Reviews
Stefan Bevier becomes Chorus Master
The Philharmonia Chorus has appointed Stefan Bevier as its Chorus Master.
Stefan Bevier originally studied singing and double bass at the Hochschule der Künste, Berlin, and obtained a scholarship from the Herbert von Karajan Foundation. He was a member of the Orchestra Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as well as a regular deputy for them under Herbert von Karajan. Stefan studied singing with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Schuch-Tovini and Aribert Reimann, and conducting with the former Chief Conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, Sergiu Celibidache. He has worked closely with many conductors of international stature, including Herbert von Karajan, Eugen Jochum, Karl Böhm, Leonard Bernstein, Lorin Maazel, Colin Davis, Ricardo Muti, Claudio Abbado and Sir Simon Rattle.
He is the Chief Conductor of the Festival Orchestra Berlin, the Barock Orchester Berlin, and the founder and conductor of the European Vocal Soloists. He also works internationally as an orchestral and choral conductor of various ensembles, including the Russian National Orchestra of Moscow, the Israel Sinfonietta, Ricordanza Soloists of Wrocław, Festival Orchestra Wrocław, the Wrocław Orkiestra Kameralna Leopoldinum, and the European Bach Players. He is active in giving master classes, singing lessons and running conducting courses and he provides musical instruments from his extensive private collection to young musicians. He also provides financial sponsorship for many charitable organizations.
Stefan started working with the Philharmonia Chorus in 1999, and became Associate Chorus Master in 2004, and Principal Guest Chorus Master in 2008. He was appointed Chorus Master in April 2010. He has prepared the Chorus for many concerts, including Parsifal with Sir Simon Rattle and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in 2000, and Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Lorin Maazel in June 2008. In 2010 he prepared the Chorus for Mahler's Second Symphony with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Eliahu Inbal, and for Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Ilan Volkov.
Beethoven - Symphony No.9
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment conducted by Ilan Volkov
Royal Festival Hall, London, 9 April 2010
Centro Cultural Miguel Delibes, Valladolid, Spain, 11 April 2010
Best of all was the Philharmonia Chorus, which sounded refreshed and invigorated by its gutsy, period-instrument Beethoven experience.
Richard Fairman, Financial Times
The Philharmonia Chorus......sounded here like a choir reborn.
Richard Morrison, The Times
The Philharmonia Chorus were on cracking form.
Martin Kettle, The Guardian
The movement was impelled with stirring clarity......the chorus masterful.
Paul Driver, The Sunday Times
The Philharmonia Chorus brought vibrancy, bite and panache.
Anna Picard, The Independent on Sunday
The most outstanding contribution of the evening came from the Philharmonia Chorus who sang with pin-point accuracy and gusto throughout, and they were rightly rewarded with the biggest ovation of the evening.
Keith McDonnell, www.musicomh.com
Volkov maintained the required tension until the advent of the last movement, and the contribution of the Philharmonia Chorus was outstanding. Their voices, of exact placement, style and tuning, marked the majestic presto with precision with a quartet of soloists blending exquisitely, in spite of the well-known difficulties of the soprano parts.
Emiliano Allende, El Norte de Castilla