Berlin Confidential presents an evening at the intersection of contemporary classical music, electronics and orchestral sound, featuring cellists Georgy Gusev and Ivan Skanavi, composer and electronic musician Sven Helbig, and the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin.
The programme includes Tres Momentos by Sven Helbig for string orchestra and electronics, alongside the world premiere of Silentium, a concerto for solo cello and string orchestra by Georgy Gusev. The concert brings together distinct artistic voices and explores the expressive possibilities of the cello, string ensemble and live electronic sound.
Georgy Gusev is a composer, cellist, documentary filmmaker and inventor. He studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. His international career has included appearances at major festivals and collaborations with Natalia Gutman, Jordi Savall, Yo-Yo Ma, Giovanni Sollima, Enrico Dindo and Mario Brunello. He has also worked with Randy Jackson, Mark Mancina, Walter Afanasieff and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. His solo cello cycle Traveler’s Diary was later used for several programmes by Italian broadcaster RAI. In 2018, he made his Carnegie Hall debut as both composer and performer.
Sven Helbig composes for choir, orchestra and chamber ensemble, combining classical techniques with experimental electronics. His debut album Pocket Symphonies was released by Deutsche Grammophon and introduced his work to an international audience. He has appeared at venues including the Barbican Centre, Southbank Centre, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. His music has been performed by the BBC Singers, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.
Ivan Skanavi, winner of the 2022 Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann, is regarded as one of the leading cellists of his generation. He has performed at the Verbier Festival, Kronberg Festival and Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and with ensembles including the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. He plays a 1720 cello by the Venetian maker Matteo Goffriller.
Founded in 1989, the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin is an established part of Berlin’s cultural life. Under the artistic direction of concertmaster Gabriel Adorján, the ensemble performs repertoire from the Baroque to the present day, with a strong commitment to contemporary music, artistic discovery and musical education.
