ENGLISH
Søren Rastogi is one of the most versatile Danish concert pianists. As a soloist, he has performed with most symphony orchestras in Denmark under conductors such as Christian Mandeál, Thomas Søndergaard, Douglas Bostock, Christian Kluxen, Benjamin Shwartz, Mathias Aeschbacher, Ed Spanjaard, Peter Feranec, and Ilan Volkov, in piano concertos by Mozart (K. 466, K. 491, K. 451, K. 488), Schumann, Stravinsky, Bernstein, Bartok, and Gershwin. In 2023, a CD was released on Dacapo featuring Søren Rastogi as the soloist in the first recording of Paul von Klenau’s piano concerto with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Graf.
Søren Rastogi has often received enthusiastic reviews in the press. Information wrote, among other things: “SR debuted as a soloist with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra with a perfectly tuned stage presence, managing both pianistic skill, musical overview, melodic sense, rhythmic security, and constant tension with rare self-assurance.”
He is frequently engaged as a sonata partner with instrumentalists and has given recitals with international names such as Andreas Brantelid, Benjamin Schmid, Narek Hakhnazaryan, and Sergei Dogadin. He is a regular guest at many chamber music festivals, including the Bergen International Festival, Stavanger Chamber Music Festival, Tivoli Summer Festival, Hardanger Chamber Music Festival, and many more. Together with his wife, cellist Janne Fredens, he is the artistic director of the Odsherred Chamber Music Festival, which presents international artists collaborating with young Danish talents. Together, they released the CD “Upheaval” in early 2024 featuring music for cello and piano by female composers from the period around World War I.
In addition to his solo career, Søren Rastogi has a close collaboration with leading Scandinavian singers, including baritone Johannes Weisser, with whom he released the CD “Visiting Grieg.” “Masterful,” wrote Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung about the release, which was named “CD of the Month” by the prestigious English magazine Classic FM.
Furthermore, he has a recurring collaboration with the Danish National Vocal Ensemble, both as a pianist and musical director. Together, they have developed new concert formats presented in radio and TV broadcasts in recent years. As both a soloist and conductor, he has also performed Mozart’s piano concertos with the ensemble CPH Mozart Players, including a radio broadcast concert at the Black Diamond, Copenhagen.
SR’s career gained momentum when he was appointed “Tower Musician” by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation and the Round Tower, which included his own radio broadcast concert series with five concerts as a soloist and chamber musician. Søren Rastogi has made numerous radio broadcasts for the EBU.
He is the recipient of numerous scholarships and honors, including the Music Critic’s Artist Prize, the Aennchen and Eigil Harby’s Scholarship, the Victor Schiøler Memorial Scholarship, and the Russell Memorial Scholarship.
SR is deeply committed to educating the new generation of musicians and is associate professor at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, and at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. He has given masterclasses in the USA, China, Norway, Sweden, and Finland and is the chairman of the jury for the Aarhus International Piano Competition.
DANISH
Søren Rastogi er en de mest alsidige danske koncertpianister. Som solist har han optrådt med langt de fleste symfoniorkestre i Danmark under dirigenter som Christian Mandeál, Thomas Søndergaard, Douglas Bostock, Christian Kluxen, Benjamin Shwartz, Mathias Aeschbacher, Ed Spanjaard, Peter Feranec og Ilan Volkov i klaverkoncerter af Mozart (K. 466, K. 491, K. 451, K. 488), Schumann, Stravinsky, Bernstein, Bartok og Gershwin. I 2023 udkom en CD på Dacapo med Søren Rastogi som solist i førsteindspilningen af Paul von Klenaus klaverkoncert med Singapore Symphony Orchestra og dirigent Hans Graf.
Søren Rastogi har ofte modtaget begejstret omtale i pressen. Information skrev bl.a.: “SR debuterede som solist med DR Radiosymfoniorkestret med en perfekt afstemt scenepræsens, der forvaltede både pianistisk kunnen, musikalsk overblik, melodisk sans, rytmisk sikkerhed og konstant nerve med sjælden uforfængelighed”.
Han er ofte brugt som sonatepartner med instrumentalister, og har spillet recitals med internationale navne som Andreas Brantelid, Benjamin Schmid, Narek Hakhnazaryan og Sergei Dogadin. Han er fast gæst ved mange kammermusikfestivaler, og har bla. optrådt ved Festspillene i Bergen, Stavanger Kammermusikfestival, Tivoli Summer Festival, Hardanger Kammermusikfest med mange flere. Han er sammen med sin kone, cellisten Janne Fredens, kunstnerisk leder af Odsherreds Kammermusikfestival, som præsenterer internationale navne i samspil med unge danske stortalenter. Sammen udgiver de i starten af 2024 CD’en ”Upheaval” med musik for cello og klaver af kvindelige komponister fra perioden omkring 1. verdenskrig
Søren Rastogi har ud over sin solistiske virksomhed et tæt samarbejde med førende skandinaviske sangere, deriblandt barytonen Johannes Weisser, med hvem han har udgivet CD’en Visiting Grieg. “Meisterlich“, skrev Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung om udgivelsen, og den blev kåret til “CD of the Month” af den ansete engelske magasin Classic FM.
Derudover har han et tilbagevendende samarbejde med DR Vokalensemblet, som både pianist og musikalsk leder. Sammen har de udviklet nye koncertformater, som er præsenteret ved radio- og TV transmissioner de seneste år. Som både solist og dirigent har han også opført klaverkoncerter af Mozart med ensemblet CPH Mozart Players, herunder en radiotransmitteret koncert i Den Sorte Diamant.
SR’s karriere tog fart, da han blev udnævnt til “Tårnmusiker” af Danmarks Radio og Rundetårn, hvilket indbefattede en egen radiotransmitteret koncertserie med 5 koncerter som solist og kammermusiker. Søren Rastogi har lavet talrige radiotransmissioner for EBU.
Han er modtager af en lang række legater og hæderbevisninger, heriblandt Musikanmelderringens Kunstnerpris, Aennchen og Eigil Harbys Legat, Victor Schiølers Mindelegat og Russells Mindelegat.
SR er dybt engageret i uddannelsen af den nye generation af musikere og er lektor ved Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium og ved Det Kgl. Danske Musikkonservatorium. Han har givet masterclasses i USA, Kina, Norge, Sverige og Finland og er juryformand for Aarhus International Piano Competition.