Season 2023/2024
"Realisation"
As a platform of mediation between artist and audience, the "Young Piano Series" wants to take on responsibility for tomorrow’s classical music and reach as well as inspire a diverse audience with unique and accessible concert experiences.
Our three concerts in the 2024/2025 season are:
Season 2024/25 "Realisation"
What defines the pianist of the future? This question formed the basis for founding "Young Piano Series" and has been guiding us in the development and direction of this new concert series in Bern ever since.
As a platform of mediation between artist and audience, the "Young Piano Series" wants to take on responsibility for tomorrow’s classical music and reach as well as inspire a diverse audience with unique and accessible concert experiences.
Our three concerts in the 2024/2025 season are:
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Igor Andreev
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Philippe Gaspoz
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Sa, 5 April 2025
Igor Andreev & Philippe Gaspoz
Artist direction introduces itself
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Igor Andreev
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Philippe Gaspoz
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Sa, 5 April 2025
Igor Andreev & Philippe Gaspoz
Artistic direction introduces itself
The audience in Bern has once again voted for the first soloist of the second season of the Young Piano Series as part of the "Prix du Piano Bern". The 16-year-old Canadian pianist Ryan Wang, winner of the "Prix du Piano Bern" 2024, will perform the opening concert of the 2024/2025 season.
His honours include winning the ‘SAMSON FRANCOIS’ International Piano Competition in 2022, the Jeune Chopin International Piano Competition in Switzerland in 2023, the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists in 2023 and the 18th Animato International Piano Competition in Paris Frederic Chopin in 2023.
He is currently preparing for the major Chopin competition in Warsaw. His programme is therefore entirely dedicated to this composer.
This concert will be accompanied by a workshop with a school class from the Konsi Bern to give young piano players an insight behind the scenes and to think together about the future of classical music and piano recitals.
Ryan Wang
Winner of the "Prix du Piano Bern" 2024
Ryan Wang
Winner of the "Prix du Piano Bern" 2024
The audience in Bern has once again voted for the first soloist of the second season of the Young Piano Series as part of the "Prix du Piano Bern". The 16-year-old Canadian pianist Ryan Wang, winner of the "Prix du Piano Bern" 2024, will perform the opening concert of the 2024/2025 season.
His honours include winning the ‘SAMSON FRANCOIS’ International Piano Competition in 2022, the Jeune Chopin International Piano Competition in Switzerland in 2023, the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists in 2023 and the 18th Animato International Piano Competition in Paris Frederic Chopin in 2023.
He is currently preparing for the major Chopin competition in Warsaw. His programme is therefore entirely dedicated to this composer.
This concert will be accompanied by a workshop with a school class from the Konsi Bern to give young piano players an insight behind the scenes and to think together about the future of classical music and piano recitals.
Saturday, 26 October 2024, 5:00 p.m
Zentrum Paul Klee Bern,
Auditorium Martha Müller
Young Piano Series
Concert program
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Ballade No. 4 in F minor Op. 52 (1852) 11’
Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor Op. 39 (1838) 8’
Variations Op. 2 "Là ci darem la mano" (1827) 16’
-Pause-
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
3 Mazurkas Op. 59 (1845) 10’
Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 35 (1839) 20’
Ryan Wang, piano
Pre-concert at 3 pm:
piano talents from the Konsi Bern present themselves.

We thank the Steinway Piano Gallery for their support!
The Concours Géza Anda in Zurich, which was held for the 16th time in June 2024, is one of the most important and demanding piano competitions in the world. After a total of five rounds of the competition, pianist Ilya Shmukler emerged as the clear winner. His interpretation of Grieg's piano concerto with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich under the direction of Paavo Järvi caused a sensation in the Tonhalle. We are delighted to be able to present this exceptional pianist in Bern for the first time and are convinced that he will certainly make a name for himself in Switzerland in the coming years.
After we were able to win over former Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga for the "Encounter" of the first season, we would like to invite a personality from the world of sport for the next season. Even if we consider classical music at the highest level to be art, there are very clear parallels with top-class sport. We would like to discuss these parallels as part of the format and give the audience an insight into Ilya Shmuckler's working methods. Further information will follow shortly.
Ilya Shmukler
Winner of the Geza Anda Competition 2024
Saturday, 26 October 2024, 5 p.m.
Zentrum Paul Klee Bern, Auditorium Martha Müller
Young Piano Series
Concert program
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Ballade No. 4 in F minor Op. 52 (1852) 11’
Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor Op. 39 (1838) 8’
Variations Op. 2 "Là ci darem la mano" (1827) 16’
-Pause-
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
3 Mazurkas Op. 59 (1845) 10’
Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 35 (1839) 20’
Ryan Wang, Piano
Pre-concert at 3 pm:
piano talents from the Konsi Bern present themselves.
We thank the Steinway Piano Gallery for their support!
Ilya Shmukler
Winner of the Geza Anda Competition 2024
The Concours Géza Anda in Zurich, which was held for the 16th time in June 2024, is one of the most important and demanding piano competitions in the world. After a total of five rounds of the competition, pianist Ilya Shmukler emerged as the clear winner. His interpretation of Grieg's piano concerto with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich under the direction of Paavo Järvi caused a sensation in the Tonhalle. We are delighted to be able to present this exceptional pianist in Bern for the first time and are convinced that he will certainly make a name for himself in Switzerland in the coming years.
After we were able to win over former Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga for the "Encounter" of the first season, we would like to invite a personality from the world of sport for the next season. Even if we consider classical music at the highest level to be art, there are very clear parallels with top-class sport. We would like to discuss these parallels as part of the format and give the audience an insight into Ilya Shmuckler's working methods. Further information will follow shortly.
Saturday, 11 January 2025, 5:00 p.m
Zentrum Paul Klee Bern,
Auditorium Martha Müller
Young Piano Series
Walter Furrer (1902-1978)
Theme Variations for piano (1926) 8'
Premiere
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Toccata in D major BWV 912 (1710) 12'
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Piano Sonata in A major D 664 (1819) 17'
-Pause-
Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)
"Pictures at an Exhibition" for piano (1874) 33'
Ilya Shmukler, Piano
Admission Age: 6+
A drink after the concert and participation in the panel discussion on the subject of art and sport are included in the price.
Saturday, 11 January 2025, 5 p.m.
Zentrum Paul Klee Bern, Auditorium Martha Müller
Young Piano Series
Concert program
Walter Furrer (1902-1978)
Theme Variations for piano (1926) 8'
Premiere
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Toccata in D major BWV 912 (1710) 12'
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Piano Sonata in A major D 664 (1819) 17'
-Pause-
Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)
"Pictures at an Exhibition" for piano (1874) 33'
Ilya Shmukler, Piano
A drink after the concert and participation in the panel discussion on the subject of art and sport are included in the price.
Admission Age: 6+
The fact that we are both pianists ourselves is a great help to us in organising the Young Piano Series. This allows us to understand the challenges that young pianists face and to take them into account in our planning. It also helps us to act as a mediation platform between the pianist and the audience. Following popular demand from the audience, we decided to introduce ourselves musically in a concert. By allowing the audience to get to know us not only as introductory speakers, but also as artists, we hope to generate further enthusiasm for the Young Piano Series. We will also give a stage to four-hand piano playing by opening the concert with Czerny's captivating but rarely heard Ouverture caractéristique et brillante and concluding with an arrangement of Ravel's dazzling La Valse.
Igor Andreev &
Philippe Gaspoz
Artistic direction introduces itself
Saturday, 5 April 2025, 5 p.m.
Zentrum Paul Klee Bern,
Auditorium Martha Müller
Young Piano Series
Concert program
Carl Czerny (1791-1857)
Ouverture Caractéristique et brillant Op. 54 for piano four hands (1824) 8’
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Grandes études de Paganini, S.141 (1851) 25’
-Pause-
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Chaconne in D minor BWV 1004, arr. by Ferruccio Busoni (1907) 15’
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)
From: Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus
No. 9 “Première Communion de la Vierge” (1944) 7’
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
La Valse, arr. for piano four hands by Lucien Garban (1920) 12'
Igor Andreev, Piano
Philippe Gaspoz, Piano
Admission Age: 6+
Further details will be
published soon!
Igor Andreev &
Philippe Gaspoz
Artistic direction introduces itself
The fact that we are both pianists ourselves is a great help to us in organising the Young Piano Series. This allows us to understand the challenges that young pianists face and to take them into account in our planning. It also helps us to act as a mediation platform between the pianist and the audience. Following popular demand from the audience, we decided to introduce ourselves musically in a concert. By allowing the audience to get to know us not only as introductory speakers, but also as artists, we hope to generate further enthusiasm for the Young Piano Series. We will also give a stage to four-hand piano playing by opening the concert with Czerny's captivating but rarely heard Ouverture caractéristique et brillante and concluding with an arrangement of Ravel's dazzling La Valse.
Saturday, 5 April 2025, 5 p.m.
Zentrum Paul Klee Bern, Auditorium Martha Müller
Young Piano Series
Concert program
Carl Czerny (1791-1857)
Ouverture Caractéristique et brillant Op. 54 for piano four hands (1824) 8’
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Grandes études de Paganini, S.141 (1851) 25’
-Pause-
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Chaconne in D minor BWV 1004, arr. by Ferruccio Busoni (1907) 15’
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)
From: Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus
No. 9 “Première Communion de la Vierge” (1944) 7’
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
La Valse, arr. for piano four hands by Lucien Garban (1920) 12’
Igor Andreev, Piano
Philippe Gaspoz, Piano
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