Benjamin Kruithof

A spin-off from his ballet Pulcinella, Stravinsky's Suite Italienne gives Baroque music a new lease of life. He and Nadia Boulanger were friends for 50 years, but her influence spread far and wide as a teacher, with pupils including Aaron Copland and Quincy Jones. Her Three Pieces begin in melancholic mood, opening into a work full of rich melodies. It was Boulanger who encouraged Piazzolla to return to his Argentine roots, and his Grand Tango reinvigorated the genre by blending it with jazz-inspired rhythms. Finally, we hear music by Fauré that bridges the gap between Romanticism and a new era of modernity.

Benjamin Kruithof hails from Luxemburg and, with victories including the 2022 George Enescu International Competition and a host of concerto appearances, it’s hardly surprising he's been recognised by Bachtrack as 'a name to watch'.