Stefan Vladar Beethoven Piano Sonatas 21, 23, 31: “The impetuosity of his playing the speed of his tempos, and the youthful passion behind the notes all combine to reach an exhilaration not often encountered.” American Record Guide   Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23 with the New World Symphony: “It was played with a limpidity of tone, a quicksilver fluency, a richness of texture and felicity in ornamentation—and such affectionate warmth in the slow movement, it wound up with soloist, orchestra and audience in a mutual glow.” The Miami Herald    Bach Goldberg Variations at Washington’s National Gallery: “After his exhaustive account of this most exhaustive of keyboard masterpieces, anything further couldn’t help but be anticlimactic. The Viennese-born musician already has an impressive discography of works by Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann to his credit. Indeed Vladar’s mastery of such later styles clearly benefits his interpretation of Bach. Vladar imparted tremendous vitality and presence to each episode through a variety of expressive gestures…governing Vladar’s often original choices was a rapt concentration that not even the blurring effect of the acoustics could untether.” The Washington Post   A consummate and distinctive solo pianist, chamber musician and conductor, Vienna-born STEFAN VLADAR is a frequent collaborator with major distinguished orchestras and conductors: Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Christoph von Dohnányi, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Seiji Ozawa, Christian Thielemann, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Christopher Hogwood, Sir Neville Marriner, Michel Plasson, Donald Runnicles, Horst Stein, Sándor Végh and Daniel Harding, among many others; in appearances with the Vienna Philharmonic and Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Dresden Philharmonic, Chicago, Houston and New World Symphonies, Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields, Camerata Salzburg, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. In the 2006-2007 season he makes his Toledo Symphony debut under Stefan Sanderling, also performing two recitals in New York City. Festival invitations include Salzburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Hong Kong, Osaka, Rheingau, Ludwigsburg and Schubertiade. He is also Artistic Director of both the „Neuberger Kulturtage” in Styria, Austria and „Oberoesterreichische Stiftskonzerte” in Upper Austria. From 2002-2005 Stefan Vladar was Chief Conductor of the Grosses Orchestra Graz, and recent seasons included play/conduct reinvitations with the Stuttgart Philharmonic, Beethoven Academie (Netherlands tour with a concert in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw), the Residentie Orchestra Den Haag, and Camerata Salzburg. He has conducted opera performances at the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt with the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Philharmonic and been a frequent chamber-music collaborator with cellist Heinrich Schiff, baritone Bo Skovhus and mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirschlager. The pianist has performed throughout Europe the complete Beethoven concerti (which he has also recorded for Naxos) with the Beethoven Academie Antwerp. Though Stefan Vladar’s discography includes more than 20 releases for Sony, Deutsche Grammophon and other labels, he now records exclusively for Harmonia Mundi France, the first two releases (Chopin Prelude & Ballades, Brahms late solo piano works) earning unanimous critical acclaim, and are soon followed by a Schumann solo CD, the Dvorak Piano Quintet with the Jerusalem Quartet, and his first recording as a conductor, with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Vladar is Professor of Piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.   Home