The superb duo of cellist Raphaela Gromes and pianist Julian Riem will performing in Dublin venues this April with an eclectic programme featuring pieces by Rossini and Offenbach, amongst others.

Raphaela Gromes is an extraordinary young cellist who has quickly garnered a slew of rave reviews for the incredible intimacy of her playing, her musical imagination and thrilling virtuosity. Add to this her symbiotic duets with partner pianist Julian Riem, and audiences can anticipate a truly inspiring evening, with events at St Finian’s Church Dublin 2 on Wednesday 3rd April and at Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire on Sunday 7th April.

Celebrated by the press as one of the greatest cellists of her generation, Raphaela Gromes gave her first public performance at age 7 and her first solo with orchestra performance at age 14. Winner of many international prizes, Raphaela has performed extensively throughout Europe in prestigious venues like the Tonhalle Zurich, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Konzerthaus Berlin and Konzerthaus Wien, and several composers have already dedicated cello concertos to her, including Valentin Bachmann and Mario Bürki.

Julian Riem is a renowned soloist and multi-award-winning pianist, who was declared by Béroff to be one of the “most promising pianists of his generation”. Since then he has appeared with many of Europe’s leading orchestras and performs regularly in Europe, Japan and the USA. He is a passionate advocate of contemporary music and sought-after chamber musician: in addition to his work with Raphaela Gromes, he is a member of the Munich Horn Trio and the Velit Quartet.

Raphaela and Julian have been performing and recording music together since 2012, with recordings including ‘Serenata Italiana’ (2017), focused on lesser known but stunningly beautiful Italian compositions, including the Busoni and Martucci pieces which they will perform on this tour. The second half of the concert is inspired by Raphaela’s latest album, “Hommage à Rossini” from 2018, including Rossini’s Une Larme, one of his most beautiful compositions and the only one originally written for cello and piano. Hommage à Rossini by Jacque Offenbach had been believed lost, but Raphaela’s curiosity was piqued upon learning about the work, and after a two-year search with the help of Offenbach specialist Jean-Christophe Keck, Offenbach’s Hommage à Rossini, originally written for cello and orchestra, was pieced back together.

Programme

Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924), Serenata for cello and piano in G minor, Op. 34, BV196
Giuseppe Martucci (1856-1909), Sonata for cello and piano in F-sharp minor, Op. 52
Kevin Volans (b. 1949), “cello:piano 2” in C Major (New Music Network Commission)
Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868), Une Larme, Theme and Variations for cello and piano
Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868), 3 songs from “Soirées musicales” (5. L’invito, 7. La gita in gondola, 8. La danza)
Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880), Hommage à Rossini
Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959), Variations on a theme of Rossini in D Major, H.290

Dublin Performances

Wednesday 3rd April, 8pm, St. Finian’s Church, Dublin 2, €20 / €15 / €10, 01-4750224 / www.musicnetwork.ie, promoted by Music Network

Sunday 7th April, 8pm, Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, €20 / €18 / €10, 01-2312929 / www.paviliontheatre.ie

Music Network tours are funded by the Arts Council.

What the critics have said

“Gromes combines sincere expression and needlepoint brilliance” – Gramophone
“Stylish piano playing” – Gramophone [on Riem]
“I was so impressed listening to the Gromes Riem Duo performing the Debussy Sonata” – Yo-Yo Ma
“A truly exciting and brilliant delivery” – The Strad [Gromes/Riem CD review]