Cappella Amsterdam and Daniel Reuss
Biography Cappella Amsterdam and Daniel Reuss
Philip Mayers
The Australian-born pianist Philip Mayers is not only a sort-after Lied accompanist, chamber musician, soloist, specialist for New Music and vocal coach but is also known as a conductor, composer and brilliant presenter, arranger and performer of Cabaret and light music.
In Berlin, he regularly performs with the RIAS Kammerchor and the Rundfunkchor Berlin, with both of whom he has also recorded for CD and radio. His long association with the Berliner Kammeroper has led to productions at venues and festivals such as Maerzmusik, the Schwetzingen Festival and the Konzerthaus and Hebbeltheater in Berlin under his musical direction. Indeed, his own chamber opera "Trieste" was premiered in 1997 by the Berliner Kammeroper under his direction from the piano. He has also directed on several occasions at the Opera Festival in Schloss Rheinsberg.
Philip Mayers partners the English cabaret singer Mary Carewe in their programme "Serious Cabaret" and they have performed not only in Great Britain but also all over Europe, at venues such as the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, at the Alicante Festival for Comtemporary Music or the Winter Music Festival in Riga. Joined by Mary's sister, cellist Anna Carewe, the trio "Panama Hat Trick" performs a combination of classical, cabaret and musical theatre repertoire, presented with inimitable wit and charm by Philip at the piano.
Philip Mayers studied at the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane with Max Golding, graduating with honours and subsequently completing a post-graduate course at the Conservatorium's Opera School. Further studies led him to Philip Moll in Berlin and Zelma Bodzin in New York and he also took part in master classes with Dalton Baldwin and Geoffrey Parsons.
Daniel Reuss
born 1961 studied with Barend Schuurman at the Rotterdam Conservatory. In 1990, he became director of Cappella Amsterdam, which he turned into a full-time professional ensemble that is now one of the most sought after in the Netherlands.
From 2003 until 2006 year he was chief conductor of the RIAS Kammerchor in Berlin, with whom he recorded a number of successful CDs. Their CD with works by Martin and Messiaen (released by Harmonia Mundi) won both the "Diapason d'or de l'année 2004" and the "Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik".
The CD's Les Noces, Le vin Herbé and Händels Solomon have also been critically acclaimed (reviews Le Vin Herbé).
In summer 2006, at the invitation of Pierre Boulez, Daniel Reuss teached and conducted at the summer 2006 Lucerne Festival Academy.
In February 2007, Reuss made his debut at the English National Opera, with Händel's Agrippina. From September 2008 he is appointed artistic director and chief conductor of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir.
In 2010, he was nominated together with Cappella Amsterdam and the Estonian Philharmonic Orchestra for a Grammy for best choral performance for the recording of Martin's Golgotha (harmonia mundi).
Cappella Amsterdam
was established by Jan Boeke in 1970 and has, since 1990, been under the artistic leadership of Daniel Reuss. In recent years the choir has occupied a prominent position in the field of Dutch music and has also enjoyed great success in Europe and beyond. Cappella Amsterdam has thus played a vital role in the European Tenso Network of choirs.
Cappella Amsterdam is renowned for it’s homogenous, refined consonance and its extraordinary versatility. The choir excels in both modern repertoires as in music by the old masters and especially embraces the works of Dutch composers.
Not only does Cappella enjoys success with her own productions but also through collaborations with other renowned choirs, ensembles and orchestras. Harmonia mundi has released several CDs by Cappella Amsterdam, which have all been received with praise. ‘Lux Aeterna’, for instance, which included works by Görgy Ligeti and Robert Heppener, was crowned with the ‘Diapason d’Or de l’année 2009’. The productions of Sweelinck and Frank Martin’s Golgotha (released by the same label in 2010) also welcomed rave revues.
In November of 2009 Cappella Amsterdam won the VSCD Klassieke Muziekprijs in the category ‘most impressive achievement of a small (chamber) ensemble’. The choir has again been recognised in 2010 and was been shortlisted for the Amsterdam prize for the Arts, the Edison Classical Listeners award and the VSCD Classical Music award. For a recording of Martin's Golgotha, conducted by Daniel Reuss, the choir was nominated together with the Estonian Philharmonic Orchestra for a Grammy for best choral performance.
