Wiener Philharmoniker

There is perhaps no other musical ensemble more closely associated with the history and tradition of European classical music than the Vienna Philharmonic.

Since its inception by Otto Nicolai in 1842, the fascination that the orchestra has held for prominent composers and conductors, as well as for audiences worldwide, is based not only on a homogenous musical style carefully bequeathed from one generation to the next, but also on its unique history and structure. The foremost ruling body of the organization is the orchestra itself.

In accordance with Philharmonic statutes, only a member of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra can become a member of the Vienna Philharmonic. Before joining the Philharmonic, one must first audition for a position with the State Opera Orchestra and then successfully complete a three year period before becoming eligible to submit an application for membership in the association of the Vienna Philharmonic.

The Vienna Philharmonic performs approximately 110 concerts every season at home, presents Vienna Philharmonic Weeks in New York and Japan, and has participated in the Salzburg Festival since 1922. The orchestra makes yearly guest appearances in leading concert halls and festivals worldwide, presents the New Year's Concert, which is broadcast in over 90 countries, and presents the free Summer Night Concert Schönbrunn, attracting up to 100,000 people annually.

In 2014, the VPO received the coveted Birgit Nilsson Prize for outstanding achievements and major contributions to the field of opera/concert, and the Herbert von Karajan Music Price 2014. Since 2008, Rolex is the Exclusive Sponsor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

For over a decade, the VPO has given benefit concerts supporting humanitarian causes around the world. The musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic endeavor to implement the motto with which Ludwig van Beethoven prefaced his Missa solemnis: "From the heart, to the heart."

Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst

Franz Welser-Möst is one of the most distinguished conductors of our day. He has been music director of the Cleveland Orchestra since 2002 and his contract currently runs until 2022.

The Cleveland Orchestra, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2018, has been acclaimed by the New York Times as deserving the title of "the best in America", owing to its exceptional programming, including numerous premieres and innovative staged opera productions – in the coming season they will undertake Pelléas et Mélisande – which draw deeply on the artistic profile of the long-term cooperation with Welser-Möst.

In addition to their regular residencies in the USA and Europe, Franz Welser-Möst and the Cleveland Orchestra have appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, at the Salzburg Festival and at the Lucerne Festival.  Their European tour in 2016, with programmes spotlighting Thomas Ades and Richard Strauss, will bring them to the Lucerne, Salzburg and Grafenegg Festivals.

The Cleveland Orchestra has been hugely successful in building up a new and, above all, a young audience through its groundbreaking programmes involving students and by working closely with universities.

From 2010 to 2014 Franz Welser-Möst was general music director of the Vienna State Opera. In addition to cultivating the entire repertoire, he notably conducted 20th-century works such as Janáček's Káťa Kabanová, From the House of the Dead and The Cunning Little Vixen, as well as Hindemith's Cardillac. In Vienna and Cleveland he has focussed on the operas of Richard Strauss and conducted performances of Salome, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Der Rosenkavalier, Ariadne auf Naxos and Arabella.

Franz Welser-Möst appears regularly at the Salzburg Festival. After triumphant successes with Rusalka, Der Rosenkavalier and Fidelio, he conducts a new production of Richard Strauss' Die Liebe der Danae in 2016, and having worked with the Berlin Philharmonic at the Salzburg Easter Festival in 2009, he conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden there in 2017.

As a guest conductor Franz Welser-Möst has developed a particularly close and productive relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic. He has twice appeared on the podium at the New Year's Concert and conducts the orchestra regularly in subscription concerts at the Musikverein, as well as in Lucerne, at the BBC Proms and on tour in Scandinavia and Japan, and in the USA where in 2017 he will lead programmes of Schubert, Strauss and Bartok. This special relationship was recognized in spring 2014 when he was presented with the orchestra's Ring of Honour.

Franz Welser-Möst has received many other honours and awards, while his numerous CDs and DVDs have been awarded many international prizes.

Pianist: Lang Lang

Lang Lang, China's Name Card, China Icon, International superstar pianist, the United Nations Messenger of Peace, the Honorary Fellowship of Peter's College at Oxford University, the Honorary Doctorate from Royal Academy of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Conservatoire of Birmingham City University, New York University and Central Conservatory of Music, the Grammy Ambassador to China, Ambassadeur du Chateau de Versailles, Ambassador to Expo Shanghai 2010, Ambassador to Expo Milano and China Pavilion 2015, Ambassador to the China-Latin America and Caribbean 2016 Year of Cultural Exchange, New York City's First-Ever Cultural Tourism Ambassador, member of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, member of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, member of the Bambi of Germany, member of the Premios Ondas of Spain.

Lang Lang has won numerous honors such as "The first International Megastar Pianist", "The leading person of the new generation in the classical music world", “the world’s ambassador of the keyboard”, "The youngest piano maestro in the world", "A generator to piano"," A young man who will change the world", " World's Lang Lang, a pride of Chinese", " A symbol of China's take-off ", to name just a few. New York Times praised him as "A dazzling star in the classical music circle"; German newspaper Die Welt called him "The most successful pianist in the world today"; The Times placed him in the front page with the big title "The superstar Lang Lang is creating new audience for classical music". Lang Lang was selected as "The Most Charming Man of 2008" by American magazine People. In 2009, Time magazine included Lang Lang on the list of "Top 100 Influential People". The former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan praised him as "A Messenger of World Peace", and the former US president George W. Bush revealed that he was a enthusiast fan of Lang Lang.

Steinway Pianos for the first time in its 150 years’ history, named a model after a single artist when they introduced “The Lang Lang Piano” to ChinaLang Lang has given recitals and concerts in all major cities and is the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic and American top five orchestras; he has had a successful completion of his cooperation with the world's leading orchestras; he is also the first Chinese who has played piano solo in the White House, been invited by the British Royal Family to perform commissioned works, as well as performed on the 2008 GRAMMY’s Award with Herbie Hancock, 2014 with Metallica and 2015 with Pharrell Williams.

Lang Lang has appeared on many important occasions such as the 2006 World Cup opening ceremony concert, The Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics

The Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, 2014 Concert in Rio of Brazil, The Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Inchon Asian Games, 2014 UN Day Concert, Nobel Peace Prize Awards ceremonial concert in 2007 and 2009, the performance for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People´s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in 2015, etc. In 2008, Lang Lang set up the Lang Lang International Music Foundation in New York. In 2012, he launched Lang Lang Music World in Shenzhen. In 2015, Lang Lang's first series of books "Mastering the Piano" in Chinese version were launched in Shanghai.