Junges Podium

In the organizer's words:

Talented students from the University of Music present their skills in the new Young Podium event series. The Sunday matinee offers a platform for up-and-coming musicians who bring passion and commitment to the stage.

The focus is on new chamber music: contemporary works by composers such as Belkin, Kühnl, Lachemann, Lanza, Rautavaara, Saariaho and Schoonees will be performed. The young artists interpret these exciting compositions with virtuosity and sensitivity, bringing fresh impetus to the world of chamber music.

Performers:

Veronique De Raedemaeker (*1996) is a Belgian violinist who lives in Cologne. After studying with renowned teachers such as Alissa Margulis and Philippe Graffin, she graduated summa cum laude from the Cologne University of Music and Dance. She regularly performs as a soloist and chamber musician at renowned festivals such as the Ruhr Piano Festival and Acht Brücken Köln. Her releases, including the highly acclaimed CD Malinconia andworks with her trio Gilu, are published by Etcetera Records. She plays a violin by Stefan-Peter Greiner.

Anna McCargow (*2001) is a British pianist and student at the Cologne University of Music and Dance in the class of Prof. Andreas Frölich. She has won numerous international competitions, including the Grand Prix at the Music of the World 2023 competition in Kazakhstan and 1st Absolute Prize at the Làszlò Spezzaferri 2024 competition in Italy. As a soloist and chamber musician, she regularly performs with orchestras in Italy and maintains a varied repertoire that includes works by Mozart, Beethoven, Grieg and Schumann.

Julia Pesavento (*1997, Toronto) is a cellist with a special focus on chamber music and contemporary music. After completing her Bachelor's degree at the Cologne University of Music and Dance, she has been studying for a Master's degree with Prof. Hans-Christian Schweiker since 2023. She is a member of various ensembles, worked intensively with Helmut Lachenmann and took part in several world premieres. Her concert activities have taken her to renowned concert halls and festivals in Germany and abroad, including the Semperoper Dresden and the Orbit Festival.

Adele Thoma is a pianist and music teacher with a focus on the interpretation of contemporary music. After studying piano, improvisation and new music in Vienna and Cologne, she works closely with composers such as Rebecca Saunders and Vassos Nicolaou. As co-founder of the ensemble Synaptic and winner of the D-Bü Competition 2024, she combines classical and new music with innovative concert formats. She has also been a music theater teacher at Theater Bonn since 2024.

Josef Zetterberg Pihl (*2001, Lund) is a Swedish bass-baritone and student at the Cologne University of Music and Dance in the class of Prof. Raimund Nolte. His musical career began in the Lund Cathedral Choir, followed by his first opera roles such as the "First Boy" in The Magic Flute. He has a passion for Lied interpretation, influenced by the Vadstena Lied Academy and master classes with Anne Sofie von Otter. Josef has been awarded several scholarships, including the Rotary Club Aachen Scholarship 2024.