… for Thomas Adès In Seven Days on myrios classics (MYR027).
The International Classical Music Awards today announced Kirill Gerstein’s myrios classics release of music by and performed with composer Thomas Adès as winner of its 2021 contemporary category.
Released in June 2020 and reflecting Gerstein’s decade-long relationship with Adès, the three Mazurkas feature alongside the world première recordings of Berceuse from The Exterminating Angel and the Concert paraphrase on Powder her face for two pianos. Together with these works is a live recording of In Seven Days for piano and orchestra performed at the 2018 Tanglewood Music Festival, with Adès conducting the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra.
In addition to the myrios classics disc, 2020 also saw Deutsche Grammophon release the world première recording of the first live performance by Gerstein of Adès’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, written especially for him, and captured live with the composer conducting the Boston Symphony in March 2019. Together, the two recordings have garnered an impressive series of accolades including a 2020 Gramophone Award, a Preis der deutsche Schallplattenkritik nomination and votes from BBC Music Magazine, NPR, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Boston Globe, amongst others, for best albums of the year. The DG release has also garnered nominations in three categories at the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, the winners of which will be announced on 14 March 2021.
Kirill Gerstein started the New Year in quarantine prior to an extensive two-week tour of Japan with Daishin Kashimoto from which he has just returned. This video – click here – of Souvenir from Adès’s Collette was recorded during Gerstein’s quarantine in Tokyo. During his time in Japan, Gerstein also launched the third season of his online forum series Kirill Gerstein invites hosted by Kronberg Academy in Germany where he teaches. Gerstein’s first guest was author Elizabeth Wilson discussing Russian pianist Maria Yudina, and tonight’s (Wednesday 20 January) guest speaker is cellist Steven Isserlis who will speak about Beethoven’s five sonatas for cello and piano. Click here for the free registration link to tune in from 5pm GMT/6pm CET.