Ingolf Wunder

»Subtle, poetic playing. One would almost have to go back 80 years to Ignaz Friedmann's recordings to find something remotely similar . . . Personal and authentic, yet without inappropriate idiosyncrasy. The improvisational character that shapes this music and Wunder's strict conception of form and tempo enter into a fascinating connection.« National Public Radio (Houston) [Review of his Chopin CD] »From the outset, the Austrian was controlled, consistent, secure, and professional. Above all, however, he possessed that special subtle magic, and even before the last chord faded, applause erupted.« The Gramophone [Review of the 2010 Warsaw Competition] Ingolf Wunder attracted worldwide attention when he won second prize and several special prizes at the 2010 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw – including for the best concerto and the best Polonaise-Fantaisie. Born in Klagenfurt in 1985, Ingolf Wunder received his first music lessons at the age of four. He initially played the violin and had already reached a high level on this instrument when a teacher recognized the extraordinary pianistic talent of the then 14-year-old and urged him to devote himself entirely to piano playing. Soon thereafter, Wunder made his debut in the Schubert Hall of the Vienna Konzerthaus. He studied at the conservatories of Klagenfurt and Linz and completed his degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. Mentored by Adam Harasiewicz, who won the Chopin Competition in 1955, he is currently continuing his studies in Vienna. Before Warsaw, Ingolf Wunder had already won first prize in several competitions, for example in Turin (European Music Competition), Hamburg (Steinway Competition), Feldkirch ("prima la musica"), Asti (Concours Musical de France), Casarza ("VI Trofeo Internazionale") and Budapest (Liszt Competition); he has also performed throughout Europe, Asia, and America. In early 2011, Ingolf Wunder, together with the other prize winners of the 2010 Chopin Competition, undertook an extraordinarily successful Japan tour with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Antoni Wit. This was followed by recitals in St. Petersburg, Vancouver, Barboursville (Virginia), and throughout Europe. His engagements in 2012 included Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (Antoni Wit) and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra (Vladimir Ashkenazy); Chopin's Concerto No. 1 with the Munich Symphony Orchestra, the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, hr-Sinfonieorchester, Orchestra of the Salzburg Mozarteum, and New Russia Symphony Orchestra (Yuri Bashmet); furthermore, recitals in Austria, China, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Spain, and Switzerland. Planned for 2013 are Chopin's Concerto No. 1 with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (Wit; Germany tour), and the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra; Tchaikovsky's Concerto No. 1 with the Basel Symphony Orchestra (Dennis Russell Davies); Beethoven's Concerto No. 4 with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (Kazushi Ono, in Vienna and on Japan tour); in addition, recitals in Germany (including at the Berlin Philharmonie), Austria (including at the Vienna Musikverein), Italy, Poland, and Spain. In January 2011, Ingolf Wunder became an exclusive artist of Deutsche Grammophon. His first recording under the new contract, a program of solo works by Chopin, was released in June of that year. His new album, "300" – featuring works by Scarlatti, Mozart, Chopin, Koczalski, Liszt, Debussy, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Moszkowski, Horowitz, Morricone, and Williams – is scheduled for release in January 2013. 11/2012