American violist Brian Isaacs is based in Berlin as a member of both the Karajan-Akademie der Berliner Philharmoniker (mentored by Sebastian Krunnies) and the class of Tabea Zimmermann (Konzertexamen, Frankfurt HfMDK).

Brian has received awards and prizes from institutions such as the Verbier Festival Academy, Yale University, Frank Huntington Beebe Fund, and international competitions including Grunewald, Nedbal, and Rubinstein. He has benefited from working in masterclasses with violists such as Misha Amory, Yuri Bashmet, Noemie Bialobroda, Ettore Causa, Nobuko Imai, Lawrence Power, Antoine Tamestit, Steven Tenenbom, Lars Anders Tomter, and Tabea Zimmermann.

An avid chamber musician, Brian’s festival appearances include Four Seasons, Gstaad String Academy, La Jolla SummerFest Fellowship, Methow Valley, NUME, Taos, Thy, Verbier Festival Academy, Viridian Strings, and Yellow Barn.

A native New Yorker and graduate of Yale University, Brian received his MM in Viola Performance, studying with Ettore Causa, and his BA in Sociology. He plays on a viola made by Douglas Cox in Brattleboro, VT, on generous loan from the Virtu Foundation.

First Round

• P. Hindemith: Sonata for solo Viola op. 31 No. 4
  • 1. Äußerst lebhaft (3')
  • 2. Lied. Ruhig, mit wenig Ausdruck. Langsame Viertel (4')
• J. S. Bach: Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010
  • 1. Prélude (4')
  • 4. Sarabande (4')
• F. A. Hoffmeister: Viola Concerto in D major
  • 1. Allegro (8')
• F. X. Mozart: Sonata E major op. 19
  • 1. Allegro (10')

Second Round

• • B. Martinů: Viola Sonata, H.355 (16')
  • 1. Poco andante - Moderato
  • 2. Allegro non troppo
• Y. Bowen: Sonata No. 1 in c minor op. 18 (25')
  • 1. Allegro moderato
  • 2. Poco lento e cantabile
  • 3. Finale. Presto
• J. Brahms: Scherzo in c minor from F-A-E Sonata (arr. viola and piano) (5')
• P. Pujanek: Dentro (11')

Piano: Mana Oguchi (guest)

Finale

• William Walton: Viola Concerto (27')
  • 1. Andante comodo
  • 2. Scherzo and trio
  • 3. Finale – allegro moderato