Nigel Kennedy is, without a doubt, one of the most dazzling eccentrics of the classical music scene and is at the same time acknowledged as one of the world’s leading violin virtuosos. At the age of seven Kennedy was spotted by the great Yehudi Menuhin, who offered him a scholarship at the Yehudi Menuhin School and agreed to pay all of his fees. From the age of 16, he studied under celebrated teacher Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He was also repeatedly invited to appear with leading jazz violoinist Stéphane Grappelli, who introduced him to jazz improvisation.

Kennedy’s international career took off with his performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in London’s Royal Festival Hall in 1977 with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Riccardo Muti. Since then, he has been a household name and one of the most sought-after violinists of our time. Three years later, in 1980, he made his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker, followed by regular appearances with both the Berliner Philharmoniker and many of the world’s top orchestras and directors.

His legendary version of Vivaldi’s »Four Seasons« was released in 1990, which at over 5 million copies is the best-selling classical album ever. Kennedy’s first highly acclaimed recording of Elgar’s Violin Concerto was named »Record of the Year« by »Gramophone Magazine« in 1985. His second Vivaldi album with the Berliner Philharmoniker won an ECHO Klassik in the category »best rendering of 18th century music« and the highest Austrian award for classical music, the Amadeus Award. Kennedy’s recordings of the concertos by Bach, Beethoven, Berg, Brahms, Bruch, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky and Walton have all been best-sellers, likewise his chamber music recordings and recital CDs. As a musician who is always testing his limits, Kennedy returned to his artistic roots and again took on Vivaldi’s »Four Seasons« a good quarter of a century after the first recording. The result of this project was the album »The New Four Seasons« released on the Sony Classical label in 2015. In 2016, the CD »My World« was released by Neue Meister / edel and in 2018 Warner Classics brought out the CD »Kennedy meets Gershwin«.

Following his period as Musical Director and Conductor at the Stettin Opera House, Tomasz Tokarczyk has been Musical Director at the Krakow Opera House since 2004. He studied the violin and conducting at the Krakow Music Academy, where he has been working as a tutor since 2017. Tomasz Tokarczyk has already received numerous awards and medals for his musical output, including the Honoris Gratia, the Gloria Artis, the Polonia Minor and the 2020 Theatre Prize for the best conductor in Poland.

To date, this conductor has already conducted over 600 opera performances and many symphony and oratorio performances. He works regularly with many international music institutions such as Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland, the Russian Opera and Ballet Theatre in Chelyabinsk, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra in Norway as well as Polish orchestras, including the Warsaw Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Beethoven Academy Orchestra in Krakow and the Baltic Opera Orchestra in Gdansk. In addition, Tokarczyk has conducted a number of recordings for film, television and theatre.

Born and raised in the Australian state of Queensland, Glenn Christensen is now a sought after soloist, chamber musician and guest soloist, both at home and abroad. Since 2020 he has been deputy concert master and leader of the 2nd violins with the Deutsche Kammer­philharmonie Bremen, before which he was a full-time member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Between 2012 and 2014, he was first violin with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.  In the 2023 season, this violinist will make guest appearances as leader of the 2nd violins with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and as deputy concert master of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

In addition, Glenn Christensen has also appeared many times as soloist with the Deutschen Kammer­philharmonie Bremen, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. His performances have been broadcast live on ABC Classic FM. In addition, this musician has received a number of accolades including the Conservatorium Medal, the Music Medal and the University medal – and is also the first to receive all three awards. He has won the Kendall National Violin Competition and, as a member of the Lyrebird Trio, he also won the audience prize and the Piano Trio prize at the Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition.  In 2018, Glenn Christensen founded a successful annual music festival in his hometown – the Mackay Chamber Music Festival.