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It seems to me that time is really flying and every year seems to go faster and to be busier. It is over a year since the last Competition finished and the Prize-Winners had concluded their extensive concert tours in Australia. The 2004 Competition was really such a great success and our Prize-Winners are appearing in concerts in many different parts of the world, all arranged through the Competition Office. Our audiences are certainly world-wide – people travel to Australia from a number of countries to hear the Competition live as well as those who listen to the internet broadcasts on ABC Classic FM. These broadcasts reach a vast audience in almost every country in the world. Competitors always tell us how happy they are to come to Sydney as they are so well looked after by members of the Friends of the Competition. Many of the Friends working for the 2004 Competition have been working in a range of different tasks since the first Competition in 1977, because their involvement gives them great satisfaction as well as enjoyment. I am pleased to welcome two new Directors to the Competition Board, Mr. Brendan Aubusson and Mr. Danny May. Later in the Newsletter, there is information about these new members. Since mid-2004, we have already had requests for details of the 2008 Competition. This material will be available in booklet form and on our website from mid-August, 2006. Until then, I send all our audience my love and my good wishes. Claire Dan AM, OBE |
James Moon was recently announced winner of the Federated Music Club’s Godfrey Smith Memorial Piano Award. James also auditioned for the Hannover Hochschule in Germany in June, 2005 and was successful. He will study there with Prof. Arie Vardi. In August 2005, James was awarded the 4th Prize in the Vlassenko Competition in Brisbane
Chu-Fang Huang has received 2nd Prize in the Washington International Competition in April, 2005 and last November, gave seven recitals in China. She also has performed with the Charlston Symphony in December, 2004 and with the Victoria Symphony in April, 2005. She also had recitals in Europe including at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and in the Ruhr Festival. In April, she was a finalist in the Van Cliburn Competition. In December, 2005, she will give her debut at the Kennedy Centre in Washington. Chu-Fang has just recently announced the winner of the First Prize in the Cleveland International Piano Competition. She receives USD50,000 Prizemoney and 50 concert engagements arranged by the Competition, a New York recital in Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center and a CD contract with Naxos. 
Maria Mazo was awarded the Jury Prize in the Van Cliburn Competition in April 2005.
Alexey Kurbatov was winner of the 2nd Prize of the Senior Division of the Horowitz Competition in Kiev in April this year. He performed in a Festival in Portugal in August 2004. In Moscow he has performed at the Scriabin Museum, for the Wagner Society, House of Scientists, Malyi and Rachmaninov Halls at the Moscow Conservatoire and at the Central Music School.
Henry Wong Doe has recently performed in a series of 32 Beethoven Sonatas presented by Yamaha Artist Services in New York. He has concerts in Fontainebleu, France and Balzano. He is completing his Doctorate at the Juilliard School in New York. Henry also performs with Canadian violinist Eugenia Choi, and they were top prize-winners in the 2004 Swedish International Duo Competition. Henry is also a teaching assistant at Juilliard and has a private teaching studio in Manhattan.
Manila Santini has been busy with concerts at Gradara Castle in Italy as soloist and chamber musician in Bari (Italy) and Rome. She completed her advanced course at the Rotterdam Conservatory studying with Prof. Aquiles Delle-Vigne in February 2005. In June 2005, she will give concerts in USA (Laurence Township Orchestra), Florence International Music Festival and in August in Girona (Spain).
Alexei Volodin had great success in his Paris premier recital at the ‘Theatre des Champs-Elysées’ in May 2005. After a program which comprised Schubert’s Impromptu Op 142 No 1, Beethoven’s Sonata Op 111, Rachmaninov’s Six Moments Musicaux Op 16 and Prokofiev’s Sonata No 7 Op 83, he then gave seven encores and had a standing ovation.
John Chen participated in the 2005 Brisbane Festival performing one of the Tippett Sonatas in a series of concerts highlighting the works of Sir Michael Tippett in concerts celebrating the 100th Anniversary of his birth.
Clemens Leske was soloist in Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 1, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Denis Vaughan in the Royal Festival Hall, London on 17 May, 2005. A review by Hayden Jones stated “Australian pianist Clemens Leske’s Rachmaninov brought a much-needed shot in the arm. He was completely at home in this concerto – with well-judged and authentic-sounding rubato his interpretation was never over the top or showy. His musicality and pianism make this guy definitely one to watch!”
Spencer Myer was the recipient of the Fourth Prize (US$10,000) in the Cleveland International Piano Competition just recently. He was also awarded the American Prize (US $1,500) for the Best Performance of an American work composed after 1944 and the Contemporary Prize (US $1,500) for the Best Performance of a Contemporary work.
Danny May’s education and interest in classical music goes back to his piano lessons at the local convent at 5 years old and soon after, accompanying his Viennese grandmother to concerts at the Sydney Town Hall and opera performances at Newtown’s Elizabethan Theatre.
Brendan Aubusson has been a Member of the Competition Board since early 2005. He has a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Sydney University and was admitted in 1974 as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. He has been a partner of the legal firm, Church & Grace, Solicitors since 1978. His field of expertise is Commercial Law.
• Tour as Associate Artist with violinist, Julia McCarthy, Gore, Kerikeri, Whitford, Rotorua, Whakatane, North Shore City Auckland, Wellington, North Shore City Auckland (Repeat – sold out), Government House Wellington, West Auckland in April and May 
