Sào Soulez Larivière
Mit Musik - Miteinader
Chamber Music Connects the World
Kronberg Festival, workshop
Kronberg Festival, concert
Kronberg Academy Master with Tabea Zimmermann, funded by the Leber patronage
Franco-Dutch violist Sào Soulez Larivière is quickly building himself a thriving career as a versatile musician. Captivating audiences with his playing and original programming, he endeavours to broaden the accessibility and perception of classical music in our modern world.
He was named as the 2023 'Young Artist of the Year’ by the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA), and was nominated as ‘Rising Star’ by the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), which will see him perform in Europe’s most prominent concert halls during the 2024/25 season.
These achievements build on his growing international career, propelled by recent competition successes, including first prize at the 2023 Prague Spring International Competition, along with top prizes at the Tokyo, Oskar Nedbal, Max Rostal, Cecil Aronowitz, and Johannes Brahms competitions.
Chamber music has always been at the heart of Sào’s musical upbringing, sharing his love for music with his sister, violinist Cosima Soulez Larivière, with whom he still regularly performs. He is also a member of the Frielinghaus Ensemble, which has released several critically acclaimed albums.
An advocate for expanding the horizons of the viola repertoire, he enjoys arranging works for his instrument as well as promoting contemporary music. Collaborating with renowned composers such as Fazil Say, Thomas Adès, Olli Mustonen and Julia Wolfe has given him the unprecedented opportunity to delve deeper into the creative side of music.
Born in Paris in 1998, Sào began his musical journey playing the violin, and at a young age received a scholarship to study with Natasha Boyarsky at the Yehudi Menuhin School in England. It was there that he discovered the viola through chamber and orchestral music, deciding to fully commit to the instrument in his later school years.
His artistic development has been deeply enriched by working with many distinguised musicians such as Jean Sulem, Nobuko Imai, Antoine Tamestit, Boris Garlitsky, and Steven Isserlis.
Based in Berlin, Sào completed his Bachelor of Music under Tabea Zimmermann at the Hochschule für Musik 'Hanns Eisler'. He earned a Master’s Degree at the Kronberg Academy, where he is currently enrolled in the Professional Studies programme.
Teaching has become a great passion in Sào’s musical life, and he is thrilled to have been appointed professor of viola from autumn 2023 at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg.
He has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the 'Ritter Preis' on behalf of the Oscar and Vera Ritter Foundation and the Fanny Mendelssohn Förderpreis, which enabled him to release his debut album, Impression.
Sào is also a scholarship holder of the Yehudi Menuhin 'Live Music Now' e.V. Berlin, and served as a Classeek Ambassador for the 2023/24 season. He has received generous support from the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes and the Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz Foundation. For 2024-26, he will participate in the Günther Caspar-Stiftung Career Advancement Programme.
Sào plays a viola made in Montpellier in 2013 by Fréderic Chaudière.
Since 2022, he has been studying at Kronberg Academy with Tabea Zimmermann, funded by the Leber patronage.
ERZÄHLUNGEN
Participants
- Pierre Génisson clarinet
- Irène Duval violin
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Steven Isserlis cello
- Anna Han piano
- Alasdair Beatson piano
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Piano Trio-B-Dur Op. 12 “Gassenhauer”, Cello Sonata in C major, Op. 102 No. 1
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Three Romances, Op. 94
INTERMISSION
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Fairy Tales, Op. 132
Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924)
Trio in D minor, Op. 120
Concert introduction at 6:45 p.m. with Dr. Norbert Gertsch (G. Henle Verlag)
Subject to change
TABEA ZIMMERMANN - 60 - AN DIE MUSIK
Participants
- Daniel Sepec violin
- Jean-Guihen Queyras Cello
- Tabea Zimmermann Viola and Artistic Direction
- Brian Isaacs viola
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Haesue Lee viola
- Belcea Quartett
- Maya Sloane Singing
- Yuval Shallon-Sloane Double Bass and Electric Bass
- Jonathan Shallon-Sloane Piano and Harpsichord
- Yaron Heilbrunn Drums
Programme
Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179)
O virtus sapientie
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Sinfonia from the cantata “Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt”, BWV 18
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
String Quintet in C major, K. 515, III. Andante
Max Reger (1873–1916)
Suite No. 1, Op. 131d
Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179)
O quam mirabilis est
Paul Hindemith (1895–1963)
String Trio No. 1, Op. 34
I. Toccata. Fast half notes
III. Moderato, fast quarter notes
IV. Fugue. Very lively half notes
Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
An die Musik, D 547, No. 4, Op. 88
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, II. Andante, ma moderato
Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909)
Tango No. 2, Op. 165
Tabea Zimmermann will celebrate her 60th birthday at the Casals Forum on 17 October 2026. Look forward to a surprise concert featuring works from Hildegard von Bingen to jazz. A narrated homage “An die Musik”.
Concert expected to end at approximately 9:00 p.m.!
Subject to change
ANTJE WEITHAAS - 60 - AUS DEM INNERSTEN
Participants
- Seiji Okamoto violin
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Marie-Elisabeth Hecker cello
- Orchestra of friends, colleagues and students of Antje Weithaas, as well as members of the Kronberg Academy and the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts
- Antje Weithaas director
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 131
INTERMISSION
Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
Symphony No. 7 in B minor, D 759 “Unfinished”
Concert expected to end at approximately 9:15 p.m.!
Subject to change
ITALIEN
Participants
- Christel Lee violin
- Marc Bouchkov violin
- Alexander Sitkovetsky violin
- Geneva Lewis violin
- Sara Ferrández viola
- Jonathan Roozeman Cello
- Petrit Çeku Gitarre
- Kian Soltani Cello
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Matthew Lipman viola
Programme
Luciano Berio (1925–2003)
• Duos (Duetti) for 2 Violins – approx. 6'
Christel Lee, violin
Marc Bouchkov, violin
Hugo Wolf (1860–1903)
• Italian Serenade for String Quartet in G major – approx. 8'
Alexander Sitkovetsky, violin
Geneva Lewis, violin
Sara Ferrandez, viola
Jonathan Roozeman, cello
Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805)
• Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D major (“Fandango”), G. 448 – approx. 20'
I. Pastorale
II. Allegro maestoso
III. Grave assai
IV. Fandango
Petrit Ceku, guitar
Alexander Sitkovetsky, violin
Christel Lee, violin
Sara Ferrandez, viola
Kian Soltani, cello
INTERMISSION
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)
• String Sextet in D minor, Op. 70 “Souvenir de Florence” – approx. 40'
I. Allegro con spirito
II. Adagio cantabile e con moto
III. Allegretto moderato
IV. Allegro vivace
Marc Bouchkov, violin
Geneva Lewis, violin
Sao Soulez-Larivière, viola
Matthew Lipman, viola
Kian Soltani, cello
Benedict Kloeckner, cello
Programme subject to change
ÖSTERREICH
Participants
- Irène Duval violin
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Sarah Jégou-Sageman violin
- Friedrich Thiele Cello
- Jérémie Moreau piano
- Mishka Rushdie Momen piano
- Geneva Lewis violin
- Kaoru Oe violin
- Matthew Lipman viola
- Gabriel Schwabe cello
Programme
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
• Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370 – approx. 15'
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Rondeau: Allegro
Michael Höfele, oboe
Irène Duval, violin
Sao Soulez-Larivière, viola
Benedict Kloeckner, cello
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
• Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 No. 1 (“Ghost Trio”) – approx. 25'
I. Allegro vivace e con brio (D major)
II. Largo assai ed espressivo (D minor)
III. Presto (D major)
Sarah Jégou-Sageman, violin
Friedrich Thiele, cello
Jeremie Moreau, piano
INTERMISSION
Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)
• Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19 (1911) – approx. 5'
Mishka Momen, piano
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897–1957)
• Piano Quintet in E major, Op. 15 – approx. 35'
I. Mäßiges Zeitmaß, mit schwungvoll blühendem Ausdruck
II. Adagio. Mit größter Ruhe, stets äußerst gebunden und ausdrucksvoll
III. Finale. Gemessen beinahe pathetisch
Geneva Lewis, violin
Kaoru Oe, violin
Matthew Lipman, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello
Mishka Momen, piano
Programme subject to change