TrioVanBeethoven
Why van Beethoven? Beethoven stands for independence of mind, for revolutionary ideas, for music that reaches far beyond his own time. Beethoven was a lone wolf, but at the same time the central figure to begin new traditions of composing that influenced many of his successors.
Beethoven as a symbol of the three musicians’ closeness to the works of Viennese Classic, but also as a visionary and the creator of a new mode of composition – this fits in with the main mission of the TrioVanBeethoven: the care of the classical trio works, but also the commissioning of new compositions or crossover projects.
In its foundation year in 2011, the Trio held its debut at the renowned Festival Tage der Alten Musik in Herne (Germany). Since then, the ensemble has performed in many countries throughout Europe, in Canada and the US, as well as in China and Iran. They have appeared at the Vienna Konzerthaus, Brucknerfest Linz, Lisztfestival Raiding, Sommerklänge Grafenegg, Festwochen Gmunden, Musikwochen Millstatt, Allegro vivo Festival, Haydn Festival Bruhl (DE), in London Kings Place, Glasgow and Edinburgh (GB), at the Pažaislis Music Festival in Kaunas (LT), Haydn Biennale in Mechelen (BE), Festival Nuova Consonanza in Rome (IT), Festival Imago Sloveniae in Ljubljana (SL), International Chamber Music Festival in Esbjerg (DK) and Festival Rencontres Musicales en Artois (FR).
From 2014 to 2018, the TrioVanBeethoven presented a concert series in Upper Austria (Kremsegg Castle), since 2017 they offer a subscription series in the „MuTh“ concert hall in Vienna.
For the renowned Austrian label Gramola the ensemble has released all of Beethoven’s piano trios on 4 CDs. This recording has been awarded the Ö1 Pasticcio-Prize by Austrian Classical Radio in 2017.
In July 2018 a CD comprising Scottish, Irish and Welsh folksong arrangements by Beethoven with Lorna Anderson, soprano and Jamie MacDougall, tenor, has come out again for the label Gramola.
Clemens Zeilinger, 2011/12 “Artist in Residence” at the Brucknerhaus Linz, ranks among Austria’s leading pianists. He was the winner of the European Youth Music Competition in Antwerp and won awards at the European Chamber Music Competition in The Hague and at the Beethoven Competition in Vienna.
As a soloist, he has performed with renowned orchestras such as the Orchestra of the Royal Academy in London, the Bruckner Orchester Linz, the Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg and the Tonkünstler - Orchester Niederösterreich. He has given concerts in many European countries, in the USA and Japan as well as in Korea, Morocco, Iran and Oman.
In 2008, Clemens Zeilinger played all of Beethoven’s piano sonatas at the Brucknerhaus in Linz, and in 2010 he presented a series of Schubert’s piano works at the same venue.
He teaches at the University of Music in Vienna and at the Anton-Bruckner-University in Linz.
Verena Stourzh was a member of the Haydn Trio Eisenstadt from 1998 to its disbanding in 2010 and has an impressive record of concert appearances worldwide.
With the Haydn Trio Eisenstadt Verena Stourzh released complete CD-recordings of the piano trios by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert as well as the first complete recording of Haydn’s 429 folksong arrangements of Scottish and Welsh folk songs (with Lorna Anderson, soprano and Jamie MacDougall, tenor).
In 2009, the Haydn commemorative year, Verena Stourzh played a violin by Antonio Stradivari, Cremona 1714, loaned to her by the Austrian National Bank.
As a soloist, she has appeared with the Tonkünstler - Orchester Niederösterreich, Bruckner Orchester Linz, Musikkollegium Winterthur and Brasilia Symphony Orchestra.
Verena Stourzh performs on violins of Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi, 1770, and Patrick Robin, 2003.
Florian Berner has been a guest in the world's most renowned music centers for over two decades: concert tours have taken him to Carnegie Hall NY, Cité des Arts in Paris, Konzerthaus and Musikverein Vienna, to the Berlin Philharmonic, Suntory Hall Tokyo and to the Schubertiade festivals, Colmar and Lockenhaus.
The special prize from the Vienna Philharmonic, the European Chamber Music Prize and an ICMA nomination also document his successful musical career.
Numerous CDs have been released on the labels DG, Decca, CamJazz, VMS and Perfect Noise, including an enthusiastically received recording of the 6 Bach Suites for solo cello in 2023.
Florian Berner is a founding member of the Hugo Wolf Quartet, the Alban Berg Ensemble Vienna and has been cellist of the TrioVanBeethoven since 2024.
He is professor for cello and chamber music at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna.
Florian Berner plays a cello by Nicolò Gagliano, Naples 1819.