Juho Pohjonen is a highly acclaimed Finnish pianist who has captivated audiences worldwide with his exceptional talent and unique musical expression. He has garnered international acclaim for his performances across Europe, Asia, and North America. His versatile artistry is evident in appearances with symphony orchestras, in recital, and through chamber music collaborations. Across these settings, his repertoire frequently highlights works by acclaimed Finnish composers such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kaija Saariaho, and Jean Sibelius, reflecting his deep affinity for Scandinavian music.
One of the most sought-after soloists and chamber music collaborators of his generation, Orion Weiss is widely regarded as a “brilliant pianist” (The New York Times) with “powerful technique and exceptional insight” (The Washington Post). With a warmth to his playing that outwardly reflects his engaging personality, Weiss has dazzled audiences with his passionate, lush sound and performed with dozens of orchestras in North America including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and New York Philharmonic.
Recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2015 and Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists in 2017, violinist Paul Huang is considered one of the most distinctive artists of his generation. In 2012, in a review of Huang’s recital debut at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, The Washington Post called him “an artist with the goods for a significant career.” In 2016, following Huang’s recital with pianist Jessica Xylina Osborne at The Phillips Collection, The Washington Post praised him again, noting that he “possesses a big, luscious tone, spot-on intonation and a technique that makes the most punishing string phrases feel as natural as breathing.”
Nicholas Canellakis has become one of the most sought-after and innovative cellists of his generation, praised as a “superb young soloist” (New Yorker) and for being “impassioned … the audience seduced by Mr. Canellakis’s rich, alluring tone” (New York Times). A multifaceted artist, Canellakis has forged a unique voice combining his talents as soloist, chamber musician, curator, filmmaker, composer/arranger, and teacher.
A modern player with a “signature sound” and distinctive style of playing, cellist Mark Kosower embodies the concept of the complete musician performing as concerto soloist with symphony orchestras, in solo recitals, and as a much admired and sought-after chamber musician. He is Principal Cello of The Cleveland Orchestra and a scholar and teacher of cello. Mark’s performance repertoire and discography are testaments to a deep devotion, not only to frequently heard repertoire such as Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations and concertos of Haydn, Walton, Elgar, and Dvořák but, significantly, to less well-known concertos of Alberto Ginastera, Miklos Rozsa, Frederich Gulda and Victor Herbert. Mr. Kosower has recorded for the Ambitus, Delos, Naxos International and VAI labels, including as the first cellist to record the complete music for solo cello of Alberto Ginastera (Naxos). He was described as a “powerful advocate of Ginastera’s art” by MusicWeb International, and Strings Magazine noted of his Hungarian music album (also with Naxos) that “the music allows Kosower to showcase his stunning virtuosity, passionate intensity, and elegant phrasing.”
