Since 2017, the Pianissimo Festival has been bringing the most outstanding young pianists of our time to venues that rethink classical music. The concerts combine virtuosity with atmosphere, sound with architecture, music with space – creating an experience that goes far beyond a traditional piano recital. In 2026, the festival will open a new chapter in Germany for the first time: Berlin, Hamburg, and Weimar will become vibrant centers of young piano artistry for four weeks. Hamburg will be a particular highlight: with its intimate acoustics and elegant architecture, the Laeiszhalle – Kleiner Saal offers the ideal setting for encounters with exceptional talent.
Two of the most fascinating pianists of their generation will shape the Hamburg concert series: Konstantin Emelyanov, celebrated winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition, and George Harliono, British-Indonesian exceptional talent and silver medalist of the same competition in 2023. Both artists exemplify what the Pianissimo Festival is all about: courage, personality, technical mastery, and an artistic voice that touches the listener immediately.
George Harliono gave his first solo recital at the age of nine and now performs worldwide in venues such as Wigmore Hall, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Royal Albert Hall. In 2023, he won the silver medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition. He performs with leading orchestras and conductors, appears at international festivals, and completed a major tour of Asia in 2024. His recording of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos with the Tokyo Philharmonic will be released in 2025.
PERFORMERS
George Harliono piano
PROGRAM
Johann Sebastian Bach / Ferruccio Busoni
Chaconne
Franz Liszt
Étude Des-Dur »Un sospiro«
Franz Liszt
Liebesträume Nr. 3
Franz Liszt
First Mephisto Waltz, S 514 »Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke« (The Dance in the Village Inn)
Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne c-Moll op. 48/1
Michail Glinka, Milij Balakirew
Die Lerche
Milij Balakirew
Islamej
