Daniel Hope’s 2024–25: U.S. and European performances of “DANCE!” with New Century and Zurich Chamber Orchestras; “Irish Roots” performances across Europe; collaborations with pianist Inon Barnatan and trumpeter Aaron Schuman; much more

(September 2024) — Daniel Hope, one of the world’s most sought-after violinists and musical personalities, is Music Director of both the Zurich Chamber Orchestra (ZCO) and New Century Chamber Orchestra, and as of November 1, 2025 Intendant & Artistic Director of the Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy. Hope’s 2024–25 season begins at Dresden’s Frauenkirche – where he also serves as Artistic Director, curating more than 50 concerts per year – with a program of chamber music performed alongside students from his “Hope Academy” (Sep 6), followed by a night of Bach performances in locations throughout the church, featuring Frauenkirche Kantor Matthias Grünert, the church’s ensembles, and many other Dresden musicians (Sep 7). Two rotating programsloom large in Hope’s upcoming season, both documented on recent Deutsche Grammophon albums: Irish Roots was released this past summer, and DANCE!, which traces the history of Western dance from medieval times to the present day, was released in December 2023. Hope gives numerous performances of ”Irish Roots” – with a chamber ensemble that includes a second violin, cello/harp, lute/Baroque guitar, harpsichord, and percussion – in Belgium and Germany in the fall and winter. “DANCE!” programs featuring the ZCO take place at Italy’s Südtirol Festival (Sep 17) and Switzerland’s Stadtcasino Basel (Nov 27), and Hope and the ZCO also perform a program of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Vivaldi at the Frauenkirche Dresden (Oct 18). In the spring, Hope and New Century Chamber Orchestra debut the “DANCE!” program in the U.S. with four Bay Area performances, culminating at Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall (May 1–4). Additional New Century programs feature the U.S. premiere of David Bruce’s Lully Loops, dedicated to the violinist (Nov 14–17); pianist Inon Barnatan and trumpeter Aaron Schuman as guest soloists (Jan 17–19); and the West Coast premiereof A Prayer for Peace by Jungyoon Wie, co-commissioned by New Century (April 4–6). Hope also returns to Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie for an annual series of concerts called “A Winter Fairytale: Stories and Songs at Christmastime,” joined by conductor Daniel Geiss, German actress Katharina Thalbach, soprano Fatma Said, trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary, and the Belgrade Chamber Orchestra (Dec 22–26); tours his “Journey to Mozart” program to three destinations in Florida and Georgia with the Polish Chamber Orchestra of Sinfonia Varsovia (Feb 23–28); performs Berg’s Violin Concerto with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra led by Salvador Mas (May 24, 25); and much more.

“DANCE!” with Zurich Chamber Orchestra and New Century Chamber Orchestra

Tracing the history of Western dance from medieval times to the 20th century, Hope’s imaginatively programmed DANCE! double album offers almost two hours of dance music from around the world, in styles that range from Baroque opera and Russian ballet to klezmer, tango and swing. As on five of the violinist’s previous titles, he is partnered on the recording by the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, where he is in his ninth season as Music Director.

Hope’s in-depth research and creative curation are evident throughout the album, which sees early European works like the Lamento di Tristano, preserved in a 14th-century Tuscan manuscript, rub shoulders with Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” performed as a homage to the jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli, whom Hope met at the home of his childhood mentor, Yehudi Menuhin. Other works range from Offenbach’s instantly recognizable “Galop infernal (Can-can)” to Mozart’s lesser-known Rondo for Violin and Orchestra, heard with a cadenza by Hope himself. Personal favorites are also included, like Saint-Saëns’s Danse macabre and Erwin Schulhoff’s “Alla Tarantella.”

The traditional Ukrainian klezmer tune Odessa Bulgar is heard alongside compositions by Brahms, Leó Weiner and Bartók that were inspired by the folk dances of Hungary and Romania. Similar folk echoes resound in the late Wojciech Kilar’s Orawa, which draws on Polish dance rhythms; the syncopations of “Ticklin’ Toes,” the last of Florence Price’s Three Little Negro Dances; Bizet’s “Farandole,” which takes inspiration from a Provençal jig; the tavern sounds of Schubert’s Deutsche Tänze; Ravel’s Habanera, which offers a Cuban blend of Europe and Africa; and the “Rigaudon” from Handel’s Water Music, a French folkdance repurposed for a British king. Lully captures the spirit of 17th-century Parisian street dance in his “Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs,” while the Italian Renaissance and Baroque are represented by Tarquinio Merula and Evaristo FeliceDall’abaco; the Spanish fandango craze by Nicola Conforto; a range of English dance styles by Matthew Locke, Purcell, Elgar and Britten; Russian ballet by Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Prokofiev, alongside the waltz by their compatriot Shostakovich; and Argentine tangos by Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel. Many of the works are heard in original arrangements by Paul Bateman, with whom Hope has collaborated regularly since 2013.

The live performances of the “DANCE!” program draw freely from this repertoire, and some of the music finds its way into Hope’s other performances too: Wojciech Kilar’s Orawa, for example, is featured alongside music of Gluck, Mozart, and Haydn in Hope’s performances in Florida and Georgia with the Polish Chamber Orchestra of Sinfonia Varsovia (Feb 23–28). This season, after “DANCE!” performances with the ZCO at the Südtirol Festival in Merano, Italy (Sep 17) and in Switzerland at the Stadtcasino Basel (Nov 27), the program makes its U.S. debut with the New Century Chamber Orchestra in four California locations: Berkeley (May 1), Belvedere Tiburon (May 2), San Francisco’s Presidio Theatre (May 3), and Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall (May 4).

New Century season

Besides giving the U.S. premiere performances of the “DANCE!” program, Hope and New Century give three other sets of performances around the Bay Area in 2024–25. First up is the U.S. premiere of David Bruce’s Lully Loops, a composition dedicated to Hope and based on an otherwise obscure moment from Lully’s “tragédie en musique” Phaëton. Bruce’s piece is bookended by another “recomposition,” Max Richter’s Vivaldi Recomposed, and a movement from Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Noveletten for string orchestra (Nov 14–17). In the New Year, Hope and New Century are joined by pianist Inon Barnatan and San Francisco Symphony Associate Principal trumpeter Aaron Schuman for a keyboard concerto by C.P.E. Bach and Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 for piano, trumpet and strings, on a program with Bartók’s Divertimento for String Orchestra (Jan 17–19). In April, Hope and New Century give the West Coast premiere of a piece they co-commissioned with the chamber orchestra A Far Cry: Jungyoon Wie’s A Prayer for Peace, concerto grosso for string orchestra. The program also includes Adolphus Hailstork’s Sonata da Chiesa for String Orchestra and Richard Strauss’s late Metamorphosen for 23 Solo Strings (April 4–6).

Irish Roots tours with AIR Ensemble

In 2022, PBS stations nationwide aired Celtic Dreams: Daniel Hope’s Hidden Irish History, a TV documentary following the violinist as he explored Ireland, Irish music and his own family past. This past summer saw the release of Irish Roots on Deutsche Grammophon, propelled by Hope’s desire to investigate and express previously dormant strands of his musical DNA. Among other pieces, it includes music by 20th-century composer Ina Boyle, works by the great bard and harpist Turlough O’Carolan, and traditional favorites such as “Danny Boy,” plus classical pieces by itinerant foreigners and the fifth of Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico concertos, a smash hit in Ireland 300 years ago. Hope is joined on the new album by a stellar line-up of guest artists, including Lúnasa, harpist Siobhán Armstrong, flautists Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway, singer Rea Garvey, multi-instrumentalist and folk musician Ross Daly, fellow violinist Simos Papanas, and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Geiss.

Hope gives live performances of music from Irish Roots this season along with his AIR Ensemble, comprising Simos Papanas on violin, Emanuele Forni on both lute and Baroque guitar, Nicola Mosca on cello and harp, Michael Metzler on percussion, and Markellos Chryssikos on harpsichord. They perform the program in Ghent, Belgium (Sep 16); and in the German cities of Saarlouis (Oct 7), Bremen (Nov 5), Bielefeld (Nov 6), Münster (Nov 7), Braunschweig (Nov 8), Dresden (Dec 13), and Waiblingen (Jan 29). The same ensemble joins Hope for versions of his ongoing “AIR – A Baroque Journey” program at Germany’s Neresheim Abbey (Sep 29) and at the Geneva Conservatory (Oct 6).

Holiday performances in Essen, Hamburg, and Baden-Baden

Hope has performed his “Winter Fairytale” program on the stage of Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie since 2017, the year after the venue first opened its doors. Centered on the narration of beloved German actress Katharina Thalbach, the performances also include conductor Daniel Geiss, soprano Fatma Said, trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary, and the Belgrade Chamber Orchestra (Dec 22–26). As an upbeat to those performances, Hope and the Belgrade Chamber Orchestra are joined by soprano Lisa Wittig and mezzo-soprano Bettina Ranch – both members of Essen’s opera company, the Aalto-Musiktheater – for a “Christmas with Daniel Hope” performance in Essen (Dec 20). Hope then closes the year at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, again joined by conductor Daniel Geiss along with mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, baritone Thomas Hampson, trombonist Nils Landgren, German actor and chansonnier Horst Maria Merz, and the Baden-Baden Philharmonic for a New Year’s Eve Gala (Dec 31).

Other performances

Hope’s manifold activities put him in contact with musicians around the world, and a major characteristic of any Hope season is repeated performances with a rotating roster of favorite collaborators. One is conductor Daniel Geiss, who joins Hope this season for his holiday performances and conducts on the Irish Roots album. Another is pianist Jacques Ammon, who serves as the violinist’s regular accompanist for his series of programs called “Hope@9pm,” a salon for music and conversation at the Konzerthaus Berlin. Guests for the series this season include German actors Iris Berben (Sep 27) and Sabin Tambrea (Nov 28), as well as mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter (Jan 30). Ammon also performs with Hope in a recital of works by Brahms, Schumann, Grieg, and Elgar in Kaiserslautern, Germany (Nov 21). Finally, Hope joins conductor Werner Ehrhardt and his early music orchestra, l’arte del mondo, to perform music of Max Richter, Handel, and Vivaldi in Steinfurt, Germany (Oct 3), and gives two performances at the end of the season in Barcelona, joining the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and conductor Salvador Mas for Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto “To the Memory of an Angel,” composed after the 18-year-old daughter of Walter Gropius and Berg’s friend and patron Alma Mahler died of polio (May 24, 25).

Download high-resolution photos here.

Daniel Hope: 2024–25 engagements

Sep 6
Dresden, Germany
Frauenkirche Dresden
“Hope Academy in Concert”
Willard Carter, cello
Simon Haje, piano
Daniel Hope, violin
BACH: Sonata for Viola da gamba in G, BWV 1027
SCHUMANN: Five Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102
CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
MENDELSSOHN: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor op. 49

Sep 7
Dresden, Germany
Frauenkirche Dresden
“Bach-Nacht”
Ensemble Frauenkirche Dresden
Matthias Grünert, conductor
BACH:
Overture in D, BWV 1068
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor, BWV 1041
Cantata “Praise the Lord,” BWV 137
Kyrie and Gloria from the Mass in B minor, BWV 232

Sep 16
Ghent, Belgium
NTGent Schouwburg
“Irish Roots”

Sep 17
Merano, Italy
Südtirol Festival
“DANCE!”
Zurich Chamber Orchestra
Gluck, Handel, Mozart

Sep 27
Berlin, Germany
Konzerthaus Berlin
“Hope@9pm”
Jacques Ammon, piano
Guest: actress Iris Berben

Sep 29
Neresheim, Germany
Abtei Neresheim
“AIR – A Baroque Journey”
AIR Ensemble:
Simos Papanas
Nicola Mosca
Emanuele Forni
Markellos Chryssikos
Michael Metzler

Oct 3
Steinfurt, Germany
Bagno Konzertgalerie
I’arte del mondo
Werner Ehrhardt, conductor
Max RICHTER: Vivaldi Recomposed
Works by HANDEL and VIVALDI

Oct 6
Geneva, Switzerland
Conservatoire Genève
“Daniel Hope & Ensemble”
AIR Ensemble:
Simos Papanas, violin
Nicola Mosca, cello
Emanuele Forni, lute
Markellos Chryssikos, harpsichord
Michael Metzler, percussion
D. ORTIZ: Recercada segunda
HANDEL: Sarabande from Suite in D minor, HWV 437 (arr. By Olivier Fourés)
FALCONIERI: La suave melodia
WESTHOFF: “Imitazione delle Campane” from Violin Sonata No. 3
MATTEIS: Diverse bizzarrie sopra la Vecchia Sarabanda o pur Ciaccona 
VIVALDI: Sonata for two violins in D minor, RV 63, “La Follia”
FALCONIERI: Passacaglia a 3
TRADITIONAL: Greensleeves
LECLAIR: The Tambourine
UCCELLINI: Aria Sopra la Bergamasca
MATTEIS: Ground after the Scotch Humour
WESTHOFF: “Imitazione del liuto” from Violin Sonata No. 2
FALCONIERI: Ciaccona

Oct 7
Saarlouis, Germany
Theater Am Ring
“Irish Roots”
AIR Ensemble:
Simos Papanas, violin
Nicola Mosca, cello
Emanuele Forni, guitar
Markellos Chryssikos, harpsichord
Michael Metzler, percussion

Oct 18
Dresden, Germany
Frauenkirche Dresden
Zurich Chamber Orchestra
MENDELSSOHN: String Symphony
BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata in A, Op. 47, “Kreutzer Sonata” (arr. Richard Tognetti)
VIVALDI: The Four Seasons

Nov 5–8
German Tour of “Irish Roots” with AIR Ensemble
Simos Papanas, violin
Nicola Mosca, violincello & Irish harp
Emanuele Forni, lute
Markellos Chryssikos, harpsichord
Michael Metzler, percussion
VIVALDI, PURCELL, ROSEINGRAVE, Irish traditional, more
Nov 5: Bremen, Germany (Die Glocke)
Nov 6: Bielefeld, Germany (Oetkerhalle)
Nov 7: Münster, Germany (Theater Münster)
Nov 8: Braunschweig, Germany (Theater Braunschweig)

Nov 14–17
Bay Area tour with New Century Chamber Orchestra
COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Allegro Moderato from Four Noveletten for String Orchestra
David BRUCE: Lully Loops (U.S. premiere)
Max RICHTER: Vivaldi Recomposed
Nov 14: Berkeley, CA (First Congregational Church)
Nov 15: Vallejo, CA (Empress Theatre)
Nov 16: San Francisco, CA (Herbst Theatre)
Nov 17: Belvedere Tiburon, CA (St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church)

Nov 21
Kaiserslautern, Germany
Fruchthalle Kaiserslautern
Jacques Ammon, piano
Works by BRAHMS, SCHUMANN, GRIEG, ELGAR

Nov 27
Basel, Switzerland
Stadtcasino Basel
“DANCE!”
Zurich Chamber Orchestra
Program highlights:
GLUCK: “Dance of the Furies” from Orfeo ed Euridice
ANONYMOUS (14c): Lamento di Tristano
HANDEL: Selections from Water Music Suite
DALL’ABACO: Concerto Grosso in D, Op. 5, No. 6
CONFORTO: Fandango from L’Endimione
MOZART: Rondo in B-flat, K. 269
SCHUBERT: Selections from Five German Dances
BIZET: Suite No. 2: Farandole from L’Arlesienne
BARTÓK: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68
SCHULHOFF: Finale-Alla Tarantella from Five Pieces for String Quartet
TRADITIONAL: Odessa Bulgar
PRICE: Ticklin’ Toes
KILAR: Orawa
TCHAIKOVSKY: “Pas de deux” from Swan Lake
OFFENBACH: “Can-can” from Orpheus in the Underworld
SAINT-SAËNS: Danse macabre
PROKOFIEV: “Dance of the Knights” from Romeo and Juliet
PIAZZOLLA: Escualo

Nov 28
Berlin, Germany
Konzerthaus Berlin
“Hope@9pm”
Jacques Ammon, piano
Guest: actor Sabin Tambrea

Dec 13
Dresden, Germany
Frauenkirche Dresden
“Irish Roots”
AIR Ensemble:
Simos Papanas, violin
Nicola Mosca, violincello & Irish harp
Emanuele Forni, lute
Markellos Chryssikos, harpsichord
Michael Metzler, percussion

Dec 20
Essen, Germany
Philharmonie Essen
“Christmas with Daniel Hope”
Belgrade Chamber Orchestra
Bettina Ranch, mezzo-soprano
Lisa Wittig, soprano

Dec 22, 23, 25, 26
Hamburg, Germany
Elbphilharmonie
“A Winter Fairytale”
Lucienne Renaudin Vary, trumpet
Fatma Said, soprano
Katharina Thalbach, recitation
Belgrade Chamber Orchestra
Daniel Geiss, conductor

Dec 31
Baden-Baden, Germany
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
“New Years Eve Gala”
Thomas Hampson, baritone
Kelly O’Connor, mezzo-soprano
Horst Maria Merz, chansonnier
Nils Landgren, trombone
Baden-Baden Philharmonic
Daniel Geiss, conductor

Jan 17–19
Bay Area tour with New Century Chamber Orchestra
“Musical Diversions”
Inon Barnatan, piano
Aaron Schuman, trumpet
C.P.E. BACH: Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D minor
SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor for piano, trumpet and strings
BARTÓK: Divertimento for String Orchestra
Jan 17: Berkeley, CA (First Congregational Church)
Jan 18: Rohnert Park, CA (Green Music Center)
Jan 19: San Francisco, CA (Presidio Theatre)

Jan 29
Waiblingen, Germany
Kulturzentrum Waiblingen
“Irish Roots”
AIR Ensemble:
Simos Papanas
Nicola Mosca
Emanuele Forni
Markellos Chryssikos
Michael Metzler

Jan 30
Berlin, Germany
Konzerthaus Berlin
“Hope@9pm”
Jacques Ammon, piano
Guest: mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter

Feb 23–28
Southwest U.S. tour with Polish Chamber Orchestra of Sinfonia Varsovia
“Journey to Mozart”
Daniel Hope, violin & music director
GLUCK: “Dance of the Furies” from Orfeo ed Euridice
HAYDN: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in G
KILAR: Orawa (Feb 24, 28 only)
MOZART: Symphony No. 15 in G
MOZART: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 3 in G
HAYDN: Symphony No. 49 in F minor, “La Passione”
Feb 23: Vero Beach, FL (Community Church of Vero Beach)
Feb 24: West Palm Beach, FL (Kravis Center)
Feb 28: Atlanta, GA (Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts)

April 4–6
Bay Area tour with New Century Chamber Orchestra
“A Prayer for Peace”
Adolphus HAILSTORK: Sonata da Chiesa for string orchestra
Jungyoon WIE: A Prayer for Peace, concerto grosso for string orchestra (West Coast premiere; co-commission with A Far Cry)
STRAUSS: Metamorphosen for 23 Solo Strings
April 4: Berkeley, CA (First Congregational Church)
April 5: San Francisco, CA (St. Mark’s Lutheran Church)
April 6: Belvedere Tiburon, CA (St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church)

May 1–4
Bay Area tour with New Century Chamber Orchestra
“DANCE!”
Program highlights:
HANDEL: Selections from Water Music Suite
TCHAIKOVSKY: “Pas de deux” from Swan Lake
OFFENBACH: “Can-can” from Orpheus in the Underworld
SCHUBERT: Five German Dances
SAINT-SAËNS: Danse macabre
May 1: Berkeley, CA (First Congregational Church)
May 2: Belvedere Tiburon, CA (St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church)
May 3: San Francisco, CA (Presidio Theatre)
May 4: Stanford, CA (Bing Concert Hall)

May 8
Berlin, Germany
Konzerthaus Berlin
“Hope@9pm”
Jacques Ammon, piano
Guest: TBA

May 24, 25
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
Salvador Mas, conductor
BERG: Violin Concerto “To the Memory of an Angel”