Rising Stars

Three to look out for…

Joséphine Olech Flautist

Born: Saint-cloud, France Career highlight: Giving the premiere of Thierry Escaich’s Flute Concerto with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Lahav Shani in Amsterdam’s beautiful Concertgebouw last year. It was a great honour to add this wonderful new piece to the flute repertoire.

Musical hero: I owe so much to my first flute teacher Nathalie Rozat, as well as Fuminori Tanada, composer and accompanist of the Paris Conservatory flute class, who has accompanied generations of flautists at the highest level in the most difficult repertoire. Dream concert: Playing Mahler’s Ninth with my best friends to an audience that has never heard classical music before. Vlad Vizireanu Conductor

Born: Constan a, Romania

Career highlight: Conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in Elgar’s Enigma Variations as a finalist in the

2016 Donatella Flick Competition. The piece was premiered in London in 1899, so having the opportunity to conduct it with them was very special. Musical hero: The composers whose music I express the best on the podium and which matches my natural temperament are Hans Zimmer, Shostakovich, Mahler and Sibelius. Dream concert: An outdoor concert in an amphitheatre with a major choral-orchestral work such as Beethoven’s Ninth, Mahler’s Third or Mozart or Berlioz’s Requiems. Christian Li Violinist

Born: Melbourne, Australia

Career highlights: Recording Vivaldi’s

Four Seasons for my debut album with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Being able to exchange ideas and play with such amazing musicians was challenging but so exciting. Musical hero: Violinist David Oistrakh, for his warm and intense sound. He played so effortlessly, and his broad repertoire remains unmatched to this day. I wish I could have heard him live. Someone I have seen live is Maxim Vengerov, who plays very passionately and has such a unique sound. Dream concert: A Prom at the Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra.