Kirill Gerstein in Athen
15. - 20. März 2026

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We first worked with Kirill Gerstein at the Kronberg Academy Festival in September 2023. Together, we performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto in G K. 453 under the direction of Robin Ticciati. A wonderful friendship was born as Kirill said: „Making music with the members of the COE is a truly magical experience. The sense of the vibrant individuality of each musician unifying into the spirit of the ensemble, all directed toward the liveliest exploration of the musical compositions. I am grateful for the inspiration the COE collective gifts.“ Since then, we have been performing with Kirill every season, performing again at the Kronberg Academy Festival in 2024 as well as the Salzburg Mozartwoche and this year, we have two projects together, both revolving around Beethoven’s Piano Concertos: this March in Athens and in June in Kronberg.

Since 2022, the COE has been a regular guest in Athens, whether at the Megaron or at the Epidaurus Festival, held in the beautiful Odeon of Herodes Atticus. This time, the COE and Kirill are back at the Megaron, performing all of Beethoven Piano Concertos in two concerts, on 18th and 19th March. The repertoire also includes the rarely performed Piano Concerto No. 0 (WoO4) which was an early work which Beethoven composed in 1784 when he was only 14 years old.

Kirill Gerstein

Fascination for musical discovery combined with boundless curiosity, imagination, and virtuosity have established Kirill Gerstein as one of today’s most prolific and compelling performers. Gerstein is a searching artist. As a pianist, curator, educator, musical leader, and artistic collaborator, his exploration of resonant themes across a vast spectrum of repertoire – from Baroque suites and Classical concerti to contemporary creations, jazz, and cabaret – has nourished relationships with many of the world’s leading orchestras, conductors, instrumentalists, singers, composers, festivals, recording labels, and media platforms.

Highlights of the past season include Gerstein’s Carnegie Hall/Stern Auditorium solo recital debut, marking Ferruccio Busoni’s centenary with performances of his Piano Concerto with the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Orchestre National de France, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon; Gershwin with the Staatskapelle Dresden on ZDF German national television’s traditional New Year’s eve gala broadcast; the closing concert of the Musikfest Berlin performing Messiaen’s From the Canyons to the Stars with Sir Simon Rattle; the Berg Kammerkonzert with Ilya Gringolts, Heinz Holliger and Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Rachmaninov’s 3rd Piano Concerto with Santtu-Matias Rouvali and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; returns to Japan and Korea performing Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto; engagements with the orchestras of St. Louis, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Atlanta; a release on the ECM label of Chick Corea’s The Visitors with legendary vibraphonist, Gary Burton; a poignantly timely program with the Wiener Symphoniker pairing Schoenberg’s Ode to Napoleon with Beethoven’s Emperor concerto followed by a satirical encore by Hanns Eisler; and an interdisciplinary project with the Ruhr Piano Festival uniting school children, renowned choreographers, scholars and world music authorities around the music of Armenian priest, musicologist, and composer, Vardapet Komitas.

Full biography on the IMG Artists website.