Description
INTERVIEW
What was the first piece you fell in love with?
Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov. It was the only piece at the time that we had both a recording and a full score of.
What is the best thing about being a musician?
The connection. Being able to get rid of the barriers that separate us through music. Something the MCO does from the very first rehearsal and what makes them such an extraordinary orchestra.
What makes a 'perfect concert'?
When you feel transported all together. The “perfect” concert has this moment at the very end just after the last notes where you can strongly feel everyone’s transportation back to earth.
BIOGRAPHY
Prof. Florian Peelman is a Belgian-Australian Principal violist, soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. He began his musical journey at the age of five and received early training in Helsinki and at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester. He later studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp before completing his Master’s degree with highest distinction at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin with Prof. Walter Küssner.
As a versatile musician, Peelman has performed internationally as a soloist and chamber musician across Europe, Australia, and beyond. He has appeared at major festivals and collaborated with artists such as Kristian Bezuidenhout, Alexander Melnikov, Alina Ibrahimova, Kirill Troussov, Aylen Pritchin, Henri Sigfridsson and Reinbert de Leeuw to name just a few. He has been a member of ensembles including the Arsis4, Boccherini String Trio, taken part in ECMA, Ozawa academy OCM “Prussia Cove” and studied at the Queen Elisabeth Chapel with the Artemis Quartet. His greatest Chamber Music mentors were Rainer Schmidt and Hatto Beyerle.
Having worked as Principal Viola in the Cologne and Hamburg Opera’s he has been invited to lead many fine orchestras including the Australian Chamber orchestra, Scottish Chamber orchestra, Dutch Chamber Orchestra, Munich Opera, Swedish Radio Orchestra, Cologne, Frankfurt, Leipzig and Munich Radio Orchestras. As well as being a regular Guest of the Berlin Philharmonic.