World premiere of David Philip Hefti's The Snow Queen
Sunday, 11. November 2018, 11.15am & 2.15pm
Tonhalle Maag, Zürich
Familiy Concert "The Snow Queen"
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
David Philip Hefti, conductor
Mojca Erdmann, soprano
Delia Mayer, actress
Max Simonischek, actor
Eva Buchmann, director
Andreas Schäfer, libretto
David Philip Hefti: "The Snow Queen"
world premiere
Commissioned by the Tonhalle-Gesellschaft Zürich
You can find further details and tickets here. read more less
World premiere of Hefti's 5th string quartet Concubia nocte
On 26 October 2018, David Philip Hefti’s String Quartet No. 5 Concubia nocte – Music for the second nocturnal vigil will be premiered by the Merel Quartett at the Kammermusikfestival Engelberg. It was the Merel Quartett, who commissioned David Philip Hefti’s first piece of this genre in 2007, the String Quartet Ph(r)asen, which they also recorded for CD.
Concubia nocte is the continuation of David Philip Hefti’s “nocturnal vigils”: Prima nocte – Music for the first nocturnal vigil, for chamber orchestra was premiered this February by the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne on the occasion of the orchestra’s 75th anniversary, and in spring 2019, the “vigils” will be continued with the world premier of David Philip Hefti’s flute concert Media nox – Music for the third nocturnal vigil at the Heidelberger Frühling, performed by the Deutsche Radiophilharmonie under Jamie Phillips and with flutist Tatjana Ruhland.
Overview on the concert in Engelberg:
26 October, 19.00
Engelberg (CH), Kloster
Zwischentöne – Kammermusikfestival Engelberg
Hefti: Concubia nocte – Music for the second nocturnal vigil (String quartet No. 5) World Premiere
Merel Quartett
You can find further information on the concert here. read more less
Press release The Snow Queen
On the occasion of its 150th anniversary and to celebrate music with all generations, the Tonhalle Society Zurich invited Swiss composer and conductor David Philip Hefti to compose The Snow Queen, a story in music based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, and to also conduct its world premiere: on 11 November 2018. The semi-staged production with renowned Soprano Mojca Erdmann (Snow Queen) as well as actors Delia Mayer (narrator/Gerda) and Maximilian Simonischek (Kay) will be performed in two family concerts at the Tonhalle Maag in Zurich.
The Snow Queen tells the story of the two neighboring children Kay and Gerda and their confrontation with the Snow Queen. After a splinter hits Kay’s eye and his soul hardened, he is abducted by the Snow Queen to her palace. But the unwavering Gerda searches for him and is not stopped by any of the Snow Queen's attempts to distract her from finding him.
David Philip Hefti says: “It is a special honor for me to have received a major commission on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Tonhalle Society Zurich and to even conduct its world premiere on 11 November 2018. This concert is a highlight of my many years of collaboration with the wonderful Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. My "Snow Queen" is characterized by the spatial arrangement of the orchestra and by extraordinary instruments, such as a double-bass clarinet or 24 wine glasses tuned in quarter tones. The work addresses children from about 8 years on, youth and adults. I am especially looking forward to working with my great soloists as well as to the semi-staged realization of the "Snow Queen" at the Tonhalle Maag.”
Executive and Artistic Director of the Tonhalle Society Zurich, Ilona Schmiel, comments: “Anniversaries exist to write new stories and history: a well-known subject matter for all generations with a new libretto by Andreas Schäfer, subtly staged by Eva Buchmann and newly set to music by David Philip Hefti, one of the most distinguished Swiss composers of his generation with great affinity to musical theater. I am sure that David Philip Hefti's new work "The Snow Queen" will succeed in showing the relevance of this dramatic story with its highly interesting musical language and conception. David Philip Hefti will also conduct the world premiere himself with a wonderful cast.”
The details of the performances are:
Sunday, 11. November 2018, 11.15am & 2.15pm
Tonhalle Maag, Zürich
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
David Philip Hefti, conductor
Mojca Erdmann, soprano
Delia Mayer, actress
Max Simonischek, actor
Eva Buchmann, director
Andreas Schäfer, libretto
David Philip Hefti: "Die Schneekönigin"
world premiere
Commissioned by the Tonhalle-Gesellschaft Zürich
You can find the synopsis of the work on David Philip Hefti's website. The work will be published by Edition Kunzelmann. Edition Kunzelmann makes the score available for download here. You can find further details and tickets here.
Another highlight of David Philip Hefti’s season is the continuation of his "nocturnal vigils". After Prima nocte – Music for the first nocturnal vigil, for chamber orchestra was premiered by the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne in February this year on the occasion of the orchestra’s 75th anniversary, his String Quartet No. 5, Concubia nocte - Music for the second nocturnal vigil will be premiered at the Kammermusikfestival Engelberg in October. In spring, David Philip Hefti's flute concert Media nox - Music for the third nocturnal vigil will be premiered by the Deutsche Radiophilharmonie under Jamie Phillips and with flutist Tatjana Ruhland at the Heidelberger Frühling.
David Philip Hefti's first dramatic work, the opera Anna's Mask, was premiered with great success in May 2017 at the Theater St. Gallen, in his hometown. Other special achievements of recent years include the premiere of his pieces con moto – ‘Beziehungsweisen’ for orchestra by the Bamberger Symphoniker under Jonathan Nott and Adagio – 'Beziehungsweisen' for orchestra by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under Kent Nagano.
If you are interested in an interview with David Philip Hefti, please contact PR2 classic. read more less
David Philip Hefti on the cover of the TOZ magazine
David Philip Hefti is on the cover of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra magazine issue October/November 2018. Learn more about the world premiere of the Snow Queen. Feel free to download the complete magazine below.
document: TOZ-Magazine October/November 2018 (pdf, 15mb) read more less
David Philip Hefti in the “Boulangerie” in Donaueschingen
On 8 June 2018, David Philip Hefti will be guest in Donaueschingen at the Boulanger Trio’s “Boulangerie”. This concert series connects concert and salon, traditional chamber music repertoire and contemporary music. David Philip Hefti’s works Lichter Hall – Trio No. 2 for Violin, Violoncello and Piano and Poème noctambule – for Violin and Piano will be performed. A talk between David Philip Hefti and the Boulanger Trio about Hefti’s works will also be part of the concert.
Overview on the concert’s details:
8. June 2018 Donaueschingen, Donauhallen
Hefti: Lichter Hall – Trio No. 2 for Violin, Violoncello and Piano
Hefti: Poème noctambule – for Violin and Piano
Boulanger Trio
You can find further details on the concert here. read more less
