MCO X Yuja: Essen

Philharmonic Essen

A star among stars,  Yuja Wang will light up our Festival this season with her presence. A virtuoso well-known to music lovers, this exciting artist offers us not one, but two concertos in the same evening – and what concertos!

MCO X Yuja: Colmar

Église Saint-Matthieu de Colmar

EPSG:4326

MCO X Yuja: Montpellier

Le Corum

Everything sounds exceptional in this closing concert: the program, with its more than generous piano and delightful eclecticism; the spirit, resolutely chamber music yet concert-like, with direction from the keyboard; finally, the performers, loyal guests of the festival, joined together for an artistic collaboration that has shone throughout the season on the great stages of Europe. Subverting expectations, innovating in all styles and repertoires, the musicians of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Chinese pianist Yuja Wang share audacity, virtuosity, and freedom of tone. Their juxtaposition of Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky promises an exhilarating and passionate journey from the Romantic century to the first bursts of the 20th century.

MCO X Yuja: Evian

La Grange au Lac

Yuja Wang & Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Teatro Colón

Founded in 1997 by Claudio Abbado, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra is a global collective based in Berlin. Comprising musicians from 25 different countries, it is one of the leading chamber orchestras today. In these performances, it welcomes as a guest soloist the Chinese virtuoso Yuja Wang, renowned for her charisma and unparalleled stage presence.

MCO x Yuja Wang: Inspiration

Cultura Artística

Often overshadowed by his more famous B-flat concerto (Piano Concerto No. 27), No. 18 leans towards the entertaining rather than the profoundly expressive, offering glimpses of the deeper poignance that would characterize Mozart's later works. Uchida’s interpretation brings out the concerto’s intricate elegance, highlighting its playful yet sophisticated nature.

23 March 2025  Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley

Often overshadowed by his more famous B-flat concerto (Piano Concerto No. 27), Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 18 leans towards the entertaining rather than the expressive, offering glimpses of the deeper poignance that would characterize his later works.

30 January 2025  Salzburg

Mozarteum University Salzburg

Janáček's Mládí adds contrast to the programme. Composed during a reflective period in Janáček’s life, this wind sextet is a recollection of his youth, infused with astute humor and a classical form. Written during a stay in his birthplace of Hukvaldy, Janáček uses fresh expressions and a quote from his earlier work, March of the Blue Boys, to evoke the spirit of his younger days. The addition of a bass clarinet to the traditional wind quintet lends the piece a unique, rich texture.

23 January 2025  Dortmund

Konzerthaus Dortmund

Two pieces from Maurice Ravel's center the programe. On Piano Concerto in G major Ravel said: “My only wish … was to write a genuine concerto, that is, a brilliant work, clearly highlighting the soloist's virtuosity, without seeking to show profundity”. Influenced by the jazz he experienced during his short American tour, the piece brings out the concerto's playful and intricate character, echoing the spirit of Gershwin's rhythms and dreamy French impressionism. Le Tombeau de Couperin (The Grave of Couperin), a suite for solo piano transformed into an orchestral masterpiece was dedicated to friends of the composer who died fighting in World War I. A poignant remembrance, the piece draws structurally upon a Baroque dance suite. 

23 November 2024  Hamburg

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

The programme blends classical with contemporary, embracing influences of jazz. Opening with Igor Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks, a neoclassical piece that was inspired by Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos and what became the composers final European composition.

21 November 2024  Vienna

Wiener Konzerthaus

The second collaboration with our Artistic Partner Yuja Wang, takes us through the heart of Europe. With her captivating stage presence, Yuja leads the MCO from the piano, creating a magical interplay bewteen all musicians on stage.

20 November 2024  Amsterdam

Het Concertgebouw

The second collaboration with our Artistic Partner Yuja Wang, takes us through the heart of Europe. With her captivating stage presence, Yuja leads the MCO from the piano, creating a magical interplay between all musicians on stage.

15 November 2024  Seville

Maestranza Theatre

The opening movement of Handel's Concerto Grosso op. 3 No. 2 bears a close relationship to Handel's Brockes Passion of 1716. Two dance movements, a minuet, and a gavotte complete the concerto. In the Largo, the oboe's expressive cantilena is gently accompanied by the broken-chord accompaniment of two concertante cellos.

José Maria Blumenschein

Events

Upcoming events

Jun 6, 2026

Guest performance in Würzburg | Mozart Festival Würzburg · WDR Sinfonieorchester

Past events

Jul 11, 2025

MCO X Yuja: Essen · Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Jul 9, 2025

MCO X Yuja: Colmar · Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Future and recently performed repertoire

Violin in Coriolan Overture by Beethoven

Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Violin in Serenade No. 10 (Gran Partita) by Mozart

WDR Sinfonieorchester

Violin in Octet by Stravinsky

Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Violin in Dumbarton Oaks by Stravinsky

Mahler Chamber Orchestra

About

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