14 year old Daniel Lozakovitj has already got off to a fine career: catching the eye of grand masters such as Ivry Gitlis and Vladimir Spivakov, winning many competitions in his home country, Sweden, but also in Russia, Belgium, USA, Italy. He has all the makings of a great artist, and his schedule of engagements grows longer every day. And as one talent usually hides another, he is also an ace chess player…This young musician has chosen two works by Saint-Saëns, the kind of virtuosity-challenging pieces which violinists adore, but which audiences also love for their refreshing charm and energy: the Havanaise, the Introduction and Rondo capriccioso. The first part of the programme (a picturesque mosaic) will feature La Marche héroïque and the Danse macabre (where Death is also personified by a violin solo), and the second part of this “all Saint-Saëns” concert will feature one of the ONL’s reference works: Symphonie No. 3. Released in January 2015, their recording of this work marked their reunion with the newly-restored Auditorium organ.

Naxos, January 2015: CD Saint-Saëns – Symphony “with organ”, Danse macabre, Cyprès et Lauriers – Orchestre national de Lyon – Leonard Slatkin, conductor.