Sophie Pacini celebrated Christmas at home in Aying. But she spends the time between the years between the sea and the mountains. Mare e Monti. The Munich-born pianist, daughter of a German mother and an Italian father, has traveled south and recharges her batteries in Viareggio, Tuscany, her second home. “It’s been raining all the time now, but when the famous Italian sun comes out I’ll be walking on the beach,” she says. Or just look into the vastness of the mountains. Breathe in beauty, relax, be with family and friends, update the website, play a little piano: “Just for me,” she says and laughs softly.
The 30-year-old, who in the end of the year did a lot of concert activity until December, will appear in front of an audience, of course again soon. The first appearance of the year is scheduled for January 15th in Bludenz, Austria: a chamber concert with the violinist Johannes Fleischmann. Otherwise, the tour schedule for 2022 is well filled, (catch-up) concerts at home and abroad are planned, solo recitals and performances with orchestra.
Her solo program currently includes pieces by Chopin, Liszt and Schumann. A highlight is sure to be the performance in her hometown on March 6th with Martha Argerich: She has been friends with the famous pianist, who turned 80 last year, for a long time. Argerich and Pacini will give a duo concert in the Herkulessaal with works for two pianos by Mozart, Liszt and Wagner. “I’m particularly looking forward to that.”
Pacini, who is herself a renowned and widely decorated pianist (Echo-Klassik, International Classic Music Award), does not only move virtuoso on the grand piano. The pianist, who grew up in Großhelfendorf (and is now living there again), is also an eloquent and charming mediator of classical music – especially for younger generations, but also more classically distant classes – a sought-after personality, whether as a Beethoven ambassador for the BR or as Jury member and godmother for the SZ Tassilo Prize 2021.
She conceives and moderates broadcast formats for Deutschlandfunk, also in 2022: Her program “The Secret Life of Sounds”, in which she deals with the atmospheric meaning of keys and which began as a pilot project, will be continued in January: “It has so good It was well received that we now go through all keys, “she says. Beyond podcasts or blogs, however, the focus is on the concerts that she hopes will be able to play all of the planned ones in 2022. There is even a China tour in October.