Cello Recital with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Philipp Schmidt (15), and Yukino Kaihara, piano

Program:

• Schumann – Fantasiestücke
• Vivaldi – Sonata in A minor
• Fauré – Elegy
• Saint-Saëns – Allegro Appassionato
• Barriere - Sonata for 2 Cellos in G Major
• Shostakovich - Adagio and Spring Waltz
• Cassado - Requiebros
• Schumann – Adagio and Allegro

Philipp Schmidt (15) received his first cello lessons from his father, and later from Ulrich Voss. For the past three years, he has been studying with Sabine Andert, with support from Yehjin Chun. He has attended master classes with Prof. Josef Schwab, Prof. Stephan Forck, Prof. Peter Bruns, and Prof. David Geringas. Philipp performed as a prize winner at the Märkische Musiktage with the Prussian Chamber Orchestra under Jürgen Bruns, as well as with the Gropius Quartet at the Montafoner Resonanzen. He was a member of the Berlin State Opera Children’s Orchestra and performs with the German String Philharmonic. Philipp has already won several prizes, including first prize at the national “Jugend Musiziert” competition and at the International Kiel Music Competition. He was awarded second prize at the 2024 “Flames” International Competition in Paris, and in 2025 he received the Grand Prix at the International Music Competition of the Festival 4Arts in Romania. In 2026, he won the Birmingham International Music Competition in his age category and was awarded first prize at the London Classical Music Competition. Since this year, he has been supported by the International Music Academy for the Promotion of Highly Gifted Children and Youth and has already performed in concerts at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Konzerthaus Berlin.

Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt studied with David Geringas, Aldo Parisot, and Mstislav Rostropovich. He was a prize winner at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and the winner of the German Music Competition. At the International Rostropovich Competition, the jury—chaired by Mstislav Rostropovich—awarded him the Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris as well as the prize for contemporary music. As a soloist, he has appeared as a guest artist with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Hessian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the German Symphony Orchestra, and the OSR Geneva, among others, under conductors such as Marek Janowski, Charles Dutoit, Sir Donald Runnicles, and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. His CD recordings are available on Deutsche Grammophon and Sony Classical. He has received several awards for his work, including the German Record Critics’ Prize. Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt teaches at the Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar and at the Kronberg Academy.

Pianist Yukino Kaihara was born in Hiroshima, Japan. She began her musical career there at an early age and gained recognition in international competitions such as the Chopin Competition. In 2018, she made her debut at Suntory Hall in Tokyo with Ravel’s Piano Concerto. As a prize winner of the Tokyo Music Competition and following her successful participation in the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris, she has performed in recent years with orchestras such as the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Yukino Kaihara received a scholarship from the Munetsugu Angel Fundraising in 2014 and 2015. Since 2017, she has been supported by a scholarship from the Yamaha Music Europe Foundation (YMEF), and since 2021, she has been a scholarship recipient of the Röhm Academy. She studied with Kei Itoh in Tokyo, where she earned her first degree with special honors, and is currently continuing her studies at the Berlin University of the Arts with Björn Lehmann. Yukino Kaihara is in high demand as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist; she has accompanied violinists and cellists at the Japan Music Competition, the Long-Thibaud-Crespin International Competition, and the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. Since 2023, she has been teaching accompaniment at the Berlin University of the Arts.