21 August, Gsteig

Julia Hagen, Cello

Aaron Pilsan, Piano

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Cello Sonata No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 45

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Sonata for cello and piano

César Franck (1822-1890)
Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano (arrangement for cello)

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Wiegenlied (Lullaby)

7.30pm, 21 August live from Gsteig

“Mendelssohn’s first Cello Sonata is a piece I feel has always been unjustly overshadowed by the famous Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in D major. The music sings, it radiates lightness and confidence, it’s full of positive, glorious energy; however it has also a fair share of questions, doubts and passion. It’s a pure pleasure to play this music and I finally was able to fulfill my wish and play this beautiful sonata together with the fantastic pianist Aaron Pilsan.”

Born in Salzburg in 1995, Julia Hagen is one of the most promising young cello players. A student of Enrico Bronzi, Reinhard Latzko, Heinrich Schiff and Jens Peter Maintz, she also benefited from the advice of Christian Poltéra, David Geringas, Ivan Monighetti and Torleif Thedéen. Since the autumn of 2019, she has been a scholarship holder at the Kronberg Academy, where she is studying under Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt. Already very active on the international scene, she released in 2019 a first CD dedicated to Brahms’ Sonatas and transcriptions of Lieder . She plays a magnificent instrument built by Franecsco Ruggieri in 1684.