St Barnabas Chopin Piano Festival
Saturday & Sunday February 27th & 28th 2010
We present a unique weekend festival of wonderful piano-playing
to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth on March 1st 1810.
featuring
38 pianists playing virtually all the solo piano works of Chopin !
Brief biographical notes on the pianists
David Alexander studied at the Royal College of Music, winning various piano prizes and graduating with honours, and a distinction in his Postgraduate course. Since then he has performed frequently as soloist, accompanist and chamber musician at many venues. He has received critical acclaim for his recitals for the Park Lane Group. He combines his performing with teaching positions at the Junior Royal Academy and elsewhere.
Marcus Andrews studied at Trinity College of Music, where he won many prizes and awards including the TCM Trust Silver Medal and Jaques Samuel Pianos Trinity College of Music Prize,. He continued his postgraduate studies at the University of Connecticut . He has participated in many masterclasses with eminent pianists and now has a busy career as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.
Lana Bode is an American pianist, now based in London , who studied at Indiana University , and subsequently at the Royal Academy of Music. She won various piano awards in the USA , and has performed widely, both in the USA and the UK . She also has gained awards for her academic and musicological activities, has published poetry and is currently studying psychology.
Mariko Brown studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2000 under Joan Havill, graduating in 2000. Alongside her piano studies, she took up composition with Gary Carpenter. Both composition and performing continue to be a vital part of her life although she now devotes most of her time to teaching.
Angela Brownridge first performed in public aged 7, and made her Wigmore Hall debut when aged 12. She studied at Edinburgh University , in Rome with Agosti and in London with Maria Curcio. Since then she has played throughout the world and recorded over highly-acclaimed 20 CDs, including the complete piano music of Gershwin, Barber and Leighton, and the complete piano concertos of Saint-Saens. Her recitals have garnered lavish praise, and she has been described as ‘one of the world's finest pianists' by the New York Times.
Emilie Crapoulet gained several prizes in France before going to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London . She has given many concerts in Europe, the United States and Latin America . She has recently completed a PhD on the relations between music and literature and will be releasing a CD of music by Beethoven and Chopin later this year.
Charles Economou was educated at St Paul 's School and Cambridge University , where he read mathematics. Whilst at Cambridge he was awarded an Instrumental Award, and gave many performances of solo and chamber music as a pianist, including a performance of Beethoven's Emperor piano concerto with a university orchestra. Since leaving Cambridge , he has concentrated entirely on his musical studies, giving many solo recitals.
Mei Yi Foo is from Malaysia and showed remarkable early talent, performing extensively throughout Asia, and winning an international competition in the Czech republic when aged 13. She subsequently studied at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. She won the Maria Callas International Piano Competition in 2008. She has played in most of the prestigious London concert venues, and has been hailed ‘ a pianist to watch' by Radio 3, and ‘a rising star' by International Piano Magazine.
Ashley Fripp was born in 1989 and studied at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music and at the Purcell School He reached the finals of the Keyboard Section of the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2004, and has won many competitions for young pianists, including the 1 st Glasgow International Competition and the European Piano Teachers' Association Piano Competition. He now studies at the Guildhall School of Music.
Reiko Fujisawa studied in Tokyo , at the Trinity College of Music, and with Martino Tirimo, Benjamin Kaplan, and Yonty Solomon. She has since established herself internationally as a formidable virtuoso performer with appearances at many prestigious venues in the UK in addition to regular invitations to perform overseas. She has a special interest in Japanese music, and has given frequent recitals in Japan .
James Gibb studied with Mabel Lander, and made his London debut in a BBC Promenade concert in 1949, followed by frequent appearances in later series of Proms. He has played concertos with all the major UK orchestras both here and abroad, made many broadcasts and given recitals throughout the UK . He is also an eminent teacher, and was Head of Keyboard Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for many years.
Jayson Gillham is from Australia , studied at the Queensland Conservatorium, and is now a student at the Royal Academy of Music. He was awarded third prize in the London International Piano Competition in 2005 when aged 18. He recently gained first prize in the 2008 Prix d'AmadèO de Piano in Germany , as well as the 2008 Australian National Piano Award. Other awards include prizes in the 2008 Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition, and first prize in the 2007 Beethoven Piano Society of Europe's Intercollegiate Piano Competition.
Mayumi Iida was born in Japan and studied in Tokyo , where she was awarded first place in her graduation recital. She subsequently completed her postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music. She won many prizes in competitions in Japan , and has participated with success in various international competitions, including the Schubert competition in Germany in 2002. She has given many concerts in the UK and in Japan .
Aisa Ijiri is from Japan , and made her public debut aged 7. She studied in Stockholm , at the Guildhall School and at the Royal College of Music. She won many prizes in Japan , and gained the Gold Medal at the Marlow International Concerto Competition 2006, as well as awards in various other piano competitions. She has played in prestigious venues both in the UK and Japan , and has been described as one of the finest Japanese pianists of her generation.
Clelia Iruzun spent her childhood in Rio de Janeiro, won her first competition when aged 7, and made her concerto debut when aged 15. She studied in London with Mario Curcio and with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music, and won awards in many competitions in the UK and elsewhere. She has given concerts all over Europe, the Americas and Asia . She has championed the music of South American composers, and made several CDs of this repertoire.
Julian Jacobson enjoys a wide-ranging career as solo pianist, ensemble and duo partner, composer and arranger, conductor and teacher, and has appeared as soloist with most of the major UK orchestras. In October 2003 he made history by being the first pianist to perform the complete 32 sonatas of Beethoven in a single day in the UK . He has recorded over one hundred solo works for BBC Radio 3 as well as some 20 CDs. He was formerly Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and is now professor at the Royal College of Music.
Carolyn Johnson-Wu studied in Canterbury ( New Zealand ) and won 2nd prize in the New Zealand Young Musician of the Year. In 2001 she won a scholarship to the Guildhall School , and studied with Ronan O'Hara. She has won various awards and prizes in recent years, and has performed throughout the UK , as well as broadcasting and making CDs in New Zealand . She has a keen interest in chamber music, and is pianist in the Villon Piano Trio, and is much in demand as a lieder accompanist. She lives in Ealing.
Elena Kiseleva was born in Moscow in 1984 and studied at the Central Music School in Moscow . She gave numerous concerts in her youth including solo recitals in Moscow and St Petersburg . She won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in 2004, studying with Christopher Elton. She has since performed at various prestigious venues and festivals, and recorded solo CDs. She is also a talented composer.
Jianing Kong was born in China and made his first public appearance age 6. He won several prizes including the 3rd prize in the inter-Asia Toyama competition in Hong Kong, and a prize at the National Youth competition in Beijing . In 2002, he won a scholarship to study at the Purcell School where he worked with Ronald Smith. He is currently a student at the Royal College of Music, on a full scholarship. In 2007 he won the Barcapel Prize in the Scottish International Piano Competition, and last year was a prizewinner in the Leeds International Piano Competition.
Chisato Kusunoki was born in Germany and read music at Oxford , where she gained a first class honours, and subsequently gained a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with distinction. She was a prizewinner in the Newport International Competition for Young Pianists in 2003, and won various other awards and prizes. She has played in the Wigmore Hall and other prestigious venues, and will be recording her first CD this year.
Hugh Mather studied the piano and organ from an early age, and continued his piano studies with James Gibb for many years. He pursued a medical career and was Consultant Physician at Ealing Hospital from 1982 to 2006. He has given innumerable concerts in West London as concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, including recent performances of both Brahms concerti and Beethoven's Hammerklavier sonata. He organises over 100 concerts a year at St Barnabas and St Mary's Perivale.
Viv McLean , the winner of the First Prize at the 2002 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona , has performed throughout the UK as well as in Europe, Japan , Australia and the USA . He has played concerti with most major UK orchestras, performed chamber music with leading groups such as the Ysaye String Quartet and the Leopold String Trio. Viv studied at the Royal Academy of Music and was the piano winner at the Royal Overseas-League Music Competition. Viv has recorded for BBC Radio 3 and for Sony Classical Japan, Naxos and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's own label.
Mishka Momen was born in London in 1992. She began to learn to play the piano at the age of five, was accepted by the Purcell School when aged 6, and gave her debut recital when aged 10. She has won various awards, including first prize in the Leschetizky Association's Gifted Young Pianists Concerto Competition held in New York . She has participated in many masterclasses and given recitals at most of the prestigious London venues. She now studies with Imogen Cooper at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Yshani Perinpanayagam grew up in Ealing, won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music and completed her training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has given solo recitals at the Wigmore Hall and various other prestigious venues in London . She also performs in various chamber ensembles, and is involved in various educational projects.
Alice Pinto was a scholar at St Paul 's Girls School and at the Junior Department of the RCM. She is now a final-year student at Trinity College of Music where she has won several awards, and will undertake postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy from Sept 2010. She has performed widely throughout the UK , has gained awards in several competitions and participated in various masterclasses with distinguished pianists.
Stephen Plaistow is a pianist, writer and broadcaster. He was a music producer for BBC radio 3 for 30 years, working with many of the outstanding performers of the day. He continues to make regular broadcasts on radio 3 and elsewhere. He studied with James Gibb, and has had lessons with Claude Frank and Richard Goode. He was awarded honorary membership of the Royal Academy of Music in 2003.
Maciej Raginia is from Poland , and won a number of major piano competitions there in the years 1998-2000, as well as in Spain , France and the UK . He then won scholarships to study at the Royal College of Music and subsequently at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Joan Havill. He has given recitals in prestigious venues throughout Europe , and participated in several international summer courses.
Aron Rozsa was born in 1983 in Hungary and moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 6. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester , graduating with distinction, and at the Royal College of Music. He has been a prizewinner in several international competitions, and was one of 3 major winners of the 2007 Vienna International Music Competition. He has won various other prestigious scholarships and awards, has performed throughout the UK and Europe , and recently released his first CD.
Danielle Salamon studied at Royal Manchester College of Music and the Guildhall School , She won the Mozart Memorial Prize Competition, and was Pianist in Residence at Sheffield University , where she worked closely with Lindsay String Quartet. She has performed widely as a recitalist, accompanist and chamber music player. She has a considerable reputation as an outstanding piano teacher, working at the Junior Department of the RCM.
Colin Stone won the Royal Over-Seas League Piano Competition in 1986. He has performed widely both in the UK and abroad, and broadcast regularly on Radio 3. He has recorded several highly regarded CDs, including much of Shostakovich's piano music. He is also a member of the London Mozart Trio, Colin is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music, and also teaches at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.
Seta Tanyel was born in Istanbul , of Armenian parentage, and studied in Vienna and London . She was a major prize winner at the International Beethoven Competition in Vienna in 1973 and the Artur Rubinstein Competition in Israel in 1974. Since then she has toured throughout the world, and performed with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia and the Israel Philharmonic. She has recorded over 20 CDs which have met with great critical acclaim. She has been juror in international piano competitions, and has given masterclasses throughout Europe .
Mitra Alice Tham is from Singapore , and gave her first public performance aged 3. She subsequently studied at the Purcell School and the Royal Academy of Music, in Leipzig and most recently at the Mannes School of Music in New York . She has been a prizewinner at many international competitions, and has performed extensively in Asia, United States and the UK . She is also a noted composer, arranger and improviser.
Pavel Timofejevsky began his music studies age 6 in Moscow . He gained a scholarship to the Purcell School , and subsequently studied at the Royal Academy of Music, from where he graduated recently. He has won several awards and national competitions, and performed at prestigious venues in London and across the UK , and throughout Europe, as well as in Moscow and Petersburg .
Nina Walker studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music, with Alfred Cortot in Switzerland and with Claudio Arrau. She gave her first London recital at the Wigmore Hall in 1965, and subsequently gave many concerts throughout the UK . She has had a very distinguished career as accompanist, working with many of the finest singers of her generation, including Maggie Teyte, Monserrat Caballe, Katia Ricciarelli and Jose Carreras. She was a repetiteur and chorus master at the Royal Opera House for many years. She made many CDs for Nimbus records, as accompanist and duettist. She lives in Ealing
Samantha Ward studied at Chetham's School of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she won several prizes. She won the Making Music Philip and Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists in 2004, and has won first prize in several major competitions, including the Hastings International Competition and the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe's Intercollegiate Competition.
Simon Watterton was born in Cheshire , and studied at the Purcell School and at the Royal College of Music, where he won a number of prestigious prizes, including the Hopkinson Silver Medal. He won the piano prize at the Haverhill Sinfonia Soloist Competition. He has given recitals at prestigious venues across the UK He is a current Concordia Foundation artist, and was recently featured as a ‘Rising Star' in the International Piano magazine.
Alexis White studied at the Menuhin School , the Royal Northern College of Music and the Eastman School of Music in USA , where she graduated in 2003. She won many prestigious prizes and scholarships, most notably First Prize in the 7th Noyers International Piano Competition in France , and has performed in prestigious venues throughout the UK and abroad. In 2004 she reached the finals of YCAT auditions, held at the Wigmore Hall.
Eri Yamabe was born in Japan , and studied at the Tokyo College of Music and the Royal College of Music, where she graduated with distinction, winning the Silver Medal in the Chappell competition. She has won prestigious awards in several international competitions, including 1 st prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Asia in 2000, and given many recitals in Japan and the UK .
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