Diyang Mei (viola)
Biography, Audio/Video, Photos, Concerto repertoire, Programmes
https://www.diyangmei.com
Biography
Harald Eggebrecht, Süddeutsche Zeitung
Ever since violist Diyang Mei’s brilliant success at the 2018 ARD International Music Competition, winning first prize in the viola category, the Audience Prize, and several special prizes, he has been steadily furthering his international career. Since 2022, he serves as 1st Principal violist of Berliner Philharmoniker.
As a soloist, Diyang Mei has performed with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, the SWR Festival Schwetzingen, the Schwarzwald Music Festival and the Mozartfest in Würzburg. He regularly collaborates with musicians such as Sir András Schiff, Belcea Quartett, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Enrico Pace, Boris Brovtsyn, Mihaela Martin, Frans Helmerson, Günter Pichler, Gerald Schultz, Ana Chumachenco, Sabine Meyer, Christoph Prégardien, Kian Soltani, Pablo Ferrández and Denis Kozhukhin among others.
Before Diyang Mei became the 1st principal viola of the Berliner Philharmoniker, he was offered the same position with the Munich Philharmonic from 2019 to 2022. He also teaches as visiting professor at the Hochschule für Musik ‘Hanns Eisler’ Berlin.
He was awarded first prizes at the 52nd International Instrumental Competition for Viola in Markneukirchen (2017), at the International Max Rostal Music Competition for Viola in Berlin (2015), at the Kulturkreis Gasteig Musikpreis for Strings in Munich (2015), at the IVC Young Artist Competition in Rochester (2012), at the 19th International Johannes Brahms Viola Competition in Austria (2012) and at the 10th International Viola and Cello Competition in Villa de Llanes, Spain (2008).
The violist’s recent Cd, titled “Viola a L’Ecole de Paris”, was released in 2022 by the label CAvI Music, a company of the Deutsche Grammophon.
Diyang Mei has studied with Hariolf Schlichtig at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich since 2014 and as of October 2019, will continue his studies with Nobuko Imai at the Kronberg Academy. He is supported by both the Yu Art Foundation in China and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust. His instrument by Antonio Mariani from 1646 is made available to him from the Stretton society.
Audio/Video
Concerto repertoire
Concerto for Viola in C minor
Concerto for Viola
Lachrymae Op. 48
Romance in F major, op. 85
Concerto for Cello in E minor (for Viola)
Concerto for Viola in B minor, op.6/12
“Der Schwanendreher”, Konzert für Viola & Kammerorchester
Concerto for Viola in D major
Potpourri op.94
Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola in E flat major K. 364
Sonate per la Grand Viola
Concerto for Viola
Monologue for Viola and Strings
Concerto for Viola in D major op.1
A string around autumn
Concerto for Viola in G major
Concerto for Viola
Andante e rondo Ungarese
Concerto for Viola in E flat major
Programme
Viola (Diyang Mei), Clarinet (Sérgio Pires), Piano (Kosuke Akimoto)
Program 1
W.A. Mozart
„Kegelstatt-Trio“ in E flat Major K 498″
R. Schumann
Märchenerzählungen Op.132
Intermission
Max Bruch
Pieces for clarinet, viola and piano Op.83 no.1-8
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Program 2
W.A. Mozart
„Kegelstatt-Trio“ in E flat Major K 498″
Trio for clarinet, viola and piano (1990)
Intermission
Duo for clarinet and viola
8 Pieces for clarinet, viola and piano, Op.83
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Viola/Piano
Program 1
Nocturne for Viola and Piano in D major Op. 42
Sonata for viola and piano in B flat major
Pause
Siete canciones populares españolas
Romeo and Juliet
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Program 2
Sonata in a minor for Arpeggione and Piano, D. 821
Sonata Op. 25 no. 4
Pause
Märchenbilder Op. 113
Sonata 1939
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Program3 (with pianist Julius Asal)
R. Clarke
Two pieces for viola and piano
I. Passacaglia II. Morpheus (13‘)
J. Brahms
Sonata for piano and viola E flat major, Op. 120/2 (22‘)
Intermission
J. Brahms
3 Intermezzi for piano, Op. 117 (15‘)
R. Clarke
Sonata for viola and piano
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Program 4
Sonata for viola and piano Op. 5 no. 3
Sonata for viola and piano
Pause
Sonata for viola and piano Op. 147
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Program 5
3 Romances Op. 22
Pirin for solo viola
Suite in Jazz Style for viola and piano
Intermission
Morpheus for viola and piano
Sonata for viola and piano
from Paradise – Siciliene
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Program 6 (with the pianist Julius Asal)
“Perspectives”
H. I. F. Biber
Passacaglia in g minor for viola (8‘)
D. Shostakovich
Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 147 (36‘)
Intermission
D. Scarlatti
Three Sonatas for piano (8‘)
D. Shostakovich
Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 40 (arr. for viola and piano) (25‘)
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