Kazuki Yamada and Vadim Repin: stars of classical music

At the age of 40, Kazuki Yamada is regarded as one of the most outstanding and important figures in music today. He has progressed rapidly from the category of ‘young rising stars’ to the ‘elite league’ of symphony, opera, and choral conductors. After winning the Besançon Conducting Competition in 2009, he secured several prestigious engagements in Europe, including serving as Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande for several years. Kazuki Yamada is currently Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also accepted an invitation to become Principal Guest Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and works with several orchestras and choirs in Japan on a regular basis: he is Principal Guest Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, regularly conducts the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, and is Musical Director and Chairman of the Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus. He also serves as Musical Director of the Yokohama Sinfonietta, which he founded when he was a student. The legendary Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa provided great support to his young colleague, helping him to develop his professional career and expand the geographical range of his appearances. In turn, Kazuki Yamada performs every summer with students of the Seiji Ozawa International Music Academy, which is based in Switzerland.

Vadim Repin enjoys a stellar reputation in the musical world. People were already talking about the violinist when he was still a child and studying with Zakhar Bron in Novosibirsk. He was the youngest-ever winner of the international Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels and holds numerous other prestigious titles and awards. He is now at the peak of his maturity and professional mastery. The poetry and sensitivity of his interpretations, along with his temperament and superb technique, are the main features of Repin’s unique style. Vadim Repin is the Artistic Director of the Trans-Siberian Art Festival, which he founded in 2014. Since then, the festival has become an impressive forum that transcends geographical and political boundaries, affirming the values of refined culture. The Mikhailovsky Theatre concert is part of this year’s festival programme.