Program

Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene Onegin

Elgar Cello Concerto

Sibelius Symphony No. 2

About the Conductor

Michael Sanderling

Michael Sanderling has been Chief Conductor of the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester since 2021. His appointment followed a successful collaboration over many years, with a common goal of further developing the orchestra in late Romantic repertoire such as Bruckner, Mahler and Strauss.

As a guest conductor, Michael Sanderling directs leading orchestras around the world. These include the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris-Philharmonie, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the Wiener Symphoniker, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Michael Sanderling is a passionate supporter of young musicians. He teaches at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts and also works regularly with the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra. From 2003 to 2013, he was Chief Conductor of youth orchestra the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie.

In October 2024, Michael Sanderling's contract was extended ahead of schedule by a further three years until 2029.

About the Cellist

Jaemin Han

Cellist Jaemin Han, born in 2006 in South Korea, gained international recognition in 2021 as the youngest-ever winner of the Grand Prix at the prestigious George Enescu International Competition. Additional accolades, including prizes at the Geneva International Music Competition and ISANGYUN Competition, have firmly established him as one of the standout young soloists of his generation.

In the 2025/26 season, Han embarks on a series of exciting projects, beginning with a recital at the Septembre Musical Festival in Switzerland alongside his pianist partner Alexandre Malofeev. He then headed to North America, where he made his highly anticipated Canadian debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Earl Lee, followed by his recital debut at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York City. Han’s touring schedule includes two visits to Korea: first with the renowned Czech Philharmonic under Semyon Bychkov, then with the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester under Michael Sanderling. He also returned to Paris at the invitation of Myung-Whun Chung for his debut with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and performed in Bucharest and Warsaw with the Enescu Philharmonic under Gabriel Bebeşelea. In Austria, Han made his debut with the Tonkünstler-Orchester under Fabien Gabel, while in Germany, he will perform for the first time at the Isarphilharmonie with the Münchner Symphoniker, playing Brahms’ Double Concerto alongside violinist Guido Sant’Anna.

Jaemin Han plays a Giovanni Grancino cello, generously loaned by the Samsung Foundation of Culture.

About the Orchestra

Luzerner Sinfonieorchester

The Luzerner Sinfonieorchester has been delighting audiences in Lucerne and beyond for over 220 years. As the oldest symphony orchestra in Switzerland, dating back to the 1805/06 season, it has achieved national and international standing, blending a sense of tradition with a spirit of discovery.

Thanks to its first-class musicians from around 20 nations, the orchestra has developed over the years into an orchestra of world renowned. Deeply rooted in the region yet on a clear international trajectory, the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester is the resident orchestra at the KKL Luzern, and on international tours it represents the city with all its rich musical heritage. 

The Luzerner Sinfonieorchester also performs as an opera orchestra at the Lucerne Theatre. Michael Sanderling has held the post of Chief Conductor since the 2021/22 season. The orchestra promotes contemporary music by commissioning new works from composers such as William Kentridge, Sofia Gubaidulina, Dieter Ammann, Rodion Shchedrin, Thomas Adès and Wolfgang Rihm. Thanks to its Rising Stars series, its lunchtime concerts and the Arthur Waser Prize, the orchestra demonstrates its commitment to championing young talent.