Berlin.

Highlights of Zacharias' recent seasons included a Haydn project with Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne in Ascona and Bukarest, and an extended European recital tour with concerts in London, Paris, Brussels, Zurich, Madrid, Rome, and Geneva. In addition to performing as piano soloist and conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke's at Carnegie Hall in 2010, he also performed and conducted the Detroit Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Further engagements took him to both perform with and conduct the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestras, Gothenburg Symphony, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, and the Orchestra Sinfonica Santa Cecilia, and Vienna Symphony Orchestra, among others.

Christian Zacharias recorded with EMI until 1997 and since then has recorded for Musikproduktion Dabringhaus and Grimm (MDG). Among his many recordings are numerous award winners. His recording of Mozart Fantasies, Rondos, and other piano pieces (MDG 340 0961-2) was awarded the prestigious Diapason d'Or in France. Vol. IV of his recordings of Mozart's Piano Concertos with the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (MDG 940 1529-6) was honored with the Diapason d'Or Award in France, Le Choc du Monde de la Musique, and a 2009 ECHO Klassik Award (known as the German equivalent of the Grammys). Vol. III of the same series (MDG 940 1488-6) also received an ECHO Klassik Award in 2008. In 2007, Zacharias was awarded the MIDEM Classical Award for "Artist of the Year" in Cannes. In April 2012, Deutsche Grammophon will release a new album featuring Zacharias as conductor with pianist Jan Lisiecki and the Kammerorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in Mozart Concerti KV 466 and 467.

In addition to his performing career, Christian Zacharias regularly participates in the production of radio programs and documentary films. His films include Domenico Scarlatti in Seville and Robert Schumann, the Poet Speaks for INA, Paris; Between the Stage and the Greenroom for WDR-arte; and Zacharias, Scarlatti, Avison et les autres for TSR. Zacharias is also an avid modern art collector. The Musée de l'Hermitage in Lausanne dedicated an exhibition to his collection in 2010.

Christian Zacharias was born in India in 1950 and studied in Germany and France. He is managed in North America by Tanja Dorn at IMG Artists. For more information about him, visit www.christianzacharias.com.

Recital Schedule - December 2011

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 8pm
Presented by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts | 300 S. Broad Street
Tickets: $27 at 215.569.8080 or www.pcmsconcerts.org/concerts/piano-recitals/product/christian-zacharias-piano/

Friday, December 9, 2011 at 8pm
Presented by San Francisco Performances | Herbst Theatre | 401 Van Ness Avenue | San Francisco, CA
Tickets: $38-68 at 415.392.2545 or http://sfperformances.org/performances/1112/ChristianZacharias.html

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 8pm
Carnegie Hall | 57th St. and 7th Avenue | New York, NY
Tickets: $15.50-92 from CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800 or www.carnegiehall.org/Event.aspx?id=1604