PROFILES

Equally at home in symphonic and opera repertoire, German conductor Michael Balke has gained international attention for his performances.

Between 2018 and 2021, Balke was Principal Guest Conductor at the St. Gallen Theatre and Symphony Orchestra (Switzerland). Recent engagements include his return to Japan for Madama Butterfly (Tokyo, Osaka) as well as symphony concerts in Tokyo; gala concerts with Marina Rebeka and the Croatian National Radio Orchestra (Zagreb) and the Munich Radio Orchestra; concerts at the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow; Palau de la Musica in Barcelona; Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Sarasota Orchestra in Florida; at the Tongyeong Music Festival with Jean-Yves Thibaudet; his US debut with the Sarasota Orchestra in Florida featuring Midori; and a new production of Die Gezeichneten (Schreker) and Notre Dame (Franz Schmidt) in St. Gallen (Switzerland).

He led the new production of Salome in Verona, Tosca at the St. Gallen Theatre, L’heure Espagnol/Gianni Schicchi at Opéra national de Lorraine, La bohème with Danish National Opera, Merry Widow at the Metropolitan Theatre in Tokyo, Der fliegende Holländer in Sweden, Roméo et Juliette at Teatro Grande in Brescia, and La Traviata at the Mannheim National Theatre.

Important engagements of the recent past also include concerts at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Alte Oper Frankfurt, KKL Luzern, and with Latvian National Orchestra in Riga.

From 2011 to 2016, Balke was Principal Conductor at Magdeburg Opera, where he has conducted a broad repertoire of new productions from Mozart, Rossini, and Donizetti to Verdi, Stravinsky, Korngold, and Richard Strauss, as well as numerous symphony concerts.

He regularly works with orchestras including Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo), Osaka Philharmonic, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Copenhagen Philharmonic, MDR Sinfonieorchester

Leipzig, Munich Symphony Orchestra, Munich Radio Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Residentie Orkest, Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier, Orchestre de Nancy, Orchestra Siciliana Palermo, and Budapest Symphony Orchestra.

CD productions include a solo album with Marina Rebeka (French opera arias) and a full production of Verdi’s La Traviata (nomination as Opus Klassik “Conductor of the Year”).

Balke was born in Braunschweig, Germany and studied conducting under Christopher Zimmerman and piano under James Tocco and Frank Weinstock at the Cincinnati Conservatory.

Described as “superb” by The New York Times, violinist Tai Murray has established herself a musical voice of a generation. “Technically flawless… vivacious and scintillating… It is without doubt that Murray’s style of playing is more mature than that of many seasoned players…”

(Muso Magazine)

Appreciated for her elegance and effortless ability, Murray creates a special bond with listeners through her personal phrasing and subtle sweetness. Her programming reveals musical intelligence. Her sound, sophisticated bowing and choice of vibrato remind us of her musical background and influences, principally, Yuval Yaron (a student of Gingold &

Heifetz), and Franco Gulli. Winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2004, Murray was named a BBC New Generation Artist (2008-2010). As a chamber musician, she was a member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society II (2004-2006).

She has performed as guest soloist on main stages worldwide, including with leading ensembles such as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Symphony Orchestra, and all the BBC symphony orchestras. She is also a dedicated advocate of contemporary works (written for the violin). Among others, she performed the world premiere of Malcolm Hayes’s violin concerto at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. As a recitalist, Murray has visited many of the world’s capitals, having appeared in Berlin, Chicago, Hamburg, London,

Madrid, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Paris, and Washington DC, among many others.

Murray’s critically acclaimed debut recording for harmonia mundi of Ysaye’s six sonatas for solo violin was released in February 2012. Her second recording with works by American Composers of the 20th century was released by the Berlinbased label eaSonus, and her third disc with the Bernstein Serenade on the French label mirare.

Murray plays a violin by Tomaso Balestrieri fecit Mantua ca. 1765, on generous loan from a private collection.

Murray is an Assistant Professor of violin at the Yale School of Music (adjunct), where she teaches applied violin and coaches chamber music. She earned artist diplomas from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and the Juilliard School.