Various Composers - Poetic Fire (Anastasia Schmidlin; Denis Zhdanov)

Information

1. Philippe Gaubert - Fantaisie for Clarinet and Piano
2. Jean Françaix - Thème et Variations
3. Manuel de Falla - Danse espagnole from “La vida breve” (arr. Nicolas Baldeyrou)
4. Eugène Bozza - Bucolique
5. Béla Kovacs - Sholem-Alekhem, rov Feidman!
6. Alexander Rosenblatt - Carmen Fantasy on Themes from the Opera by Georges Bizet

Anastasia Schmidlin, clarinet

Denis Zhdanov, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Prospero Classical

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The chamber music program Poetic Fire presents a vivid, diverse panorama for clarinet and piano, weaving together 20th-century and early modern European styles. Spanning impressionistic color, Neoclassicism, Klezmer, and jazz-infused rhythms, the collection highlights composers from France, Spain, Russia, and Hungary. The repertoire includes Philippe Gaubert’s evocative Fantasy, Jean Françaix’s witty Thème et Variations, and Eugène Bozza’s elegant Bucolique. It also features Béla Kovács’ soul-stirring Klezmer tribute Sholem-Alekhem, Nicolas Baldeyrou’s thrilling arrangement of Manuel de Falla’s Danse espagnole, and Alexander Rosenblatt’s Carmen Fantasy, a brilliant finale fusing opera with Russian jazz.

Anastasia Schmidlin is a versatile clarinetist active as both a soloist and chamber musician, with a strong focus on contemporary music and collaboration with composers. She performs with the ensemble Dissolution and in a duo with pianist Denis Zhdanov, alongside diverse musical partnerships. As a soloist, she has appeared with leading Swiss orchestras and worked with prominent conductors and composers. A former principal clarinetist in Geneva, she has also performed internationally. Schmidlin is featured at major festivals, records with Prospero Classical, and teaches at institutions in Lucerne, while also serving as a competition juror and artistic ambassador.

Denis Zhdanov is a Ukrainian concert pianist, educator, and entrepreneur based in Austria, known for his global reach through online teaching and digital platforms. His repertoire spans around 30 concertos alongside extensive solo and chamber works, with performances alongside leading European orchestras. He is also active in multimedia projects, including a film integrating piano, videography, and animation. As an academic, he has held teaching positions in Switzerland and Austria, mentoring prize-winning students. Trained across Europe, he is an award-winning pianist with an international performance career and a strong commitment to innovative, accessible piano education.

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