Czech Philharmonic ⬩ Kirill Gerstein

Kirill Gerstein systematically focuses on promoting new compositions. This is given in part by the path that led him to classical music. He had originally wanted to be a jazz pianist and graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, other graduates of which include Diana Krall, John Scofield, Hiromi, Alan Silvestri, and Howard Shore. Among the Czech musicians to have studied there are Emil Viklický and Tomáš Kačo. Kirill Gerstein’s studies at Berklee equipped him with extensive knowledge in the areas of jazz and improvisation, which he puts to use both in the classical repertoire – for example in the interpretation of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the use of authentic improvisational elements – and when studying new compositions.

After graduating from Berklee, Gerstein moved to Budapest, where he learned classical piano, which has been his focus to this day. He seeks out difficult, noteworthy works. Last year, he recorded Busoni’s Piano Concerto, which is regarded as one of the world’s most difficult. He also won great acclaim for his recording of the Piano Concerto by Thomas Adès, issued on the Deutsche Grammophon label. On the album, the composer himself is conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Semyon Bychkov also regularly performs works by Austrian composer Thomas Larcher and the concerto commissioned by the Czech Philharmonic will also be performed with the same soloist at the Konzerthaus in Vienna. In the second half of the programme, Mahler’s First Symphony stands for another piece in the project to record the composer’s complete symphonies, which we are preparing for the Decca label.