Mozart himself is said to have stated that he “worked up quite a sweat” at the premiere of his 15th piano concerto in 1784. All three movements place the highest pianistic demands on the performer. The fast runs, trills, arpeggios, scales and octaves require maximum dexterity, large leaps between notes and chords must be mastered and a good, intuitive sense of rhythm is needed for the music to unfold its effect. The Concerto in B flat major with the catalogue number K. 450 is not only one of Mozart’s most technically demanding works, but also stands for innovation in many other aspects: in addition to the demanding solo parts, a significantly expanded orchestral writing makes it the first truly “great” piano concerto in Mozart’s oeuvre. Above all, the instrumentation has grown: it is scored for piano, flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns and strings. The wind instruments in particular have been given a new, independent role as melody instruments.

Hailed for his “Apollonian virtuosity and sensitive tone” (Online Merker, Germany) multi-award-winning pianist-composer Zhen Chen has performed as a soloist and chamber music artist at prominent music venues in USA, Europe and China, such as Stern Auditorium, Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall of Lincoln Center, Preston Bradley Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center, and China National Centre for Performing Arts. His live performances and recordings have been broadcast by Chicago WFMT 98.7, Princeton WPRB 103.3, WCNY Classic FM, and China Central Television, among others.

Since it was founded in 1952, the Chamber Orchestra Mannheim has been particularly committed to the rediscovery of and care for the Mannheim School, thus acting as a direct descendent of the famous Mannheim Hofkapelle during the times of Prince Elector Carl Theodor (1724–1799).

Thanks to Carl Theodor’s modern and enlightened thinking, Mannheim and the Palatine Electorate developed into one of the most innovative and forward-thinking regions in Germany and Europe in the realms of science and art during his reign. It was particularly in the area of music that he succeeded in setting new standards by attracting the best composers and instrumentalists of their time – among them Johann Stamitz and his sons, Anton and Carl, Franz Xaver Richter, Ignaz Holzbauer or Christian Cannabich – to the Mannheim court, who were to pave the way for a new orchestra culture with their work. Indeed, classical instrumental music as we know it today would be unimaginable without the work of the Kurfürstliche Hofkapelle and the accomplishments of the Mannheim School. When Carl Theodor moved to Munich in 1778, the illustrious era of Palatine musical history ended, and its memory was increasingly forgotten over the course of time. Viennese born Thomas Rösner is in high demand as a conductor for symphonic repertoire as well as opera since he made his debut with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva.