3. Classical Music on Sunday

Alexander Krichel is one of the most accomplished pianists of our time, according to broadcaster NDR Kultur. He “combines intellect and emotion, head and heart.” This makes our »Artist in Residence« a kindred spirit of Johannes Brahms. Like no other composer before him, Brahms strove in his piano concertos to achieve the ideal fusion of pianist and orchestra, the perfect synthesis of the concertante and the symphonic. He succeeded in this impressively in his Second Piano Concerto.

Alice Mary Smith proved herself a great master of orchestration and inventor of enchanting melodies in her Symphony No. 2. Its lyrical yet lively character is reminiscent of Mendelssohn. The lightness and song-like quality of this music is immediately appealing. With the creator of this work, we honour the first woman to compose and perform a symphony in England.

Dominik Beykirch conducts. From 2015 to 2025, he was one of the leading figures shaping the high artistic standards of the German National Theatre (DNT) and the Staatskapelle Weimar – first as principal conductor, then as musical director. With his opera performances at the DNT, Dominik Beykirch repeatedly made an internationally acclaimed mark and was involved in productions that received the highest awards. As a guest conductor, he worked with leading orchestras and opera houses throughout Germany and Europe.