As part of our 2026 event series "70 Years Austrian Cultural Forum London - A Celebration of Friends" we are pleased to present an evening concert dedicated to the lives of three important 20th century composers who would all have turned 100 in 2026 - Joseph Horovitz (born 1926 in Vienna, died 2022 in London), Francis Burt (born 1926 in London, died 2012 in Hartberg, Austria) and Friedrich Cerha (born 1926 in Vienna, died 2023 in Vienna).

The composers, who eventually all became professors at music universities, represent three very distinct forms of Austrian identities.

Joseph Horovitz spent his childhood in Vienna and fled with his parents to the UK in 1938, where he remained until his death in 2022. He composed a wide range of music and is best known for his comic operas, ballets and numerous film scores. He also became instrumental in teaching next generations as professor for composition at the Royal College of Music from 1961.

Francis Burt, born in London, chose Vienna as his permanent home in 1956 because of the city's rich musical heritage and openness to new, experimental music. In 1973 he became a professor for composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, as well as the director of the Institute of Electroacoustics in 1989.

Friedrich Cerha spent most of his life in Vienna and is considered one of the most influental and versatile Austrian composers of the 20th century. He wrote numerous operas and other works for vocal ensemble, choir and orchestra, worked as a conductor as well as a composer, co-founded the renowned ensemble die reihe and was an important supporter of the Viennese Avantgarde during his long career.

We are thrilled to welcome Austrian Duo Schablas & Polyzoides to the ACF Salon on this special occasion. Andreas Schablas (clarinet) and Janna Polyzoides (piano) are among the leading experts on Friedrich Cerha's music, having shared a close-knit artistic relationship with the composer throughout his life.

Since 2003, the duo has performed not only with the Arcus Ensemble Vienna (Erich Oskar Huetter and Bruno Weinmeister, cello), and since 2007 also as a clarinet and piano duo.
They performed repeatedly at the Vienna Musikverein (Martinů Cycle and Spring Festival), the Vienna Konzerthaus (Mozart-Saal), St. Peter's Abbey and at the Aspekte Festival for New Music in Salzburg, as well as at the Styrian Chamber Music Festival, the Brahms Festival Mürzzuschlag, the Mattsee Diabelli Summer Festival, the Eggenberg Palace Concerts in Graz, in Poland (Warsaw Royal Castle), Italy (Biblioteca Ambrosiana Milan), Israel (Sounding Jerusalem) and China (Jin Mao Concert Hall Shanghai). They premiered Friedrich Cerha's Phantasie and 8 Bagatelles and recorded them on CD (NEOS 10921).

Andreas Schablas (clarinet) studied at the Graz University of Music with Kurt Daghofer, in Vienna with Peter Schmidl and Johann Hindler, and additionally with Alfred Prinz and Gerald Pachinger. After several years as principal clarinetist of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, he joined the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg in 1999. Since 2010 he has been the solo clarinetist of the Bavarian State Orchestra.
As a soloist, he performed the Austrian premiere of Jean Françaix's Concerto, made his debut at the Salzburg Festival Hall with Carl Nielsen's Concerto, and debuted at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw with Wolfgang Rihm's Fremdes Licht. He was also a long-standing member of the Austrian Ensemble for New Music. He collaborates extensively with the Altenberg Trio Vienna (Schuster, Ganz, Hornstein), performs regularly as a member of the Arcus Ensemble Vienna, and with a wide variety of ensembles, including at the Vienna Musikverein and Konzerthaus, and most recently at London's Wigmore Hall.
Since October 2017, he has been a professor at the Mozarteum Salzburg University. He also teaches masterclasses at the International Summer Academy in Salzburg and at Haus Marteau.

Janna Polyzoides (piano) studied at the University of Music of Graz with Sebastian Benda and worked with Rudolf Kehrer, Alexander Jenner, Eliane Richepin and György Kurtág. Her career has taken her to festivals such as Wien Modern, Menuhin Festival Gstaad, styriarte Graz, Wiener Festwochen and to concert halls including the Cologne Philharmonic Hall, Wigmore Hall London, Athens Music Hall, Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Vienna Konzerthaus & Musikverein and the Mozarteum Salzburg (with the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss, RSO Vienna and Haydn Orchestra Bolzano).
As a chamber musician, she performs with the Arcus Ensemble Vienna, Camerata Polyzoides and in Duo Polyzoides with her brother Demetrius. She has performed with artists such as Erich Höbarth, Rainer Honeck, Christian Altenburger, Ernst Kovacic, Martin Hornstein, Christophe Coin, Franz Bartolomey, François Benda, members of the Artis Quartet, Aron Quartet, Klangforum Wien and Cologne String Sextet and is the artistic director of the masterclasses at the 53rd Internationale Musiktage in Leibnitz, Styria (July 12-25). Her discography includes 35 CDs, some of which have won awards. At the end of 2026, Vol. III of a live CD recording of the complete works for violin and piano by Eugène Ysaÿe with the Duo Polyzoides will be released at Paladino Music.

Programme:

Friedrich Cerha (1926-2022)
Phantasie (2012)

Francis Burt (1926-2012)
Duo op. 7 (1954)

Friedrich Cerha
From 21 Naseweise Notizen (2016):
X Schlaflied
V Ballawatsch *
I Remasuri**
XVII Raserei

Joseph Horovitz (1926-2022)
Sonatina B-Dur (1981)
Allegro calmato
Lento, quasi andante
Con brio

Friedrich Cerha
Rhapsodie (2012)

Friedrich Cerha
8 Bagatellen (2009)
Schwerblütig
Hektisch
Viertel = ca. 48
Heiter
Ungestüm
Klezmeriana
Wütend
Abgesang