Dimitri Ashkenazi and Gudni Emilsson

On October 1st, the Sofia Philharmonic welcomes two exceptional musicians – the world-renowned clarinetist Dimitri Ashkenazi and conductor Gudni Emilsson. The evening at the "Bulgaria" hall will be marked by classical elegance with music from Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Schubert.

The concert begins with the overture "Return from Abroad" by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, written after the composer’s great European journey and filled with a sense of nostalgia, youth, and romantic energy.

At the center of the program is one of the most beloved concertos for wind instrument – the Clarinet Concerto in A major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The last instrumental concerto of the genius composer is a true love letter to the clarinet – a work where virtuosity gives way to the beauty of sound, and the famous Adagio remains one of the most moving melodies in all of classical music.

The soloist of the evening will be the Icelandic clarinetist Dimitri Ashkenazi – representative of one of the most famous musical families of our time. Born in New York, raised and living in Switzerland, he is the son of the legendary pianist and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazi and Icelandic pianist Dodi Johannsdottir. His international career takes him to the most prestigious stages around the world. As a soloist, he has worked with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, the Czech and Japanese Philharmonics, and his artistry and rich sound inspire numerous contemporary composers to create works specifically for him. The meeting with the Sofia Philharmonic is a rare opportunity for the Bulgarian audience to hear a musician who carries not only a brilliant international career but also the legacy of one of the most iconic musical dynasties of our time.

The second part of the evening is dedicated to Franz Schubert’s Fourth Symphony, known as the "Tragic". Written by the composer at just nineteen years old, it reveals an unusual dramatic depth for his age and foreshadows the future symphonic genius of the author of the "Unfinished".

At the conductor’s podium will stand Gudni Emilsson – one of the most significant figures in contemporary musical life in Iceland. After training in Germany, he builds an impressive international career as the founder and long-time principal conductor of the Thailand Philharmonic and artistic director of the Tübingen Chamber Orchestra. He has toured in over forty countries across four continents and has worked with some of the best orchestras. In 2018, he received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Kazakh National University of Arts for his contribution to international musical exchange and the development of young musicians.