I have always wanted to be a musician. While still young, however, I realized how difficult it is for us to gather the experiences which allow us to mature continuously. Occasionally, we manage to put together a little performance, with a lot of effort, but playing regularly on major stages, even accompanied by an orchestra? That is very hard. We dream of living a soloist’s life, but when does it start? And how? And is it as glamorous as we imagine? This is vital experience that young musicians often sadly lack.

I began teaching early in life, first as an assistant to Zakhar Bron in Zurich and currently at the Royal College of Music in London. From the beginning, my memories of being an aspiring soloist informed this work. In order to be successful, you not only need excellent training, but lots of experience. Offering my students both has been my pedagogical goal. I always promised myself I would prepare my students optimally for their professional lives. And looking back upon the past ten years, I note with pleasure that my efforts seem successful. I am proud of my students, whether they are exclusive recording artists with Deutsche Grammophon, have recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra or won numerous competitions. Yet I was aware that a new approach was needed to take this further still.

The LGT Young Soloists in action (photo: Mutesouvenir)

The LGT Young Soloists is the fulfilment of my pedagogical dreams. It is a project that offers rising musicians an opportunity to perform worldwide as soloists with an orchestra, to gather orchestral experience and the chance to regularly record albums and videos. Exactly what I was looking for during my own youth! I founded the ensemble together with LGT – a private bank from Liechtenstein owned by the Princely Family. It may be a case of bank sponsorship but looking back at the Princely Family’s centuries-old history of arts patronage it is an honour for our work today to be listed among the likes of such musical greats including Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, in receiving support from the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. 

Eight years after its founding, the ensemble has five albums on Sony Music and Naxos, one DVD, numerous video productions and more than 250 concerts to its credit. After such an intense and successful time in the group’s career, it was not easy to simply sit still for the past year and a half due to the pandemic. Within the music sector, young musicians have been hit the hardest: those who played their final exams into their laptop, hearing only the silence of their dormitory room after the last note. No applause, no party and – worst of all – no auditions, performances, chamber music concerts or tours. For one year, these musicians, who have spent 20 years training for this very time, have been stuck waiting to launch their professional careers.

Therefore, I wanted to offer my Soloists something special, allowing them to emerge from the crisis strengthened and buoyant. With support from LGT, we commissioned the legendary composer Philip Glass to write a work for us. One with various solos in each group, virtuosic, energetic and fresh. A work that would challenge our musicians, give them joy and motivation to perform the world premiere of a work by such a legend.

What is imperative now is to motivate young musicians and give them a chance to catch up on the past year. It is also up to the large orchestras now – those still operating with limited capacities, selling only 100 tickets per concert, yet still inviting only the very big names. The excuse that unknown names will not fill halls is no longer valid. If capacities are minimal, why invite world stars? It is our duty to consider the next generation, not to make their lives as hard as possible. On the contrary, they deserve our support and encouragement.

LGT Young Soloists will give the world premiere of Philip Glass’s Symphony No 14 on 17 September 2021 at the Royal College of Music and again on 21 September at the Musikverein in Vienna. The work will also be released on Orange Mountain Music later in the year. To find more about the LGT Young Soloists, visit lgtyoungsoloists.com