Skopje, 8 February 2024 (MIA) - The Philharmonic Orchestra will perform on Thursday a concert entitled "Togetherness", conducted by Conrad van Alphen from the Netherlands and featuring violinist Sophie Heinrich (Austria), pianist Marija Vrshkova (North Macedonia) and cellist Meehae Ryo (Korea) as soloists.

According to the Philharmonic in a press release, the concert program includes the Concerto for violin, cello and piano in C major, Op. 56 by Ludwig van Beethoven and Symphonie Fantastique Op.14 by Hector Berlioz. 

Conrad van Alphen is the founder, artistic director and chief conductor of the Rotterdam Symphony Orchestra. He has led orchestras such as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgarter Philharmoniker, Bochumer Symphoniker, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Berliner Symphoniker, Russian National Orchestra, Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Bogota Philharmonic, Enescu Philharmonic Bucharest, Budapest Symphony Orchestra Mav, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu and others.

Van Alphen was born and bred in South Africa. After moving to the Netherlands at the age of 26 he joined the double bass section of the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Beethoven Academie Antwerp while continuing his conducting studies.

Sophie Heinrich began playing the violin at the age of four and has been performing on stage ever since. Important teachers during her studies included Prof. Antje Weithaas (HfM "Hanns Eisler" Berlin) and Prof. Thomas Brandis, with whom she completed her postgraduate studies in his soloist class at the University of Music Lübeck with top marks and whose assistant she was until his death.

She received additional musical inspiration from Gidon Kremer, Midori, Reinhard Goebel, Isabelle van Keulen and the Artemis Quartet, among others.

She is a winner and prize-winner of several international competitions. In 2008, she won the Possehl Music Prize of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck. In 2009, she attracted attention as the best German among the last six violinists in the semi-finals of the ARD competition at the Herkulessaal in Munich.

Marija Vrshkova was born in Bitola where she completed her primary and secondary music education. She graduated from the Faculty of Music Arts - Skopje with the highest grade at the university level - "CUM LAUDA" in the class of Prof. T. Svetiev where she completes her master studies in piano. During her education she has won several awards within the former Yugoslavia, and the most important international award is the Third Prize at the International Competition for Young Pianists in Rome - Italy. She has participated in numerous seminars in piano and chamber music, and several times as the only representative of the country in the World Youth Orchestra where she collaborates with top conductors and soloists. Vrshkova has a special affinity for contemporary music, mastering the latest piano techniques. She has realized over 50 world premieres of solo and chamber works, not only by Macedonian, but also by foreign authors.

Meehae Ryo has earned high praises for her top-notch performances. Some of the highlight of her performance are with forever queen of all pianist Martha Argerich in Tonhalle Zuerich and the violin virtuoso Schlomo Mintz in Liszt Hall Budapest.

At the young age of six, Meehae had her first cello lesson. She has won all national competitions, stirring her ambition to study abroad in order to grow her musical abilities in the best musical school. She accepted a place at Julliard School at the age of sixteen, then completed her studies with DMA degree at the University of Michigan, preparing her to become a true musician. She is one of the most preferred cellists, performing with numerous orchestras, such as the Berliner Symphony Orchestra, Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Slovak Radio Philharmonic,  Israel Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Roma Symphony Orchestra, Malta Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Korean Symphony Orchestra, Bucheon Symphony, Daegu Philharmonic Orchestra, Wonju Philharmonic, Jeju Prime Philharmonic, Cheonju Symphony, Suwon Philharmonic, Kyounggi Philhamronic,  and more. In 2013, Meehae recorded and released her album through Deutsche Grammophon, where she recorded Saint-Saëns and Elgar cello concerto. Currently, she is living in Vienna, Austria. She is actively performing over 30 orchestra concerts a year as a concert cellist and holds the title of Artistic Director of IMK.

Photo: Philharmonic