LoLa & Hauser - We Are The Champions

"We Are The Champions" was made famous by the singing group, Queen... but I don't think you have ever heard quite a different rendition by just a classical Pianist and a Cellist... This Afternoon's Music Interlude is something which I hope you will all take the time to listen to as a beautiful and renowned Pianist and a vibrant Cellist take over this song and deliver a marvelous performance...

Background: Lola Astanova
"Lola Astanova, (Russian: Лола Астанова) (born 3 July 1985 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan) is an Uzbek-American pianist, noted for her interpretations of compositions by Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff, visual performance, and piano transcriptions.

Astanova started touring as a concert pianist at the age of eight. She performed in (Germany), France, Austria, Italy and Russia in both solo programs and performances with orchestras. She became a laureate at the 1996 International Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in Moscow. In 1998, she was featured in the UNESCO documentary "Prodigies of the 20th Century". In 2003, she emigrated to the United States; her debut there was at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the following year.

On 19 January 2012 Astanova made her Carnegie Hall debut. A special Tribute to Vladimir Horowitz gala concert was chaired by Donald Trump and hosted by the Academy Award winner Julie Andrews. Horowitz's student, American pianist Byron Janis, was among the concert's attendees. In March 2012, Astanova appeared on the cover of Palm Beach Society magazine ahead of her performance with Jahja Ling at the Kravis Center. On 30 May 2012 she performed a duet with Byron Janis during his Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Astanova has received attention for her performance style and appearance, often wearing extremely high-heels and tiny mini skirts. She has expressed her love for fashion stating that "some extraordinary artists" work in this field. In June 2012, she was named among Top 10 Style Icons in Classical Music by Limelight magazine"

Background: Hauser:
Stjepan Hauser (Croatian pronunciation: [stjêpaːn xǎuser]; born 15 June 1986) is a Croatian cellist. He is a member of 2Cellos, along with Luka Šulić.

Hauser has performed in more than 40 countries across all the continents including successful debuts in Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Southbank Centre and many more. He is laureate of UK's international competitions and awards such as: PLG Young Artists Auditions 2009, J & A Beare Solo Bach Competition 2009, NYOS Staffa Award 2009, Philharmonia Orchestra – Martin Musical Scholarship Fund 2009 & 2008, Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition 2009 & 2007, Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition 2008 & 2006, Computers in Personnel International Concerto Competition 2008, Frankopan Fund Award 2006, and MBF Music Education Award 2006 & 2005.

In October 2006 Hauser was the only[citation needed] cellist chosen to perform in the gala concert at Palazzo Vecchio, Florence for the late Mstislav Rostropovich. Following the success of this appearance Stjepan has been invited to perform at the most prestigious festivals in Europe. At the International Holland Music Sessions 2009, he was chosen to participate in the "New Masters on Tour" concert series, presenting young artists in prestigious concert venues all over Europe.

Together with the Slovenian violinist Lana Trotovsek and Japanese pianist Yoko Misumi, Hauser was a member of the renowned Greenwich Trio described by legendary cellist Bernard Greenhouse as the "New Beaux Arts Trio." The Trio won a series of first prizes in the international chamber music competitions in the UK, Belgium and Italy. The Greenwich Trio had masterclasses with Amadeus Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet, Guarneri Quartet, Beaux Arts Trio, Trio Fontenay, Menahem Pressler, Bernard Greenhouse, Ivry Gitlis, Stephen Kovacevich, Ralf Gothoni, Niklas Schmidt, Arnold Steinhardt, Valentin Erben and Eberhard Feltz. ... They performed in some of the most prestigious European international music festivals. In March 2008 they performed Beethoven's Triple Concerto with conductor Barry Wordsworth and in September the same year they played in the sold out opening festival at King's Place, London.

Subsequently, Hauser went on to do solo work, to include his recording of British composer Christopher Ball's First Concerto for Cello, written by the composer specifically for him. The album, Christopher Ball: Music for Cello, was recorded at the first live performance of the concerto in 2010, and features former Greenwich Trio member, Yoko Misumi, on piano.

In January 2011, Hauser, along with friend and fellow cellist Luka Šulić, performed a cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" which was played solely on cello. In just a few days, the music video for this cover became a YouTube sensation.

Under the name 2Cellos, Hauser and Šulić recorded an album with Sony Music Entertainment, which was released in July 2011.