The award-winning string ensemble LGT Young Soloists (sponsored by LGT Private Banking) is made up of highly talented young soloists between the ages of 13 and 23 from over 20 nations. Since its founding in 2013, the LGT Young Soloists have established themselves as one of the leading youth orchestras worldwide. This is primarily due to their unique concept: exceptional young musicians perform as soloists with their own orchestra, accompany each other, and share their passion for music. "Those who do not know that these are very young teenagers playing would think they are in the midst of a top ensemble" (the orchestra, 2017).
After an 18-month Covid hiatus, the LGT Young Soloists celebrated a unique comeback. The legendary composer Philip Glass composed a string symphony for the young musicians, which premiered in London and Vienna. In 2022, they opened the Heidelberg Spring Festival and the Merano Festival, and performed at venues such as the Berlin Konzerthaus, the Vienna Musikverein, the Mozarteum Salzburg, and the Victoria Hall Singapore.
Last February, they played a sold-out concert at the Elbphilharmonie's Great Hall to mark their 10th anniversary. In March, they made their US debut with a sold-out concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington. In the coming season, the ensemble will be heard at venues such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tonhalle Zurich, Philharmonie Luxembourg, Festspielhaus Bregenz, as well as on tours of Australia, Asia, and South Africa.
Guest soloists have included well-known personalities such as Alma Deutscher, Juliane Banse, Amihai Gross, Stephan Moccio, Esther Yoo, and Martin James Bartlett.
Just two years after its founding, the LGT Young Soloists became the first youth orchestra in the world to release its first album on Sony Music/RCA Red Seal. Six CDs have been recorded since then, including the world recording of Philip Glass's 14th Symphony. On the occasion of Beethoven's 250th birthday, the LGT Young Soloists released their album "Beethoven RECOMPOSED" for the first time on Naxos. The CD topped the Apple Music Video Classical Charts in more than 40 countries and received excellent reviews from international music journalists.
Other released albums include "Souvenir," which is dedicated to virtuoso pieces by composers such as Piazzolla, Kreisler, and Massenet and was released in 2019. "Nordic Dream" (2018) presents works by Scandinavian composers and was highly praised by the media. It was nominated for the Opus Klassik in three categories. "There is an ensemble here, mostly made up of teenagers, that outperforms seasoned professionals," says a CD review by BR-Klassik from May 11, 2018. The American Record Guide from July-Aug. 2018 read: "The recordings are consistently first-rate, with solid ensemble playing and cultured tone. Their interpretations emphasize the best in the music and go further, such as in the expressive depth of Svendsen's Romance." The albums "Russian Soul" (2017), "Italian Journey" (2015), and a live DVD concert recording on C Major Entertainment (2017) complete the ensemble's discography.
Violinist and pedagogue Alexander Gilman and pianist Marina Seltenreich, together with LGT Private Banking, founded the LGT Young Soloists in 2013 to unite highly talented young virtuosos in an ensemble.
(Current as of April 2023)
“The mutual musical accompaniment, where every musician performs both as a soloist and an orchestra member, results in an exceptional connection that can only be expressed through music.”
Alexander Gilman