Supporting young talents: Elham Fanoos

Elham Fanoos is one of the most gifted piano students at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul. In December 2013, with the support of the Foreign Office, Elham received a scholarship which enabled him to undertake three months of study at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar. 

Christian Wilm Müller, artistic director of the Centre of Excellence "Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere", Katarina Schlenker, pianist and scholar at the "Neue Liszt Stiftung" and Florian Kleissle, lecturer in music theory and ear training at the Department of Music Education and Church Music, worked all with Elham during this period. In addition, he recorded a CD at the university.

Chopin at the Weimar Schloss

This intensive period was important for Elham's musical development. He demonstrated his skills on 28 August 2014 in the Weimar Schloss during the presentation of the Goethe medal to Krystyna Meissner. In the presence of Claudia Roth, vice-president of the German Bundestag, Christoph Matschie, Minister of Education, Science and Culture in Thuringia, and Stefan Wolf, lord mayor of the City of Weimar, Elham played in honor of the Polish medal-winner. The selected composition was by Meissner's fellow countryman Frédéric Chopin.