NZ Barok is thrilled to be joined by virtuoso baroque cellist Mime Yamahiro Brinkmann for a feast of cello concertos! 

Programme
Vivaldi – Concerto for strings in C major RV 117
Vivaldi – Cello concerto in G major RV 413
Leo – Concerto for four violins and strings in D major
Leo – Cello concerto No. 4 in A major L.50
C.P.E. Bach – Cello concerto in A major Wq 172

NZ Barok thanks Dame Jenny Gibbs, Stout Trust (Perpetual Guardian), Four Winds Foundation and Friends of NZ Barok for their support.

Mime Yamahiro Brinkmann, is a virtuoso baroque cellist, soloist, and chamber musician, who has been described by Strad magazine as a musician who captivates audiences with a musicality that flows as naturally as breathing. In collaboration with NZ Barok, Mime showcases her mastery through the performance of three contrasting baroque cello concertos. The concert will transport listeners to the 18th-century splendors of Venice and Naples with Vivaldi and Leo concertos, while the CPE Bach concerto epitomizes the German ‘empfindsamer Stil’, with its turbulent changes of mood. This promises to be a concert that combines powerful music with an impressive display of performance artistry.

Having earned her performance diploma on the modern cello at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, Mime secured a scholarship from the Netherlands Art Council (Nuffic) to pursue her studies in historical performance on the cello and viola da gamba at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, the Netherlands. She graduated with a soloist diploma and received accolades such as winning the soloist prize at the Concours Musica Antiqua Brugge in Belgium.

Mime’s influence extends beyond the concert hall as she actively engages in the theatre world. Her innovative programmes, blending music with literature, dance, circus, light design, and pantomime, have garnered acclaim. Notably, her children’s show, ‘Hum hum Hume,’ performed at the Drottningholm Royal Palace Theatre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has enchanted over 2000 children.

Based in Sweden since 2003, Mime serves as a cello teacher at the Royal College of Music and conducts masterclasses globally. Her artistic endeavors are supported by a 10-year Art scholarship from the Swedish Arts Council. Additionally, in 2023, she received the prestigious ‘Bo Bringborn Music Award,’ recognising her creative excellence.

Captured through the lens of Mats Bäcker, Mime’s photos reflect her passion and dedication to the art form.

NZ Barok, a dynamic ensemble of leading baroque specialists from across New Zealand, breathes fresh life into baroque and classical masterpieces. Utilising period instruments and playing styles, they deliver authentic, classy, and spirited performances. They have been described as a revelation.

“A committed, passionate and cohesive sound of great quality, vitality and sensibility – a sound-fest ‘par excellence’!” Rainer Buhmann New Zealand Opera News, August 2023

“… authentic, classy and spirited performances… I certainly look forward to any future opportunities to hear NZ Barok.” – Tony Ryan, RNZ Concert

“NZ Barok are a revelation… the distinctive sound of their authentic instruments in perfect balance.” – Theatre Review