The Rising Stars Festival at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg opens on January 22, 2025, with Franco-Dutch violist Sào Soulez Larivière, who has been nominated as Elbphilharmonie’s Rising Star for the 2024/25 season and is already a featured guest in the Teatime Classics series.

Larivière builds his program around a rare yet captivating combination: the deep resonance of the viola intertwining with the kaleidoscopic sound of percussion. He was joined by drummer and former Rising Star Christoph Sietzen. Naturally, this extraordinary ensemble does not adhere to a traditional repertoire but instead offers a musical selection full of surprises and discoveries, which Larivière presents with the open-mindedness and maturity of a young artist.

The first part of the concert explores the relationship between nature and music. The evocative atmospheres of Armenian composers Tigran Mansurian and Komitas Vardapet give musical voice to the birds after which their works are named. Additionally, Luciano Berio’s Naturale enriches the ensemble with the addition of viola and percussion, blended with recordings of raw Sicilian folk songs.

More information at this link.

Photo © Clara Evens