Recently, Kremer, has fallen in love again.  He travels the world with his Italian beloved model, Nicolo Amati, (born in 1641).

Aleksey Igudesman

Violin

Aleksey Igudesman was born in Leningrad at a very young age and later went to the Yehudi Menuhin School.  After studying with Boris Kuschnir at the Vienna Conservatoire and being told many times by many people that they were rather worried about his future, he embarked on a successful career playing, composing, and arranging for his string trio, Triology. They recorded several CD’s for BMG, worked in Hollywood with Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer, and performed with McFerrin, Rachlin, Jansen, and other people who are less famous, but just as great.

Back at school he met his “Igudesman & Joo” partner, Richard Hyung-ki Joo. This in turn led to collaboration over many years, which culminated in the creation of A Little Nightmare Music, a show they tour together making people laugh.

After Kremer heard them several times, he wanted to join in the fun, so to speak, and asked them if they would like to do something together.

Igudesman plays a Santo Seraphin 1917 violin, kindly loaned to him by ERSTE Bank.

Richard Hyung-ki Joo

Piano

Richard Hyung-ki Joo is British, but looks Korean, or the other way around, or both. He started piano lessons at the age of eight and a half and two years later won a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School. There, he discovered that he was among geniuses and child prodigies, and was convinced he would be kicked out of school, year after year. In fact, he was not kicked “out” but kicked “around” by teachers and fellow students, such as Igudesman. After these painful experiences, Joo invented a new type of piano playing known as ‘Karate Piano’. No matter how difficult his years at the school may have been, it only strengthened his love of music, and he also realised that the world of classical music had little to do with the spirit in which the music was created and began dreaming of a way to bring this great music to a wider and newer audience-a dream which has recently been realised through his show: A Little Nightmare Music.

Kremerata Baltica

In 1997, Gidon Kremer founded the Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra and, ever since, became a major sponsor and manager of the group. To everyone’s surprise, he still managed to fulfil his artistic duties, which were often at risk due to his administrative pre-occupation.  The Kremerata Baltica, or KB for short, has performed all over the world, except for Antartica and a few countries that include Namibia, North Korea, and French Guyana.

In spite of some changes in the group since its inception, KB remains a young orchestra. Thanks to the addition of several new members, and definitely not counting the age of its artistic director, the average age is only 28. The group is permanent and gives around 60 concerts a year. In spite of rumours of a classical music business world crisis, KB records for a number of record labels, even winning the coveted Grammy award for the album, After Mozart, in 2002.  Due to KB’s recording output, KB became a household name for all those who cherish silence, while some less adventurous listeners may find solace in KB’s next release: The 5 Mozart Violin Concertos, recorded live with Gidon Kremer in a marathon event.