Song of Light
ADDA Alicante Symphony Orchestra
Benedict Klöckner, cello
Margarita Balanas, guest conductor
Mozart — Symphony No. 35 “Haffner”
Haydn — Cello Concerto in C major
Mendelssohn — Symphony No. 2 “Lobgesang” (“Hymn of Praise”)
INDIVIDUAL TICKET SALES: From 30 July 2026.
BENEDICT KLÖCKNER. Cello
Benedict Klöckner is today among the most distinguished cellists of his generation. A prizewinner at numerous international competitions, he maintains an intense solo career with leading orchestras worldwide, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, Deutsche Radiophilharmonie, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Kremerata Baltica, MDR Symphony Orchestra, and Munich Chamber Orchestra.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Christoph Eschenbach, Michael Sanderling, Ingo Metzmacher, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Oana Mallwitz, Cristian Măcelaru, and Sir Simon Rattle.
His artistic presence has taken him to internationally renowned venues: Berlin Philharmonie, Carnegie Hall (New York), Kennedy Center (Washington), Suntory Hall (Tokyo), Musikverein (Vienna), Tonhalle (Zurich), and Concertgebouw (Amsterdam).
A regular guest at international festivals, he has shared stages with artists including Emanuel Ax, Lisa Batiashvili, Gidon Kremer, and Anne-Sophie Mutter—establishing a multifaceted trajectory that unites solo performance, chamber music, and deep engagement with the world’s foremost musical institutions.
For over a decade, he has been founder and artistic director of the International Music Festival Koblenz (IMUKO).
In the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 seasons, his international schedule is especially prominent, featuring performances at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Berlin Philharmonie, Cologne Philharmonie, Zurich Tonhalle, Tokyo Suntory Hall, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, as well as a return to New York’s Lincoln Center and his debut with the NCPA Orchestra in Beijing.
His recent discography includes the album *Dvořák*, released by Berlin Classics in 2024 with Cristian Măcelaru, the Romanian Chamber Orchestra, and Danae Dörken, as well as the Brahms sonatas recorded with Yu Kosuge (Sony, 2023).
He has also recorded Bach’s complete cello suites; his recordings have received prestigious accolades including the OPUS Klassik Award and the Supersonic Award.
Klöckner studied at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe with Martin Ostertag and at the Kronberg Academy with Frans Helmerson and Gary Hoffman. He is currently Professor at the École Normale de Musique de Paris.
He performs on the “Ex Maurice Gendron” cello, built by Francesco Ruggeri in 1680.
Deeply committed to contemporary creation, he has premiered works by Wolfgang Rihm, Eun Hwa Cho, Eric Tanguy, and Dai Fujikura in major international concert contexts.
MARGARITA BALANAS. Guest Conductor
Latvian cellist and conductor Margarita Balanas has established herself as one of the most distinctive musicians of her generation, performing at Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, Sydney Opera House, Fondation Louis Vuitton, and L’Auditori (Barcelona).
She has received Latvia’s Grand Music Award and appeared as soloist with the Munich Philharmonic, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as at festivals including the Dresden Music Festival, International Cello Festival Shanghai, Moritzburg Festival, and Radio France Occitanie Montpellier Festival.
She is an artist of Decca Classics; together with her sister, violinist Kristine Balanas, she recorded *Castillo Interior* by Pēteris Vasks. She has also collaborated closely with Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Mutter Virtuosi.
Balanas is a pioneer in orchestral conducting: Latvia’s first woman symphony orchestra chief conductor, founder and artistic director of ANONIMI Orchestra and Charity, and former assistant conductor to Paavo Järvi with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich (2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons).
She plays the 1849 Charles-Adolphe Gand “Auguste Tolbecque” cello, loaned by The Little Butterfly Foundation—the same instrument used for the 1873 world premiere of Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1.
Born in Dobele, Latvia, into a family with no classical music background, she began singing rock ’n’ roll with her family and busking on the streets with her siblings to help fund instruments and travel.
At age 15, she earned a full scholarship to the Purcell School, then pursued cello and conducting studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she received the Bicentenary Scholarship.
Artistically guided by Lynn Harrell and selected for Gautier Capuçon’s *Classe d’Excellence de Violoncelle*, her journey—from the streets of Latvia to the world’s greatest concert halls—is truly extraordinary.