In a programme of Schubert : Nacht und Träume, An den Mond, Gondelfahrer (Mayrhofer) D 808, Wanderers Nachtlied II (Goethe) D 768; Mozart : Abendempfindung; Schumann : Mein schöner Stern, Venezianisches Gondellied II (Moore) Op. 25 No. 18, Venezianisches Gondellied I (Moore) Op. 25 No. 17; Mendelssohn : Neue Liebe; Strauss : Ständchen (Schack) Op. 17 No. 2, Wagner : Träume (Wesendonck) WWV 91 No. 3, Schönberg : Warum bist du aufgewacht (Pfau), Mahler : Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Grieg: Sechs Deutsche Lieder Op. 48
In association with Goethe Institute
Described as ‘the current front-runner in the new generation of Lieder singers’ (Gramophone Magazine, UK), Benjamin Appl is celebrated by audiences and critics in recital, concerts and opera. The German baritone was a BBC New Generation Artist and an ECHO Rising Star artist for the 2015/16 season, appearing in recital at major European venues. He became an exclusive SONY Classical recording artist in May 2016 and won the Gramophone Young Artist of the Year Award in 2016.His first solo album for Sony Classical; ’Heimat’, was released in March 2017 and contains German and English songs.
He trained as a chorister at the renowned Regensburger Domspatzen and continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München and graduated fro, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. He had the fortune to be mentored by one of the greatest singers, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
An established recitalist, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Ravinia, Rheingau and Oxford Lieder festivals, deSingel Antwerp, Heidelberger Frühling, and with Graham Johnson at the KlavierFestival Ruhr. He is a regular recitalist at the Wigmore Hall and at the Schubertiade Hohenems and Schwarzenberg. He works closely together with pianists including Graham Johnson, Malcolm Martineau, Helmut Deutsch, James Baillieu and Martin Stadtfeld.
His discography includes Mendelssohn and Schumann duets with Ann Murray (DBE), accompanied by Malcolm Martineau; his debut solo disc “Stunden, Tage, Ewigkeiten” accompanied by James Baillieu, which was released in April 2016 on Champs Hill records; and a live recording of Schubert lieder with Graham Johnson for Wigmore Hall Live label.
Simon Lepper
Simon Lepper read music at King’s College Cambridge. He is a professor of piano accompaniment at the Royal College of Music, London where he also co-ordinates the piano accompaniment course. Since 2003 he has been an official accompanist for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
Simon is a professor of piano accompaniment and vocal repertoire coach at the Royal College of Music, London where he also co-ordinates the piano accompaniment course. As an adjudicator, he has been on the panel for the Royal Overseas League, Kathleen Ferrier, Maggie Teyte and Maureen Lehane competitions as well as for the prelimary round of the Wigmore Hall International Song competition. He has adjudicated vocal and piano accompaniment competitions for several British Conservatoires including the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Laban. Masterclasses he has given include those for the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and Samling Foundation as well as at the univeristies of Cambridge, Manchester and Cardiff.
Simon has also appeared at the Wigmore Hall with violinist Carolin Widmann, with whom he has given recitals in Amsterdam, Paris, Salzburg, Cologne and Madrid and recorded for ECM – Phantasy of Spring, contemporary works, including Feldman, Zimmerman and Xenakis – which received a Diapason d’Or and the German Critics Award. More recently he recorded a disc of Brahms, Schubert and Beethoven with violinist Ji-Hae Park (Universal records).
This season, he will give a European tour with Stéphane Degout including performances at the opera houses of Dijon, La Monnaie, Lausanne and Lyon as well as the Wigmore Hall. He will present an all Schubert programme with Ilker Arcayürek in Barcelona, Zürich and at the Wigmore hall where further appearances include recitals with Karen Cargill and Morgan Pearse. With Benjamin Appl he will tour to India including recitals in Mumbai and Chennai.
