Competition 2017

Karolína Františová, pianoforte
Filip Zaykov, violino
Vilém Petras, violoncello

They played together for the first time as members of a Czech foundation „Akademie komorní hudby“ (Chamber Music Academy), which cooperates with the German foundation Villa Musica and brings together young musicians and established professionals. After this experience, they decided to create a trio at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Firstly, they studied under the guidance of Prof. Martin Kasík and currently they are part of the chamber music class of Prof. Ivo Kahánek, member of the Dvořák Trio. The trio also collaborates with another member of the Dvořák Trio, cellist Tomáš Jamník and Prof. Jiří Fišer.

In August, the trio participated in the International Summer Academy Prag-Wien-Budapest , organized by the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, where they worked under the guidance of members of the Artis Quartett Peter Schuhmayer, Johannes Meissl, Herbert Kefer and Othmar Müller and other distinguished professors and chamber musicians like Hatto Beyerle (Alban Berg Quartet), Avedis Koyoumdjian and Vida Vujić (University of Music in Vienna), Anita Mitterer (Quatuor Mosaiques, Mozarteum Salzburg), Gabor Csalog (Franz List Academy Budapest) and Patrick Jüdt (University of Arts Bern). They have been also awarded the AHUV Award – donated by the Czech Society of the Arts and Science for an oustanding interpretation of a Czech contemporary work. The trio has got this prize for the performance of Trio Boemo by Zdeněk Lukáš.

In November, the trio goes on its first concert tour to Germany which includes a concert at Philharmonie Berlin.

Karolína Františová (1994) started playing piano when she was 5 years old at the Music school “Šmeralova” in Karlovy Vary. Then she continued at the Prague Conservatory and now she studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague with Martin Kasík and at Accademia pianistica di Imola with Vovka Ashkenazy. She supplemented her education for example with Vladimir Ashkenazy, A. Koyoumdjian, E. Indjic, G. Wallisch, B. Berman, I. Klánský, I. Kahánek, M. Gambarian and V. Goldberg.

Her recent competition successes include the 1st prize at the International Bedřich Smetana Competition, 1st prize at the International A. Scriabin Competition in Paris, 1st prize at the International J. Novák Competition, 1st prize at the International Jenö Takacs Competition in Oberschützen, 2nd prize at the International Piano Exhibition in Prague and 2nd prize and the prize for the best performance of a work by Joseph Haydn at the International J. Haydn Competition in Vienna. As a soloist and a chamber musician, Karolína has performed in the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Slovakia, Sweden. She cooperates with Czech TV, Czech Radio and Slovak Radio. In the last few years, she appeared as a soloist in Piano Concertos by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky.

Filip Zaykov (1997) began his violin studies when he was 5 years old. He is a student of Jiří Fišer at the Prague Conservatory. Filip is a laureate of many international competitions including Kloster Schöntal Violin Competition in Germany, Bravo! Concours in Belgium, Premio Clivis in Italy, International Radio Competition Concertino Praga, Josef Muzika Violin Competition and Kocian Violin Competition in the Czech Republic. He made his debut with PKF – Prague Philharmonia at the age of 10 playing Vivaldi´s Concerto in A minor for two violins and orchestra with Josef Suk. As a soloist with the Prague Symphony Orchestra, Filip performed violin concertos by Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Korngold. Filip attended several summer music camps including Cambridge International String Academy, Václav Hudeček Summer Music Academy, International Music Academy Pilsen and took part in masterclasses with Stephen Shipps, Rodney Friend, Endre Granat, Georgy Pauk, Petru Munteanu, Wai-Dong Tong and Robert Davidovici. Since 2008, Filip is sponsored by Kellner Family Foundation. He is a member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Academy.

Vilém Petras (1995) studies with Michal Kaňka at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and with Peter Bruns at Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy” in Leipzig. His previous teachers were Mirko Škampa, Martin Škampa and Sergey Kalyanov. Vilém was awarded the 1st prizes at the National Competition of Czech Conservatories and at Talents for Europe competition. He also got the Croatian String Teachers Award at Antonio Janigro Cello Competition. In 2012, Vilém and pianist Jakub Škampa became laureates of the International Radio Competition Concertino Praga as a cello and piano duo. As a soloist, he appeared with Prague Symphony Orchestra, PKF – Prague Philharmonia and the Pilsen Philharmonic. Since 2011, he is a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra. With this orchestra, he played on some of the greatest European stages (Royal Albert Hall, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Tonhalle Zürich, Konzerthaus in Berlin etc.) with world-renowned conductors like Vasily Petrenko, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gianandrea Noseda or Bernard Haitink. Between 2014-2016, Vilém was a member of PKF – Prague Philharmonia Orchestra Academy and since this season, he is a member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Academy.

Cecilia Ziano, violino
Clara Franziska Schötensack, violino
Francesca Piccioni, viola
Giorgio Casati, violoncello

Il Quartetto Lyskamm è stato fondato nel 2008 al Conservatorio di Milano ed è composto da quattro musicisti italiani.

Dal 2009 al 2011, è stato allievo del Quartetto Artemis all’Università delle Arti di Berlino e ha in seguito incontrato importanti docenti tra i quali Hatto Beyerle, Johannes Meissl, Ferenc Rados, Claus Christian Schuster, Eberhardt Feltz e il Cuarteto Casals. Prosegue il proprio perfezionamento sotto la guida di Heime Müller presso l’Università di Lubecca. Nel 2016 il Borletti Buitoni Trust ha assegnato al Quartetto Lyskamm il premio speciale per la musica da camera intitolato alla memoria di Claudio Abbado. Nei due precedenti anni, il quartetto ha ricevuto il premio Vittorio Rimbotti dell’Accademia Europea del Quartetto, il secondo premio e il premio speciale Pro Quartet al concorso internazionale Franz Schubert und die Musik der Moderne di Graz, il premio della Jeunesse Musicale Deutschland, la borsa di studio della Ad Infinitum Foundation ed il primo premio al concorso della Possehl Stiftung di Lubecca.

Il Quartetto Lyskamm è stato ospite di numerose società concertistiche tra le quali la Società del Quartetto di Milano, gli Amici della Musica di Firenze, il Festival Mito, l’Unione Musicale e Lingotto Musica a Torino, il Teatro Verdi di Trieste, il festival I Suoni delle Dolomiti, Musikamera a Venezia, Promusica a Pistoia, il festival internazionale Quatuor à Bordeaux (Francia), l’Aldeburgh Music Festival (Gran Bretagna), il Brahms Festival di Lubecca e il Rheingau Musik Festival (Germania). Ha collaborato in quintetto con Mario Brunello, Alessandro Taverna e Simone Rubino.

Dal 2014 il Quartetto Lyskamm è impegnato nei progetti di circuitazione promossi, in Italia e in Europa, dal Cidim (Comitato Nazionale Italiano Musica). Partecipa inoltre al progetto Le dimore del Quartetto. Il quartetto è in residenza per il biennio 2016-17 presso gli Amici della Musica di Padova.

Cecilia Ziano, violino

Nata a Ciriè nel 1991, inizia lo studio del violino all’età di 4 anni con il metodo Suzuki, sotto la guida di Fabrizio Pavoni. Nel 2009 riceve il premio Orpheus d’oro come miglior giovane promessa. Dall’età di 13 anni, studia con Dora Schwarzberg e Adrian Pinzaru. Si il diploma con il massimo dei voti presso il Conservatorio di Torino, sotto la guida di Christine Anderson. Prosegue i propri studi con Salvatore Accardo all’Accademia Walter Stauffer di Cremona e all’Accademia Chigiana di Siena (dove riceve il Diploma d’Onore per meriti artistici) con Guy Braunstein e, infine, con Kolja Blacher presso l’Hochschule Hanns Eisler di Berlino.

In veste di camerista, collabora con illustri musicisti quali Andrea Lucchesini, Vadim Brodsky, Bruno Giuranna, Luca Ranieri, Salvatore Accardo, Rocco Filippini, Dora Schwarzberg, Antonio Meneses, con il Trio Debussy, il Quartetto Prometeo e lo Xenia Ensemble. Vadim Brodsky dice di lei: “uno dei talenti più genuini e straordinari; un suono maturo, caldo e convincente”.

Cecilia è stata borsista della Fondazione e dell’Associazione DeSono; ha fatto parte del progetto Hulencourt Art Project (Belgio) che riunisce giovani solisti; recentemente, ha suonato a Washington e Philadelphia per celebrare i 150° anni della cultura italiana negli Stati Uniti.

Nel settembre 2012 è stata invitata a partecipare ad un progetto di musica da camera con le prime parti dei Berliner Philharmoniker, con i quali collabora come musicista aggiunta. Nel novembre 2014 ha vinto l’audizione alla Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Partecipa al progetto “Spira mirabilis”.

Clara Franziska Schoetensack, violino
Nata ad Assisi nel 1987, inizia lo studio del violino all’età di tre anni con il metodo Suzuki, sotto la guida di Elouise Hellyer. Dal 1998 studia al Conservatorio G. Verdi di Milano nella classe di Daniele Gay e nel 2008 consegue il diploma con il massimo dei voti e la lode. Nel 2014 conclude il perfezionamento presso la Hochschule fuer Musik di Lubecca con Elisabeth Weber. Ha partecipato a Masterclass con Salvatore Accardo, Shlomo Mintz e al corso di perfezionamento presso l’Accademia Chigiana di Siena con Giuliano Carmignola, nell’ambito del quale ha ricevuto il diploma d’onore per meriti artistici.

In duo con pianoforte, ha inoltre seguito i corsi di perfezionamento tenuti dal Trio Debussy presso

l’Accademia di Pinerolo. In ambito cameristico collabora inoltre con Ensenble Alraune, con il quale ha recentemente realizzato il cd dell’integrale dei quartetti con due viole di Giuseppe Cambini per la casa discografica NovAntiqua; con mdi ensemble, ha svolto assidua attività concertistica e inciso per Stradivarius un cd con musiche di Emanuele Casale.

Segnalata per il ruolo di spalla dei secondi presso l’Orchestra Regionale Toscana, collabora inoltre con l’orchestra pistoiese Leonore (Fondazione Promusica), con l’orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, la Fondazione Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari ed il Teatro Regio di Torino.

Nel 2011 ha vinto la borsa di studio Ferenc-Fricsay presso la Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, avendo per un anno la possibilità di partecipare all’attività concertistica dell’orchestra presso la Philharmonie di Berlino. Ha vinto l’audizione per il ruolo di Spalla dell’orchestra giovanile Luigi Cherubini, diretta dal Maestro Riccardo Muti per il triennio 2008-2011. Ha svolto il ruolo di spalla anche nell’Orchestra dell’Accademia Mozart di Bologna, ed è risultata idonea nelle audizioni per la Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester, entrambe realtà fondate da Claudio Abbado. Sotto la direzione di Claudio Abbado ha avuto modo di collaborare anche con l’Orchestra Mozart.

Nel 2008 fonda il Quartetto Lyskamm. Partecipa regolarmente al progetto “Spira Mirabilis”.

Francesca Piccioni, viola

Nata a Siena nel 1984, ha iniziato lo studio del violino all’età di sette anni presso la Scuola di Musica di Fiesole sotto la giuda di M. Runza. Si diploma in violino a Firenze nel 2003 presso il Conservatorio L.Cherubini, perfezionandosi successivamente con Alberto Bologni. Si diploma in viola nel luglio 2008, con votazione 10/10, presso la classe di Antonello Farulli al Conservatorio G.B.Martini di Bologna Nel 2009 si trasferisce a Berlino per studiare all’ Hochschule fur Musik Hanns Eisler con Pauline Sachse, partecipando a masterclass di Tabea Zimmermann. Ha studiato inoltre con Wilfried Strehle, Ulrich Knorzer, Hatto Beyerle e Simone Briatore.

Dal 2005 al 2007 è membro dell’Orchestra Giovanile Italiana nell’ambito della quale ricopre prima il ruolo di spalla dei secondi violini e successivamente quello di prima viola. Nell’anno 2008 diviene membro delle seguenti orchestre: Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester, European Union Youth Orchestra, Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini (prima viola), Accademia dell’Orchestra Mozart (prima viola). Dal 2009 suona regolarmente con l’Orchestra Mozart diretta da Claudio Abbado.Negli anni dal 2009 al 2013 ha collaborato con l’orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, l’orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia, La Rundfunksymphonieorchester (RSB) di Berlino, l’orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna.

Dal 2009 è la violista del Quartetto Lyskamm e partecipa al progetto “Spira mirabilis”.

E’ docente di viola presso la Scuola di Musica di Fiesole.

Giorgio Casati, violoncellista

Nato a Milano nel 1984, ha svolto gli studi di violoncello con Marco Bernardin presso il Cons ervatorio di Milano, diplomandosi nel 2002 con lode e menzione speciale. Dal 2001 al 2006 si è perfezionato con Mario Brunello alla Fondazione Romanini di Brescia e ha seguito il corso di laurea in Filosofia presso l’Università degli Studi di Milano. E’ stato inoltre allievo dei corsi di Enrico Dindo, Enrico Bronzi e Frans Helmerson, Günter Pichler del Quartetto Alban Berg e Claus Christian Schuster del Trio Altenberg.

Con mdi ensemble, formazione dedita alla musica da camera contemporanea, è regolarmente presente nei maggiori festival italiani ed europei. Il gruppo è ensemble in residence dal 2012 per il festival di Milano Musica. Il progetto Repertorio Zero, incentrato sulla ricerca sui nuovi strumenti musicali, ha meritato il Leone d’Argento alla Biennale di Venezia 2011.

Ha collaborato come camerista e solista con compositori quali Helmut Lachenmann, Fausto Romitelli, Beat Furrer, Pierluigi Billone, Giorgio Netti, Mauricio Kagel, Gerard Pesson, Stefano Gervasoni e Luca Francesconi.

Con il Quartetto Lyskamm è stato allievo di Heime Mueller, del Quartetto Artemis e del Cuarteto Casals; il quartetto ha vinto il secondo premio del concorso Franz Schubert und die Musik der Moderne di Graz e ricevuto il Premio Claudio Abbado del Borletti Buitoni Trust.

Collabora inoltre come primo violoncello con Camerata Salzburg. Nel 2002 è insignito della medaglia di bronzo quale Benemerito della Cultura e dell´Arte; nel 2009 riceve il premio internazionale dell’Associazione Amici di Milano, targa d’argento del Presidente della Repubblica; nel 2010 ottiene la borsa di studio Ivano Becchi della Fondazione Banca del Monte di Lombardia.

È istruttore di scialpinismo per il CAI, presso la Scuola Silvio Saglio della Società Escursionisti Milanesi.

Joaquín Sáez Belmonte , soprano saxophone
Xavier Larsson Paez, alto saxophone
José M. Bañuls Marcos, tenor saxophone
Xabier Casal Ares, baritone saxophone

Widely considered as one of the most thrilling young saxophone quartets on the modern scene in Europe. The Fukio Ensemble has devoted itself, since its foundation in 2007, to the exploration of the chamber music repertoire for the saxophone.

In addition to appearances at major concert venues in Germany, the UK and Spain including at the Fundación Juan March and Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, the Fukio Ensemble has performed at numerous festivals such as Austria’s IMPULS Academy, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Mallorca’ Saxophone Festival and Encontre Internacional de Compositors, at Spitzentöne and Romanisches Sommerfestival in Cologne, at Freunde Junge Musiker in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt and at Young Euro Classics in Berlin.

The Fukio Ensemble has won prizes at distinguished international competitions including the Jeunesses Musicales Spain, the Yamaha International Chamber Music Competition in Spain; the Gold medal at the UGDA Competition in Luxembourg, the first prize at the Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Hochschulwettbewerb, the first prize at the Coop music awards in Milano, first prize at the Karlsruher Wettbewerb für die Interpretation Neue Musik and the first prize at the 20th Illzach International Chamber Music Competition.

In 2015, the Fukio Ensemble was awarded a CD scholarship by the WDR Radio, the ARS Produktion, the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Köln and the Friends Association of Cologne University of Music. The ensemble has been broadcast for Deutschlandfunk, WDR, Resonance FM, La2, Radio Catalonia and RTVE.

Commissioning new pieces and education work are two central pillars of the ensemble’s activities. The Fukio Ensemble is specialised in contemporary music with Prof. David Smeyers at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. The ensemble coursed Erasmus studies of chamber music within the class of Prof. László Hadady at the CNSMD Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris.

The Fukio Ensemble is supervised by the Cuarteto Casals and is supported by the Werner Richard–Dr. Carl Dörken Foundation.

Joaquín Sáez Belmonte , soprano saxophone

*1988 in Bigastro, Spain. Bachelor of Music at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de les Illes Balears (2011). Master of Music at the Hochschule für Musik Basel (2013). Erasmus Program in Chamber Music at the CNSMD in Paris (2015/16). Master of Music Interpretation Neue Musik at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (2016).

Xavier Larsson Paez, alto saxophone

*1991 in Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain. Bachelor of Music at the Conservatorio del Liceu, Barcelona (2011). Master of Music at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (2013). Erasmus Program in Chamber Music at the CNSMD in Paris (2015/16). Master of Music Interpretation Neue Musik at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (2016).

José M. Bañuls Marcos, tenor saxophone

*1986 in Bigastro, Spain. Bachelor of Music at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de les Illes Balears (2010). Master in Performance at the Royal College of Music London (2012). Erasmus Program in Chamber Music at the CNSMD in Paris (2015/16). Master of Music Interpretation Neue Musik at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (2016).

Xabier Casal Ares, baritone saxophone

*1988 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Bachelor of Music at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Castilla León (2011). Diploma at the Conservatoire Jacques Thibaud in Bordeaux (2013). Erasmus Program in Chamber Music at the CNSMD in Paris (2015/16). Master of Music Interpretation Neue Musik at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (2016).

Gianni Bergamo was born in Milan, Italy in 1941, attended primary school in Italy and Liceo in Switzerland. After a degree in Economy (1964) at the Catholic University of Milan, he dedicated himself to the study of music with Tissoni (harmony and composition), D. Maffeis (organ) and N. Sanzogno (orchestra conducting) at the Conservatory of Bergamo, Italy.
From 1964 to 1994 has been a businessman with his own import-export, real estate and finance companies, though at the same time he has remained close to music and to its world.
In 1990 he created the Cultural Association “Gli Amici Cantori”, first as a chorus alone, then later accompanied by an orchestra. He has given many concerts in Italy with them, preferring the symphonic-sacred repertoire (masses, oratories, passions, etc.). At present, he lives in Santiago del Chile.

He was born in Heidelberg (Germany) on May 1, 1940 and studied music (main subject: flute) at the Universities of Music in Berlin, Stuttgart and Freiburg with Karl-Friedrich Mess, André Jaunet and Aurèle Nicolet, obtaining the concert diplo-ma.

Co-founder of the Music Institute in Erlangen in 1966, he was its director until 1979.

He has played various concerts in different chamber music groups and as soloist and has made several radio recordings.

From 1979 to 2011, he was director of the Musik-Akademie Basel and teacher for flute and chamber music at the same institute.

In 2001 he was co-founder of the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), being its president from 2007 to 2011. He started the research project “Musik und Raum“.

From 2006 he is invited professor for chamber music at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna (Joseph Haydn Institut).

Along with Thomas Zehetmair, she is a co-founder of the Zehetmair Quartet, at present one of the internationally most renowned string quartets. With the performance of the first and third string quartets by Robert Schuman, they won several prizes, e.g. Gramophone Award (Chamber Music – Record of the Year, 2003). The recordings of the string quartets no. 4 by Paul Hindemith and no. 5 by Béla Bartók were awarded with the Diapason d’Or 2009.

Together with Heinz Holliger and Thomas Demenga, she recorded a CD with pieces by Elliott Carter and Isang Yun. Also the recording published by the label Glossa with the Sinfonia concertante by Mozart and the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century conducted by Frans Brüggen were acclaimed.

In duo with Thomas Zehetmair she has also performed in several cultural venues. In March 2011, Manto & Madrigals, with duo pieces by composers like Béla Bartók, Heinz Holliger and Bohuslav Martinů was released. In the season 2011/2012, Ruth Killius and Thomas Zehetmair performed the  Sinfonia concertante by Mozart with the Orchestre National de Lyon, the Orquesta de Câmara Portuguesa and the Orchester des Hessischen Staatstheaters Wiesbaden.

Marcello Parolini was born in Milan, and received his diploma at the “G. Verdi” Conservatory of Milan in piano (with the highest marks) with L. Leonardi and in composition with S. Gorli and U. Rotondi, obtaining successfully his diploma in Milan.

He was permanent conductor of the “Ensemble Traiettorie Sonore” and of the Baveno Festival Ensemble. He collaborated with the group “Musica XX” and the choir of the “Nuova Polifonica Ambrosiana”. At present, he is permanent conductor of the SIMCensemble.

He has collaborated with several ensembles (Ensemble Nuove Sincronie, Divertimento Ensemble, Tactus Ensemble, Orchestra Cantelli, Orchestra Verdi etc) and has recorded for Stradivarius, Ricordi, Agorà, Eucled, Curci, RAI, Radio France and BBC.

He was awarded at several competitions, he teaches at the CSM C. Abbado in Milan. Beside his teaching activity, he is director of the Music School “Scuola Civica Cassano d’Adda”. He is often invited as jury member of the “Gianni Bergamo Classic Music Award” in Lugano and permanently plays in duo with the famous harmonica player Willi Burger.

Daniel studied with Davina van Wely, Viktor Liberman and Igor Oistrakh, and worked intensively with Herman Krebbers, Ruggiero Ricci and Ivry Gitlis. Having won various national and international prizes, including the Brahms Prize of the Brahms Society in Baden-Baden and the prestigious Oskar Back Competition at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, he made his concerto debut in 1992 performing the Tchaikovsky Concerto at the Concertgebouw. Since then, he has been recognised as a highly charismatic, expressive and versatile artist, who maintains a busy international career as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and chamber orchestra director.

As a soloist, Daniel Rowland has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, most notably the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Glinka Hall in St. Petersburg and the Gulbenkian in Lisbon, and has collaborated with noted conductors such as Andrei Boreiko, Djanzug Khakidze, Viktor Liberman, Lawrence Foster, Heinz Holliger, Francois Xavier Roth, Bernhard Gueller and Jaap van Zweden. Apart from the core classical and romantic repertoire, Daniel is an enthusiastic advocate of 20th century and contemporary music, appearing as a soloist with ensembles such as the Nieuw Ensemble, Musikfabrik and Contrechamps. Recent highlights include the Berg Kammerconcert under Heinz Holliger, Saariaho's Graaltheater and Ferneyhough's Terrain - as well as Berio's Sequenza at the Wigmore Hall.

A passionate chamber musician, Daniel has performed with artists as diverse as Ivry Gitlis, Polina Leschenko, Heinz Holliger, Dawn Upshaw, Gilles Apap, Alexander Lonquich, Priya Mitchell, Marcelo Nisinman, Michael Collins, Nicolas Daniel, Willard White and Elvis Costello. He is a frequent guest at foremost international chamber music festivals in Kuhmo, Stellenbosch, Risor, Sonoro, Beethoven Festival Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Chiemgau, Osnabrück and Oxford. The Stift International Music Festival, of which he is founder and artistic director, will see its tenth edition in August 2014. This summer festival, held at an idyllic spot in the eastern Netherlands with concerts given in a 15th century church renowned for its fine acoustics, has garnered widespread acclaim as a festival of exceptional musical intensity and intimacy.

In July 2007, Rowland joined the internationally renowned London-based Brodsky String Quartet as first violinist. The group miaintains a busy international performing schedule, in addition to its residency at Kings Place in London, and frequent recordings for Chandos.

Since 2012, Daniel is also the violinist of the acclaimed London Conchord Ensemble.

Daniel forms a recital duo with acclaimed pianist Natacha Kudritskaya. Two discs of the duo due for release in '14: 'The Paris connection' (Ravel, Debussy, Poulenc, Gerschwin & Antheil) for Gutman Records and the complete Enescu violin/piano works for Champs Hill Records. He indulges his passion for tango with ChamberJam Europe with bandoneon virtuoso Marcelo Nisinman. The group recorded it's debut disc 'Tangos del angel y del Diablo' in Berlin in June '14. Records. His recording of the Vivaldi/Piazzolla Seasons for Two Pianists Records was released to tremendous critical acclaim (“to understand the meaning of fabulous, listen to these Piazzolla Seasons"- Die Burger)

In demand as a soloist/director, Daniel has been invited to work with the Gulbenkian Orchestra (Lisbon, Portugal), the Camerata Scotland, the Tromsø Chamber Orchestra (Norway), the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa, and the London Mozart Festival Orchestra, among many others.

Daniel is professor of violin at the Royal College of Music in London and gives Masterclasses all over the world. He is also a guest concertmaster with the BBCSO, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Mahler Chamber Orchestra. His instrument is by Lorenzo Storioni, Cremona, 1776.