Deutsche Grammophon is marking the 120th anniversary of its company foundation on December 6, 1898 with a carefully curated global programme of DG120 live concerts, special events, record releases and much more. The world’s oldest and best-known classical label will use its anniversary year to continue building a lasting legacy. The company’s unprecedented DG120 programme has been designed to reach existing fans worldwide, attract new followers in Asia and beyond, and share its peerless catalogue with as many people as possible. It has already attracted new audiences in search of great recordings and performances, as well as garnering extensive international media coverage.The birthday celebrations began with the spectacular DG 120 – The Tokyo Concert, held at Tokyo’s legendary Suntory Hall last night, December 5, in the presence of the Japanese imperial family. Anne-Sophie Mutter joined Seiji Ozawa, Diego Matheuz and the Saito Kinen Orchestra for a programme of works by Bach, Beethoven, Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky.

In Korea, Seong-Jin Cho marks Deutsche Grammophon’s actual birthday in style today with DG120 – The Seoul Anniversary Concert, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D minor K.466 with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Lionel Bringuier at the Seoul Arts Center. Anne-Sophie Mutter joins the Seoul party tomorrow, Friday, December 7, opening the evening’s programme with Bruch’s evergreen First Violin Concerto.

The celebrations continue well into 2019. Future anniversary landmarks include DG120 – The Hamburg Concert, with Hélène Grimaud, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Andris Nelsons (January 19), DG120 – The Hanover Concert, with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Nelsons (April 9), and DG120 – The London Concert at the Royal Albert Hall with DG artists Peter Gregson and Víkingur Ólafsson (May 1).

The Yellow Label launched its milestone year in October with a DG120 Gala Concert at Beijing’s Forbidden City, the first classical performance to be staged there for 20 years. In November, the next anniversary event was hosted by Deutsche Grammophon in Berlin – the city in which it is now headquartered. DG120 – The Berlin Gala was held at the Berlin Philharmonie and featured Lang Lang and Anne-Sophie Mutter, who performed the world premiere of a new version of John Williams’ Across the Stars, dedicated to her.

Deutsche Grammophon has reached out to young audiences across East Asia by introducing its pioneering Yellow Lounge classical club night format to the region with debut events in Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul and Shanghai, featuring DG artists Avi Avital, Peter Gregson, Daniel Hope, Mischa Maisky, Alice Sara Ott, Andreas Ottensamer, Yuja Wang and Esther Yoo. Future DG120 Yellow Lounge nights, presented in partnership with Volkswagen Group, are set to take place in major Asian cities.