Master Class with Günter Pichler [Part 1]

Austrian violinist Günter Pichler leads a trio into the depths of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A Minor, Op. 50, a deeply moving work that he wrote to honor the memory of pianist Nikolai Rubinstein. The trio balances a shared articulation, accented by the bowing techniques of the strings and the piano’s sustain pedal. Tchaikovsky’s text is rich in detail, which can be hard to capture due to the demands of ensemble coordination and attentive listening. Pichler’s wisdom stems from a lifetime of making music, beginning with his appointment to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra at the age of 18 before becoming concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic at 21 under the baton of Herbert von Karajan. A celebrated conductor and teacher, Pichler has mentored numerous prize-winning musicians, such as the Alban Berg Quartet, Artemis, and Belcea. He has also doubled as a conductor of major orchestras worldwide, such as the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic of Flanders.