The Philharmonics

Take four members of the Vienna Philharmonic, one member of the Berlin Philharmonic and add two extraordinarily gifted brothers: together they form one of the most sensational ensembles in the world of music – The Philharmonics.

Their highly adept, crowd-pulling performances are informed by the sound culture and earnestness of the Wiener Philharmoniker. The seven musicians offer their classical sound, phrasing and virtuosity to the inexhaustible treasures of folk music, ethnic inspiration, intriguing dances and the magic of improvisation.

The native Slovak Tibor Kováč – founder, primus inter pares and chief arranger of “The Philharmonics” – is a distillate of all graces hailing from the Austro-Hungarian multi-ethnic state. As a striking, salient first violinist of the Wiener Philharmoniker, he also delivers virtuoso performances around the globe in various continents. He epitomises the quintessence of the idea behind this troupe of musicians: founded by orchestra musicians in 2007 during a guest performance of the Wiener Philharmoniker in Japan, they integrate the various styles into a whole. They perform classical pieces and have provided stunning arrangements of large orchestrated pieces for orchestras. Yet they also trace the roots of the classical to the folk music of Vienna and the Balkan, to the Klezmer and gypsy tradition (which could still be termed as such at the time). In so doing, they will not stand being limited by the boundaries of European music making: “The Philharmonics” are also masters of the tango and of Latin jazz, in which major classical works of the 20th century find their origin. Since 2007, the “glorious seven” appeared, among others, in festivals in Vienna, Paris, Munich; furthermore, Maestro Riccardo Muti invited them to perform in his hometown Ravenna and thanks to Maestro Valery Gergiev, they played at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.

The line-up of ensemble musicians showcases the idea of the musical formation and the multi-cultural quality of the Wiener Philharmoniker. Violinist Roman J?no?ka (born in Bratislava) got a classical education, but is held in equal high esteem by fellow Jazz musicians for combining traditional and contemporary styles so artfully; viola player Thilo Fechner is German and a notable chamber musician; cellist Stephan Koncz, who has since joined the Berliner Philharmoniker, and solo clarinettist Daniel Ottensamer, who is blessed with the background of a philharmonic dynasty, are all from Viennese families with Hungarian ingredients; the Budapest-born Ödön Rácz is a member of a vast family of renowned Wiener Philharmoniker bassists and double bass soloists. Slovak pianist František Jánoška, finally – a brilliant, stylistically confident improviser and soloist – rounds out the ensemble, which, in its formation and singularity, may be conceded to be truly unique.

Since the 2011-12 season “The Philharmonics” have their own subscription concerts in the Wiener Konzerthaus. In late 2011 their DVD “Waltzes” was released on the Accentus label and on January 2nd, 2012 their new album “Fascination Dance” will be published by Deutsche Grammophon.

Furthermore, the Philharmonics will be featured within a film during the intermission of the 2012 New Year‘s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.