Martina Filjak, pianist
News archive
January 2011
In a series of concerts in the US Martina was enthusiastically received with standing ovations. Her performance of the Rachmaninov 2nd concerto with the Bangor symphony Orchestra was followed by two standing ovations and excellent reviews :
The CD recording with the clarinetist Marija Pavlovic , containing works by Schumann , Poulenc , and Debussy among others , was released with the label Cantus :
At the end of January Martina Filjak gained the support of the Swiss Global Artistic Foundation .
December 2010
During the year 2010 Martina Filjak performed in about 50 concerts , as a soloist with orchestra , in recital but also as a chamber musician . Selected performances were for example at the Strasbourg Festival with the Sinfonia Iuventus under the baton of Theodor Guschlbauer , the opening concert of Berlin's Young Euro Classic Festival at the Berlin Konzerthaus with a performance of Beethoven'a 5th concerto under the guidance of Heinrich Schiff , a performance of Ravel concerto with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and Stefan Sanderling . She made her debut with the Chile National Symphony Orchestra , and has also appeared as a soloist with the Granada Symphony Orchestra , the Torino Philharmonic , the Cantus ensemble , the Georgian Chamber Orchestra of Ingolstadt , the South Carolina Philharmonic , to name but a few . Her performance of Beethoven with the South East Europe Youth Orchestra and Heinrich Schiff in Berlin and Kassel has earned her rave reviews in all the major German newspapers including the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung .More information can be found in the earlier News section of this website .
In the year 2011 Martina Filjak will be featured in more than 60 performances worldwide .
The highlights of the coming year include the world premiere of Milko Kelemen's 'Madrigal Rouge ' with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie and Christoph Poppen , a performance of Liszt's 1st concerto at the Al Bustan Festival in Lebanon ,upcoming recitals at the Residenz Hofkirche in Munich as well as the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona , concerto performances with among others the Hong Kong Sinfonietta , the Boise Philharmonic , the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra , the Madrid Symphony Orchestra , the Staatskapelle Weimar as well as re-invitations to the Granada Symphony Orchestra and the Torino Philharmonic .
The first digital issue of Martina 's debut CD for the label 'Naxos ' is expected in April 2011 .
November 2010
Martina succesfully played a series of concerts through the US during November including a performance of the 2nd piano concerto by Rachmaninov with the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra . On that occassion the two reviewers reported of her as a ' wonderful pianist , an exceptional mix of the poetic with powerful , her touch being silken to bold ' as well as the 'pianist that stole the show , stunning in her stage presence and musicality ' .
On October 31st Martina gave a recital comprising the Ballades of Brahms and Chopin at the Auditorio Stelio Molo of the Swiss Radio in Lugano , Switzerland . The recital was transmitted live over the radio and internet and resulted in an excellent review in 'Corriere del Ticino ' : ' Her playing is a lesson of intelligence , culture and interpretative finesse that leaves a deep mark . She gave us profound emotions ...Martina Filjak is already a name we can never forget ' . Read the entire review here :
Several videos of Martina's playing have recently been updated to Youtube ; among them also her performance of the Fugue from Beethoven's 'Hammerklavier' sonata , Haydn's sonata in c- minor as well as Bartok's cycle Out doors :
October 2010
Right after opening the season of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania on October 5th with a very succesful performance of Rachmaninov's Rhapsody , Martina Filjak headed for the Samobor Music Autumn festival in Croatia where she performed a recital on October 8th and the Sostakovitch concerto No 1 on October 9th with the Georgian Chamber Orchestra of Ingolstadt and the conductor Ariel Zuckermann .
On that occasion the reviewer reported of an ' inspired and deep reading of the 4th Sonata by Prokofiev ' as well as of an 'energetic virtuosity that left no doubt ' and 'sensitivity of forming a particular and sometimes even miraculous colour of the Sostakovitch piano section ' .
On October 15th , Martina performed the Grieg Piano concerto with the Granada symphony Orchestra and Josep Caballe . The interview with Martina as well as the review that spoke of ' Martina Filjak's wonderful interpretation ....commented her version of the music with power and energy ' can be read on the following links :
September 2010
After succesful August performances of Beethoven's 5th concerto under tha baton of Heinrich Schiff , the Ravel piano concerto under the direction of Stefan Sanderling as well as the Schumann Piano concerto in Germany , USA and Chile , in September Martina Filjak embarked on a succesful US tour during which she performed the Schumann Piano Concerto as well as Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini in the States of Texas , Colorado and Ohio . All of her performances were acknowledged with standing ovations .
During this coming 2010-2011 season Martina Filjak will perform in about 6o concerts either as a soloist with orchestra and a recitalist but as well as a chamber musician , among others with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie and Christoph Poppen , debut recitals at the München Residenz as well as the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona , guest performances at the Al Bustan Festival in Lebanon and with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta as well as several concert tours to the United States .
In the meantime stay tuned with Martina's activities through her Instant Encore page as well as through her Facebook page :