Biography PDF
Artist WebsiteBIOGRAPHY
"Is the young pianist the discovery of the year?" asked the classical music magazine Crescendo - and answered in the affirmative. The reviewers of the magazine Concerti also see her "on her way to the top". The German-Greek pianist Danae Dörken belongs to the elite of internationally sought-after artists of a new generation, who captivates audiences and fellow musicians alike with her breathtaking technique, extraordinary stage presence and musical depth.
Already supported by Yehudi Menuhin at the age of seven, Danae Dörken caused attention early on in leading European concert halls with "her sparkling joy of playing" (Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger). After studying with the internationally revered piano pedagogue Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and the renowned soloist and teacher Lars Vogt, she is now a regular guest with leading orchestras such as the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, the Nordic Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Norrlandsoperan Symphony, the Staatsphilharmonie Nuremberg, the Staatskapelle Weimar and has performed at London's Wigmore Hall, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Mozarteum Salzburg, the Tonhalle Zurich, the Beaux-Arts Brussels, the Megaron in Athens, the Brucknerhaus Linz, the Philharmonie Cologne, the Gasteig Munich, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, the Alte Oper Frankfurt and the Beethovenhaus Bonn. Furthermore, she is a regular performer at major festivals such as the Kissinger Sommer, Schwetzinger Festspiele, LuganoMusica, Schleswig Holstein Musikfestival, Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the prestigious chamber music festival "Spannungen" in Heimbach.
Highlights of the 2023/24 season include her debuts with the German Symphony Orchester (DSO) at the Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Delyana Lazarova, and debuts with the Münster Symphony Orchestra, the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin, with the Philharmonie Baden-Baden, and with the Prague Symphony Orchestra. In addition, recitals this season will take her to the Stadttheater Fürth, Guarnerius Hall Belgrade in Serbia, Waiblingen, Bayreuth, Solothurn in Switzerland and she will be a guest at the Dresden Music Festival, the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the GAIA Music Festival and the Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker.
Together with her sister Kiveli, Danae Dörken released her first duo CD this year titled "Apollo & Dionysus" (Berlin Classics), as well as three albums together with the French oboist Philippe Tondre (Klarthe). Her benchmark CD recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 and the rarely heard 2nd Piano Concerto by Mendelssohn with the Royal Northern Sinfonia under Lars Vogt received glowing reviews. In 2012 Danae Dörken released her debut album with works by Leoš Janáček. Her solo CD with Fantasies by Schumann, Schubert and C.P.E. Bach (on ARS Produktion) won the ICMA Award. Her latest album ODYSSEE (Berlin Classics) was received with critical acclaim and nominated for several international music awards.
Since 2015, Danae and Kiveli Dörken have been organising the Molyvos International Music Festival on the Greek island of Lesbos. Additionally, to the large summer festival, benefit concerts and events with the festival's artists (including Sebastian Manz, Marlis Petersen, Linus Roth and Maximilian Hornung) take place throughout Germany. Danae Dörken's commitment to Greece, refugees and the musical connections between Greece and Germany have repeatedly been the subject of reports on the television magazines ttt and 3sat kulturzeit, on WDR and in numerous other media.
PROGRAMS
Apollo & Dionysus
**4-hand Recital Program**
Schubert – Fantasy in f minor, Op.103 D.940
De Falla – “La vida breve” Dos Danzas
Ravel – Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2
- Intermission -
Mendelssohn (arr. Carl Czerny) – Song Without Words, Op. 38 No. 6 “Duetto” in A flat major
Mendelssohn (arr. Carl Czerny) – Song Without Words, Op. 67 No. 2 in f sharp minor
Brahms – Hungarian Dances Nos.1-10 (Book 1)
Apollo, the God standing for music poetry, order and logic and Dionysus, the God standing for chaos, wine and excess are polar opposites. They both guard the oracle of Delphi and in Greek mythology we are taught that, in order to make a balanced decision, it is important to always ask both these Gods for advice. In this program for piano for 4 hans, we want to explore the world of these two intriguing figures and in the end, come to the realization that we all carry parts of both Apollo and Dionysus inside of us.
ODYSSEY
Fazil Say – Black Earth (“Kara Toprak”)
Debussy – Sirènes from Trois Nocturnes, L. 91
Liszt – Au lac de Wallenstadt (from Années de pèlerinages)
Liszt – Das Wandern, S. 565
Mendelssohn – Fantasy, Op. 28
- Intermission -
Kinan Azmeh – Waiting for Friday
Manos Hatzidakis – Waltz of Lost Dreams
Schumann – Fantasiestücke, Op. 12
Homer’s epos of Odysseus and his journey from Troy back home is a tale as old as time that stands for the greatness of human endurance, strength and ingenuity. The mindset of never giving up and overcoming all adversity and even godly obstacles is the basis of this mythical story, but its message is relatable to the most current of events.
Turkish composer Fazil Say’s “Black Earth” (composed in 2007) is based on a famous Turkish song titled “Kara Toprak” and marks the beginning of this Odyssey, symbolizing the cycle of life and the fact that we are all equal. One of the most famous obstacles that Odysseus has to overcome on his journey are the Sirens, mythical creatures that, with their beautiful voices, lure sailors to their islands and subsequently to their doom. Claude Debussy brought these creatures to life in his Nocturne “Sirènes”, the last of 3 Nocturnes composed between 1892-1899. Originally written for orchestra, today’s arrangement for piano solo was made by Gustave Samazeuilh. The “Waltz of Lost Dreams” by Manos Hatzidakis (composed in 1983) is a famous Greek song that awakes feelings of hopefulness amidst difficult circumstances. The final work of the program is Felix Mendelssohn’s Fantasy op. 28 (composed in 1834), also titled “Scottish Sonata”. The piece was strongly influenced by his travels through Scotland and, once again, depicts how we are transformed through internal and external journeys. Let us all embark on this Odyssey together and, in pursuit of Ithaca, cherish every moment - easy and difficult - in order to realize that the journey itself is the destination.
Songs and Images
Schumann – Forest Scenes, Op. 82
Schubert – Fantasy in C Major, Op. 15 “Der Wanderer”
- Intermission -
Debussy – Images I
Bartók – Romanian Folk Dances, BB 68
Liszt – Love Dream No. 3
Liszt – Paraphrase on Verdi’s Rigoletto
This program combines works that were inspired by sounds and melodies the composers heard as well as images the composers saw. Schumann’s Forest Scenes are short musical depictions of nine settings he experienced when walking through the forest, while Schubert’s Fantasy Op. 15 is based on his own famous song “Der Wanderer” that speaks about trying to find happiness. Claude Debussy’s impressionist music is an accurate description of three images through sound, while Bartòk’s Romanian Folk Dances were influenced by folk tunes that he heard on the street. The program ends with two famous works by Liszt, his Love Dream No. 3 and his Rigoletto-Paraphrase, which is composed around four different melodies that stand for four different characters from his own opera “Rigoletto” that sing together in harmonious unity.
East and West
EAST
Chopin – Polonaise, Op. 26, No. 1
Kalomiris – Nocturne OR Liszt – Paraphrase on Verdi’s Rigoletto
Kalomiris – 5 Preludes OR Liszt – Love Dream No. 3
Bartók – Romanian Folk Dances, BB 68
- Intermission -
WEST
Schubert – 12 Ländler, D 790
Grieg – Wedding Day at Troldhaugen
Poulenc – Huit Nocturnes, FP 56 OR Debussy – Images I
Manuel de Falla – Danse Rituelle du Feu
East and West embodies Danae Dörken’s feeling that our diversity is what ultimately brings us together and gives us enormous strength. All of the works in this program share the commonality of being heavily influenced by folk music traditions of different countries around the world. The folkloristic character of these compositions highlights the individual elements of each culture that render the pieces unique and underscore the necessity for them to be loved and remembered forever.
Chopin’s Polonaise in C-sharp minor embeds the melancholy of the tunes of polish folk music, while Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances feature the unusual rhythms of the Transylvanian peasant polka. Schubert’s 12 Ländler reflect the melodies of alpine folk dances, while Danza ritual del fuego by de Falla is reminiscent of guitar performers that can be heard in village squares in Spain. Grieg’s inspiration for Wedding Day at Troldhaugen came from the mighty chords that characterise Norwegian folklore and Manolis Kalomiris’ compositions are influenced by Greek folk music. At first glance, the Huit Nocturnes by the French neoclassical composer Francis Poulenc might seem a little out of place, but while this composition is not directly influenced by folk music, the simplistic elegance of the Nocturnes render them ideal counterparts to the remaining pieces on the program.
CONCERTI
Danae Doerken Is Pleased To Offer The Following Concerti:
J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056
Concerto in C Minor BWV 1060
Concerto In C Major BWV 1061
Concerto in C Minor BWV 1062
Concerto in D Minor BWV 1063
Concerto in C Major BWV 1064
Concerto in A Minor BWV 1065
W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)
Concerto in C Major, KV 467
Concerto in B flat Major, KV 595
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
Concerto No. 2 in B flat Major, Op. 19
Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, Op. 73
Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 40
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)
Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, op. 21
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54
Clara Schumann (1819-1896)
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7
P. I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Concerto No. 1 in B flat Minor, Op. 23
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Concerto in G Major
Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944)
Concerto, Op. 25
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Concerto in C-sharp Minor, FP 146
ENGAGEMENT
Music Key (K-12)
Danae offers a 45-60 minute school visit where she gives students an insight into the world of classical music. The engagement includes playing and speaking segments, where Danae presents some pieces, talks about the composers, the piano as an instrument and answers any questions that the students might have. She frequently runs this project at her festival, Molyvos International Music Festival, in Greece and also in Germany with the established "Rhapsody in School" project.
Master Classes (Ages 12 and Up)
Danae offers open master classes to students of all levels. Danae will work one-on-one with students to focus on a piece of their choice.