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Artist WebsiteBIOGRAPHY
"Is the young pianist the discovery of the year?" asked the classical music magazine Crescendo – and answered in the affirmative. The reviewers of the magazine Concerti also consider her to be "on her way right to the top". The German-Greek pianist Danae Doerken belongs to the elite of a new generation of internationally sought-after artists and captivates audiences and fellow musicians alike with her breathtaking technique, exceptional stage presence and musical depth.
Danae Doerken was already supported by Yehudi Menuhin when she was seven years old and caught the attention of audiences in leading European concert halls early on with "her sparkling joy of playing" (Kölner Stadt- Anzeiger). After studying with the internationally revered piano pedagogue Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and with the renowned soloist and teacher Lars Vogt, she is now a regular guest with leading orchestras such as the Orchestre de chambre de Paris, the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester, the Münster Symphony Orchestra, the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin, the Philharmonie Baden-Baden, the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the Nordic Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Norrlandsoperan Symphony, the Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg and the Staatskapelle Weimar.
Danae Doerken has performed at London's Wigmore Hall, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Mozarteum Salzburg, the Tonhalle Zurich, the Bozar in Brussels, the Megaron in Athens, the Brucknerhaus Linz, the Philharmonie Köln, the Gasteig Munich, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, the Tonhalle Düsseldorf, the Alte Oper Frankfurt and the Beethoven-Haus Bonn. She regularly performs at important festivals such as the Kissinger Sommer, the Schwetzinger Festspiele, LuganoMusica, the Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival, the Dresdner Musikfestspiele, the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the GAIA Music Festival, the Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker and the prestigious chamber music festival "Spannungen" in Heimbach.
The 2024/25 season is full of highlights for Danae Doerken. She will appear at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York with her long-time chamber music partner Sebastian Manz. As a piano soloist, she will perform Gershwin's Piano Concerto and de Falla's Nights in Spanish Gardens in concert with the Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto with the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz and Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto with the Bad Reichenhall Philharmonic Orchestra. She has also been invited to return to the orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin, where she will perform the piano part in Scriabin's Prometheus under the baton of James Gaffigan.
As part of a piano duo with her sister Kiveli, she will be performing at numerous concerts, including some at the Festspielfrühling Rügen, the spring festival forming part of the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where in addition she will also be performing with percussionist Alexei Gerassimez.
The album GLASS TWO, a joint project with the Luxembourg vibraphonist and composer Pascal Schumacher, will be released at the end of 2024. This programme of works by Philip Glass and Schumacher will be performed at the Elbphilharmonie and other venues.
On the occasion of the 100th birthday of the Greek national composer Mikis Theodorakis in 2025, a very personal album by Danae Doerken will be released on the Berlin Classics / EDEL label. It will include Theodorakis' Piano Concerto Helikon and his First Suite for Piano and Orchestra, recorded with the Staatskapelle Weimar conducted by Kornilios Michailidis.
Last year, Danae Doerken released the duo CD Apollo & Dionysus (Berlin Classics) with her sister Kiveli and three albums with the French oboist Philippe Tondre on the Klarthe label. Her landmark CD recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 and Mendelssohn's rarely heard Second Piano Concerto with the Royal Northern Sinfonia under Lars Vogt received glowing reviews. In 2012, Danae Doerken released her debut album of works by Leoš Janáček. Her solo CD with Fantasies by Schumann, Schubert and C.P.E. Bach (ARS Production) won the ICMA Award. Her latest album Odyssee (Berlin Classics) was received with critical acclaim and nominated for several international music awards.
Danae and Kiveli Doerken founded the Molyvos International Music Festival on the Greek island of Lesbos in 2015. In addition to the large annual summer festival, they organize benefit concerts and events throughout Germany in which the festival's artists (including Sebastian Manz, Marlis Petersen, Linus Roth and Maximilian Hornung) participate. Danae Doerken's commitment to Greece, to supporting refugees and to strengthening the musical connections between Greece and Germany have repeatedly been the subject of reports on the TV programmes tttand 3sat kulturzeit, as well as on the broadcasting station WDR and in numerous other media.
PROGRAMS
HELIKON (version one)
Shostakovich – Dances of the Dolls
Theodorakis – Melos (excerpt)
Kalomiris – 5 Préludes
- Intermission -
Debussy – Images I
Shostakovich – 3 Fantastic Dances, Op. 5
Theodorakis –
“Margarita Magiopoula” / “Margarita, Daughter of May”
“Ena to Helidoni” / “‘tis one Swallow”
“Asma Asmaton” / “Song of Songs”
“Tis Dikeosinis Ilie” / “Sun of Justice”
“Strose to Stroma sou” / “Make your bed”
“Itan 18 Noemvri” / “On the Eighteenth day of November”
“To Gelasto Paidi” - “The Laughing Boy”
This program is a celebration of my Greek heritage and explores the world of Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, who is not only an important musical figure, but rather a true hero of the people, who fought for freedom above all and endured great hardships while doing so. His songs reflect exactly that sentiment and remind us why freedom is such a fundamental value that is worth fighting for, while his “Melos” showcase his influence by Greek composer Manolis Kalomiris and Claude Debussy, as well as his contemporary, Dimitri Shostakovich.
HELIKON (version two)
Theodorakis –
“Itan 18 Noemvri” / “On the Eighteenth day of November”
“To Gelasto Paidi” / “The Laughing Boy”
“Margarita Magiopoula” / “Margarita, Daughter of May”
“Ena to Helidoni” / “‘tis one Swallow”
Schumann – Fantasiestücke, Op. 12
- intermission -
Theodorakis –
“Asma Asmaton” / “Song of Songs”
“Tis Dikeosinis Ilie” / “Sun of Justice”
“Strose to Stroma sou” / “Make your bed”
Fazil Say – Black Earth (“Kara Toprak”)
Liszt – Rigoletto Paraphrase
This program is a celebration of my Greek heritage and explores the world of Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, who is not only an important musical figure, but rather a true hero of the people, who fought for freedom above all and endured great hardships while doing so. His songs reflect exactly that sentiment and remind us why freedom is such a fundamental value that is worth fighting for, while Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Say’s “Black Earth” and Liszt’s “Rigoletto paraphrase”, like the songs, very similarly tell moving stories through music within their own very different harmonic world.
Odyssey
Fazil Say – Black Earth (“Kara Toprak”)
Debussy – Sirènes from Trois Nocturnes, L. 91
Liszt – Au lac de Wallenstadt (from Années de pèlerinages)
Liszt – Das Wandern, S. 565
Mendelssohn – Fantasy, Op. 28
- Intermission -
Kinan Azmeh – Waiting for Friday
Manos Hatzidakis – Waltz of Lost Dreams
Schumann – Fantasiestücke, Op. 12
Homer’s epos of Odysseus and his journey from Troy back home is a tale as old as time that stands for the greatness of human endurance, strength and ingenuity. The mindset of never giving up and overcoming all adversity and even godly obstacles is the basis of this mythical story, but its message is relatable to the most current of events.
Turkish composer Fazil Say’s “Black Earth” (composed in 2007) is based on a famous Turkish song titled “Kara Toprak” and marks the beginning of this Odyssey, symbolizing the cycle of life and the fact that we are all equal. One of the most famous obstacles that Odysseus has to overcome on his journey are the Sirens, mythical creatures that, with their beautiful voices, lure sailors to their islands and subsequently to their doom. Claude Debussy brought these creatures to life in his Nocturne “Sirènes”, the last of 3 Nocturnes composed between 1892-1899. Originally written for orchestra, today’s arrangement for piano solo was made by Gustave Samazeuilh. The “Waltz of Lost Dreams” by Manos Hatzidakis (composed in 1983) is a famous Greek song that awakes feelings of hopefulness amidst difficult circumstances. The final work of the program is Felix Mendelssohn’s Fantasy op. 28 (composed in 1834), also titled “Scottish Sonata”. The piece was strongly influenced by his travels through Scotland and, once again, depicts how we are transformed through internal and external journeys. Let us all embark on this Odyssey together and, in pursuit of Ithaca, cherish every moment - easy and difficult - in order to realize that the journey itself is the destination.
Songs and Images
Schumann – Forest Scenes, Op. 82
Schubert – Fantasy in C Major, Op. 15 “Der Wanderer”
- Intermission -
Debussy – Images I
Bartók – Romanian Folk Dances, BB 68
Liszt – Love Dream No. 3
Liszt – Paraphrase on Verdi’s Rigoletto
This program combines works that were inspired by sounds and melodies the composers heard as well as images the composers saw. Schumann’s Forest Scenes are short musical depictions of nine settings he experienced when walking through the forest, while Schubert’s Fantasy Op. 15 is based on his own famous song “Der Wanderer” that speaks about trying to find happiness. Claude Debussy’s impressionist music is an accurate description of three images through sound, while Bartòk’s Romanian Folk Dances were influenced by folk tunes that he heard on the street. The program ends with two famous works by Liszt, his Love Dream No. 3 and his Rigoletto-Paraphrase, which is composed around four different melodies that stand for four different characters from his own opera “Rigoletto” that sing together in harmonious unity.
East and West
EAST
Chopin – Polonaise, Op. 26, No. 1
Kalomiris – Nocturne OR Liszt – Paraphrase on Verdi’s Rigoletto
Kalomiris – 5 Preludes OR Liszt – Love Dream No. 3
Bartók – Romanian Folk Dances, BB 68
- Intermission -
WEST
Schubert – 12 Ländler, D 790
Grieg – Wedding Day at Troldhaugen
Poulenc – Huit Nocturnes, FP 56 OR Debussy – Images I
Manuel de Falla – Danse Rituelle du Feu
East and West embodies Danae Dörken’s feeling that our diversity is what ultimately brings us together and gives us enormous strength. All of the works in this program share the commonality of being heavily influenced by folk music traditions of different countries around the world. The folkloristic character of these compositions highlights the individual elements of each culture that render the pieces unique and underscore the necessity for them to be loved and remembered forever.
Chopin’s Polonaise in C-sharp minor embeds the melancholy of the tunes of polish folk music, while Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances feature the unusual rhythms of the Transylvanian peasant polka. Schubert’s 12 Ländler reflect the melodies of alpine folk dances, while Danza ritual del fuego by de Falla is reminiscent of guitar performers that can be heard in village squares in Spain. Grieg’s inspiration for Wedding Day at Troldhaugen came from the mighty chords that characterise Norwegian folklore and Manolis Kalomiris’ compositions are influenced by Greek folk music. At first glance, the Huit Nocturnes by the French neoclassical composer Francis Poulenc might seem a little out of place, but while this composition is not directly influenced by folk music, the simplistic elegance of the Nocturnes render them ideal counterparts to the remaining pieces on the program.
Apollo & Dionysus
**4-hand Recital Program**
Schubert – Fantasy in f minor, Op.103 D.940
De Falla – “La vida breve” Dos Danzas
Ravel – Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2
- Intermission -
Mendelssohn (arr. Carl Czerny) – Song Without Words, Op. 38 No. 6 “Duetto” in A flat major
Mendelssohn (arr. Carl Czerny) – Song Without Words, Op. 67 No. 2 in f sharp minor
Brahms – Hungarian Dances Nos.1-10 (Book 1)
Apollo, the God standing for music, poetry, order and logic and Dionysus, the God standing for chaos, wine and excess are polar opposites. They both guard the oracle of Delphi and in Greek mythology we are taught that, in order to make a balanced decision, it is important to always ask both these Gods for advice. In this program for one piano, four hands, we want to explore the world of these two intriguing figures and in the end, come to the realization that we all carry parts of both Apollo and Dionysus inside of us.
PROJECTS
CONCERTI
Danae Doerken Is Pleased To Offer The Following Concerti:
Watch Danae's concerto performances here!
J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056
Concerto in C Minor BWV 1060
Concerto In C Major BWV 1061
Concerto in C Minor BWV 1062
Concerto in D Minor BWV 1063
Concerto in C Major BWV 1064
Concerto in A Minor BWV 1065
W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)
Concerto in C Major, KV 467
Concerto in B flat Major, KV 595
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
Concerto No. 2 in B flat Major, Op. 19
Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, Op. 73
Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 40
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)
Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, op. 21
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54
Clara Schumann (1819-1896)
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7
P. I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Concerto No. 1 in B flat Minor, Op. 23
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Concerto in G Major
Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944)
Concerto, Op. 25
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Concerto in C-sharp Minor, FP 146
ENGAGEMENT
Music Key (K-12)
Danae offers a 45-60 minute school visit where she gives students an insight into the world of classical music. The engagement includes playing and speaking segments, where Danae presents some pieces, talks about the composers, the piano as an instrument and answers any questions that the students might have. She frequently runs this project at her festival, Molyvos International Music Festival, in Greece and also in Germany with the established "Rhapsody in School" project.
Master Classes (Ages 12 and Up)
Danae offers open master classes to students of all levels. Danae will work one-on-one with students to focus on a piece of their choice.