Alice Sara Ott & National Orchestra of Belgium

About the Event

The National Orchestra of Belgium and pianist Alice Sara Ott will perform works by Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, and Grieg at the Cankarjev Dom.

Ever since its establishment in 1936, the National Orchestra of Belgium (National Orkest van België / Orchestre National de Belgique) has given passionate performances of the great classics of the symphonic repertoire, while also bringing the same vigour to the music of its own time. Its sound has been shaped by numerous outstanding conductors, and most recently deeply marked by M. Franck and especially W. Weller, who launched a series of cycles devoted to the music of the classical giants. In 2012, the Orchestra’s new Music Director, Andrey Boreyko, known for his openness towards music of all styles, followed in the footsteps of a series of inspired conductors. 



Stefan Blunier, the Orchestra’s current Principal Guest Conductor, is also renowned for his innovative approach to programming. The Orchestra collaborates with acclaimed soloists as well as budding young artists. It enjoys a long‐established partnership with the Brussels Centre for Fine Arts and performs regularly in each of the Belgium’s provinces. Its international reputation has grown steadily, thanks to its Japanese and European tours, its innovative concerts in the world’s most prestigious concert halls and its award‐winning recordings of works by Romantic and 20th century composers.



The young German‐Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott shows promise to become a living legend. A highly sought‐after virtuoso, Ott won top prizes at numerous piano competitions already as a teenager. She has gained critical acclaim for her performances at major concert halls worldwide with her solo recitals, as a chamber music partner or soloist with the most prestigious of orchestras. Her debut orchestral recording featuring Piano Concertos by Tchaikovsky and Liszt was named Editor’s Choice in both International Piano and Classic FM Magazine. Her recent recording of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas was released in August 2011. Alice was awarded the prize for Young Artist of the Year at the Klassik Echo Awards for her Chopin recording in October 2010. Exploring the expressive spectre of the Romantic repertoire, Ott’s technique is ¬dazzling, her tone ¬wonderfully varied, from ¬crystalline purity to powerful rawness, and the energy propelling her playing seems unstoppable. The mature approach of this young executant to reading and interpreting the score is astounding.