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Despite the economic global financial downturn, and with so many people having great problems with housing loans, school fees and many other matters, the presenters of concerts by our Prize-Winners Konstantin Shamray, Tatiana Kolesova and Hoang Pham have been most enthusiatic and have agreed to schedule recitals and concerto appearances in 2009 and 2010. The concerts in 2009 will be in West Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. In 2010, all States, the ACT and New Zealand will be presenting Konstantin Shamray in some forty concerts – concertos with seven different orchestras and recitals. In addition, he will be making a CD with ABC Classics in Sydney and also a CD for Naxos. He has continued to have concerts arranged by the Competition in France, Germany and Singapore as well as concerts in his native country – an extensive tour in Siberia and other large cities in Russia, as well as in Spain. Tatiana Kolesova has performed in France and Russia with success. Former competitors have had great success in expanding their performance opportunities in Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and Austria, USA, Japan, South Korea, Great Britain and China and also have been prize-winners in a number of major piano competitions in the USA. The two sets of four CD’s – Solo Highlights and Concertos and Chamber Music issued by ABC Classics have been enthusiastically welcomed throughout Australia and have received frequent broadcasts on ABC Classic FM. I feel strongly that the music performances lift people out of the depressing situation that is in all countries and provide hope for the future. Claire Dan AM, OBE |
Since the Competition in 2008, Tomoki Kitamura has performed a number of concertos – Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27 KV 595 and Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor with orchestras in Japan. He has also given a number of recitals in Japan and for the first time, went to Paris for a recital in January. He has recently become very interested in contemporary music and is studying the works of George Crumb, Toru Takemitsu and Arvo Pärt and includes works by these composers in his concert programmes. His forthcoming engagements include a tour with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra playing the Grieg Concerto and in March he will perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and in May, he will take part in the famous Music Festival in Japan la Folle Journée au Japon playing only works by J S Bach. In June, he will perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 KV 271 with the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra.
Mark Kruger, who is currently based in Berlin, has recently undertaken a tour with a singer, Sally Wilson in Geelong, Bendigo, Gooondiwindi (Qld) and Brisbane. They will perform works by Gluck, Donizetti, Schumann, Schubert, Chopin, Lutosławski and the cabaret songs of William Bolcom. He will also have solo recitals in Adelaide, Sydney and Albury - Lutosławski’s Piano Sonata (Australian premiere) and Two Études and the Ives Concord Sonata. He will make a recording of the complete piano works of Lutosławski for Naxos in 2009 and in November 2009, he will record Ives’ Concord Sonata for Tall Poppies Records.
In January 2009, Ran Dank was the winner of the First Prize in the Young Concerts Artists International Auditions which will give him many concerts and important debuts as well as three years' management.
In 2008, William Chen performed Howard Blake’s Piano Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the composer in Cadogan Hall, London on the 28th October 2008. This concerto was commissioned for the 30th birthday of Princess Diana and was first performed in the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1991 with the composer as the soloist. In the review of the concert by Bob Briggs, he had this to say about the performance: “...his approach had many points of similarity with Blake’s own recording but there were several passages which he treated in a new way. He enjoyed letting the music run away (yet he was always in control) and was quite happy to throw caution to the wind and play devil’s advocate with some of the showier passages…The slow movement was particularly well done…..The raucous set of variations, which is the finale, gave ample opportunity for both soloist and orchestra to let their hair down and have some real fun…….” William has already recorded Blake’s suite Lifecycle on ABC Classics.
John Chen recently gave two performances of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. His Saguaro Piano Trio performed Schubert’s Trio No 2 in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York and his trio won the Second Prize in the Trio Division of the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition. He has recently also started his Doctorate of Music Arts at the University of Southern California with John Perry.
Mariangela Vacatello has been accepted for the next Van Cliburn Competition in 2009. She had the 3rd Prize in the Tonyeon International Music Competition in 2008 and also gave her second recital at Wigmore Hall London. A CD will be released shortly with 20th Century works by Scriabin, Stravinsky, Ravel, Busoni and Shostakovich. She will perform with the Stuttgart Philharmonia in October this year and she will make her debut in China with the Chinese Broadcasting Orchestra.
Alexander Gavrylyuk recently performed with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra – Variations on a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninov. He will also perform with the Sydney Symphony later this year, performing and recording all the Prokofiev Concertos with Vladimir Ashkenazy as conductor. In February he made his solo debut in the Concertgebouw and later this year will perform with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. The reviews for the recital were outstanding. “…With great authority Gavrylyuk entered the stage that can break fingers and reputations. His interpretations of Rachmaninov and Brahms were fine examples of how to make a score transparent. One highlights the melody, stresses the bass line secretly and lights the connecting voices stealthily. All this of course with superior ease and natural calm.” Guido van Oorschot. “None of the young pianists that made their debut in the Master Pianist series during the past years, made as big an impression as 24 year old Alexander Gavrylyuk last Sunday. …Gavrylyuk showed a musicality so natural, sympathetic and modest, that his flawless technique, which equals Volodos and Lang Lang, appears to be a mere vehicle for the music… Gavrylyuk appears to be the piano-discovery of the year, even though this year has only just begun.” Christo Lelie. “The secret of Alexander Gavrylyuk is focus… Whoever is capable at such a young age of playing so superior and truthful is born with the gift of divine concentration… Gavrylyuk plays the piano like a part of himself, almost without technical restrictions and with a remarkably honest feeling for music.” Wenneke Savenije
In May 2009, Jose Menor made his debut performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London’s Cadogan Hall giving the British premiere live performance of Albeniz’s Concerto Fantastico and Rapsodia Española. The date chosen was the 22nd May being the 100th Anniversary of the composer. He will also give a debut performance with RTVE Orchestra in Madrid (Radio and Television Orchestra) in November 2009.
The Sydney Youth Orchestra has commissioned, with the assistance of MUSICA AUSTRALIS, a new Piano Concerto from the composer Daniel Rojas. The concerto will be given the World Première by the orchestra with the soloist Konstantin Shamry, the 1st Prize-Winner of the 2008 Sydney International Competition of Australia, in March 2010 as part of his Return Tour of Australia.
Since 2000, when the Competition moved from the Sydney Conservatorium to the Seymour the “Home” for the competitors was UniLodge a short walk from the Seymour Centre. In January 2009, UniLodge was closed for short term bookings. The Competition is very pleased that the new “Home“ for the competitors in the 2012 Competition will be St Andrew’s College within the University of Sydney. At St Andrew’s, each competitor will have a single room with ensuite. St Andrew’s is also a short walk from the Seymour Centre. On the 10th June 2010, Konstantin Shamray will give a private Recital for St Andrew’s staff and students. St Andrew’s College was established in 1867 as a residential and academic support college for students attending the University of Sydney. Today, St Andrew’s has 285 residents including male and female undergraduates, resident Fellows and graduate residents. All students who have gained admission to the University of Sydney are eligible to enter the College, the selection criteria being academic merit, a willingness to commit themselves to their studies and their potential to contribute to College life.
The College takes pleasure in announcing that it will host a concert by Konstantin Shamray, winner of the 2008 Sydney International Piano Competition, at 7.30 pm on Thursday June 10, 2010. In 2007 St Andrew’s College commissioned a new grand piano from Overs Pianos in Concord, NSW. The new form of action designed by Ron Overs has attracted interest in Australia and overseas, comparable to the excitement generated by the Stuart pianos made in Newcastle. The College instrument is housed in a Kawai case, using a Kawai keyboard.
As NSW’s premier orchestral training organisation, Sydney Youth Orchestras offers the most comprehensive orchestral training program of any state or national youth orchestral organisation throughout Australasia.
That’s a lot of inspiring training for Sydney’s emerging young musicians as they prepare for a future career.
Premiering on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July 2009, SYO invites SIPCA members to come along and support our emerging young musicians by taking up our special offer in your last mail out.