YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE STATE HAMBURG (Germany, Slovenia)
Conductor: Johannes Witt
Soloist: Mark Lev Kranjc, violin
Programme:
Jean Sibelius (1856–1967): Karelia Suite, Op. 11
I. Intermezzo. Moderato
II. Ballade. Tempo di menuetto
III. Alla marcia. Moderato
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937): Pavane pour une infante défunte
Max Bruch (1838–1920): Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
I. Allegro moderato
II. Adagio
III. Allegro energico
The Hamburg Youth Orchestra was founded in 1968 as Germany’s first self-governing youth orchestra. It was established on the initiative of young musicians who sought quality symphonic music-making alongside an active role in artistic and organizational process. Today, the orchestra brings together around 80 talented young musicians and is considered an important part of Hamburg’s musical landscape. It performs regularly in Germany and abroad and collaborates on projects with a variety of musical institutions. Since 2007, the orchestra has operated under the patronage of the Hamburg State Music Council, and since 2024 it has been part of the tutti-Pro sponsorship program in cooperation with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra, promoting collaboration between young and professional musicians. Each year, the State Youth Orchestra prepares two major concert programs, usually presented in June and November. In addition, the orchestra performs further concerts in Hamburg during the summer and autumn, as well as on tours throughout Germany and internationally.
Artistic Director and conductor Johannes Witt has in recent years made successful debuts at some of Europe’s most prestigious opera houses, including the Vienna State Opera, the Finnish National Opera, and the Stuttgart State Theatre. Since the 2021/2022 season, he has served as Principal Kapellmeister of the Wuppertal Opera, where notable productions have included the German premiere of Sciarrino’s opera Il canto s’attrista, perché?, as well as La Traviata, Werther, The Pirates of Penzance, Rigoletto, and The Merry Widow. Prior to this, he spent several years as Kapellmeister at the Aalto Theatre in Essen, conducting numerous new productions and revivals, including The Csárdás Princess, The Barber of Seville, Norma, The Land of Smiles, The Bartered Bride, Hansel and Gretel, and Così fan tutte. He has also conducted ballet productions with equal dedication, among them Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Eugene Onegin, and Swan Lake.
Slovenian violinist Mark Lev Krajnc is currently studying at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich in the class of Professor Julia Fischer. He began his violin studies with Professor Barbara Kolbl and later graduated from the class of Professor Danica Koren. In March 2024, he won First Prize and a Gold Plaque at the TEMSIG competition, also receiving special awards for achieving a perfect score of 100 points and for the best performance of a Slovenian composition. In August 2024, he became Third Laureate at the Kreutzer International Music Competition for Violin and Chamber Music in Belgium. As a soloist, he has performed with the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Budapest, the Danica Neuvirt Koren Summer Music School String Orchestra, the Zagreb String Orchestra, the Symphony and String Orchestra of the Velenje Music School, Camerata Laibach, and others, while also giving nine solo recitals in Slovenia and abroad. He has appeared several times at the Lent Festival and the Young Virtuosi series of the Ljubljana Festival. He was a finalist of Young Hopes 2024 and has attended several masterclasses with Miran Kolbl, further refining his artistry with, among others, Barbara Kolbl, Žiga Brank, and Elina Vähälä.
In collaboration with:
