Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra to Return to Japan

The Danube, one of Europe's great rivers alongside the Rhine, originates in the Alps and flows as a major artery through Eastern Europe. Its rich currents also form a cultural pathway connecting Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, with Vienna, just a few tens of kilometers away. Slovakia is a nation of music, born from the Slavic land and rich nature, nurtured by a long history. It is a rare country that has continued its unique development. While producing international singers such as Edita Gruberová and Lucia Popp, it has also maintained its unique musicality to this day. This tendency is particularly evident in its orchestras. While orchestras worldwide are becoming homogenized and losing their individuality, the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, as if going against this trend, preserves a rich, almost fragrant, and uniquely mellow musicality. The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra is the representative orchestra of this musical nation. It is a prestigious institution that has earned a reputation as one of Europe's finest, having been mentored by numerous master conductors. Its tight ensemble, worthy of the name "land of strings," is highly acclaimed. Another charm is its poetic sentiment and lyricism, which deeply resonate with the Japanese heart.

The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra's tour will take place from June to July 2026, under the baton of renowned conductor D. Raiskin, marking their first performance in Japan in three years since their 2023 visit. The two soloists, who will vary by program, are the masterful Alexej Gorlatch and the talented Russian artist Olga Scheps. Don't miss the rich sound nurtured by the Slavic land!

June 28 (Sun) 2:00 PM start at Festival Hall

▼ For tickets, please purchase from the following:

・Osaka Shin-on 06-6926-4888

・Festival Hall Ticket Center (10:00-18:00)

・Festival Hall Online Ticket

・Ticket Pia [P-code: 314-444]

・e+ (eplus)

・Lawson Ticket [L-code: 51468]

▼ For other performance dates and program details, please visit the Concert Imagine official website:

http://www.concert.co.jp/news/detail/1414/

Daniel Raiskin (Conductor)

From 2005 to 2016, he served as Chief Conductor of the Rheinische Philharmonie in Koblenz, and from 2008 to 2015, as Chief Conductor of the Artur Rubinstein Philharmonic in Poland. He has collaborated with numerous orchestras. In Japan, he has performed with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra at the Biwako Silvester Concert, with the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra at "La Folle Journée Biwako 2016," and with the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. He participated in the Slovak Philharmonic Japan tours in 2018 and 2023. He has also collaborated with soloists such as Olli Mustonen, Gerhard Oppitz, Lang Lang, Ivo Pogorelić, Vadim Repin, Stefan Blader, Mischa Maisky, Midori Goto, Julian Rachlin, Akiko Suwanai, Alexei Lubimov, Stephen Osborne, Martin Fröst, Natalia Gutman, Janine Jansen, and Shlomo Mintz. He currently serves as Music Director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic. In 2020, he was appointed Music Director of the Slovak Philharmonic.

Alexej Gorlatch (Piano)

He currently serves as a professor of piano at the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts in Germany, dedicating himself to nurturing young musicians. He has conducted masterclasses across Europe, Asia, and America and has served on the juries of numerous international competitions. He studied with Martin Hughes at the Berlin University of the Arts and with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and Bernd Goetzke at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. He has received critical acclaim in prestigious halls worldwide. In addition to numerous international music festivals, he has toured in Germany, Japan, South Korea, Italy, South Africa, Ireland, and the United States. As a soloist, he has performed with many orchestras, including the Halle Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, NDR Symphony Orchestra and NDR Elbphilharmonie, Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, German Radio Philharmonic, Dresden Philharmonic, Munich Radio Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Nagoya Philharmonic, Kyushu Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Bern Symphony Orchestra, and the National Philharmonic of Ukraine.