Queen Elisabeth Competition: Brussels

[franz_]

Yes, the Queen Elisabeth Competition for Piano is back. The program they had to study was véry hard, and out of the 94 selected pianists, 24 were selected for the semi-finals. Now there are the semi-finals. There are 5 belgians out of the 24 pianists, which is unique. These are all semi-finalists:

Arta Arnicane (Letland)
Lucas Blondeel (België)
Evgeny Brakhman (Rusland)
Jae-Won Cheung (Korea)
Zlata Chochieva (Rusland)
François Dumont (Frankrijk)
Julien Gernay (België)
Hisako Kawamura (Japan)
Nikolaas Kende (België)
Stanislav Khegay (Kazachstan)
Vadym Kholodenko (Oekraïne)
Sangyoung Kim (Korea)
 Miyeon Lee (Korea)
Hyo-Sun Lim (Korea)
Plamena Mangova (Bulgarije)
Francesco Piemontesi (Zwitserland)
Ilya Rashkovskiy (Rusland)
Philippe Raskin (België)
Mariangela Vacatello (Italië)
Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort (België)
Anna Vinnitskaya (Rusland)
Mu Ye Wu (China)
Aiko Yajima (Japan)
Hong-Chun Youn (Korea)


Which one is know by you? I'm a big fan of Evgeny Brakhman which I saw in the first round.
On www.cmireb.be you can follow Live the pianists on video.

[sharon_f]

Five Belgians and no Americans  in the finals. Interesting.

[steinwaymodeld]

Ilya Rashkovskiy

[jlh]

Five Belgions and no Americans  in the finals. Interesting.

I agree... 5 of 8 Belgians made it to the semi-finals, while 0 of 6 Americans made it through? 

There are 2 ways of looking at this.  Either 1) the Belgians whooped the crap out of the Americans, or 2) well, it being a Belgian competition, more support is given for local applicants. 

hmm...

Reminds me of a competition I entered once, where there were 68 colleges and universities represented with more than 100 competitors.  The competition was at a rather small university, and nevertheless, 9 of the 12 finalists in that competition were... yep, from that local university.  The prize money was given by the local chamber of commerce, as well... shoulda known... 

I'm not suggesting that any kind of fixing has been done, it just strikes me as funny that so many locals made it through but not the Americans. I dunno. 

I was rootin for Esther Park, btw...

[Kassaa]

:O , that Nikolaas Kende turned up to be third in a Dutch national competition I also participated in (in an other category though).

[franz_]

Nikolaas Kende is a good pianist. His father is a teacher in a Belgian conservatory.
I think it's just luck that there are 5 belgian in the finals. It never happened before. Also, most of those belgians studied not in Belgium or had international teachers.

[jlh]

Nikolaas Kende is a good pianist. His father is a teacher in a Belgian conservatory.
I think it's just luck that there are 5 belgian in the finals. It never happened before. Also, most of those belgians studied not in Belgium or had international teachers.

Yeah of course it was just the luck of the draw, so to speak.  Major international competitions these days are designed to be impartial and I didn't mean to imply otherwise.  It just struck me as odd, and I wanted to make some fun of it. lol 

[sharon_f]

Major international competitions these days are designed to be impartial.

Or so one would hope.

[etudes]

Evgeny Brakhman (Rusland)
Jae-Won Cheung (Korea)
Ilya Rashkovskiy (Rusland)
Mu Ye Wu (China)
are top candidates for me

[franz_]

Evgeny Brakhman (Rusland)
Jae-Won Cheung (Korea)
Ilya Rashkovskiy (Rusland)
Mu Ye Wu (China)
are top candidates for me

You know them?

[Kassaa]

Nikolaas Kende is a good pianist. His father is a teacher in a Belgian conservatory.
I think it's just luck that there are 5 belgian in the finals. It never happened before. Also, most of those belgians studied not in Belgium or had international teachers.

Yes he is extremely good, he has the rare ability to really stop the time, I heard his Mozart concerto in the competition finals, it was beautiful and very interesting!

[franz_]

Btw, you can NOW watch it live. Now Fransceco Piemontesi is playing Mozart Concert No. 17.

[etudes]

You know them?

one of them personally 

[frederic chopin]

From today's competitiors:

Jae-Won Cheung (Korea) played a mean Gaspard. 
Ilya Rashkovskiy (Rusland) played the Brahm's Paganini Variations - he is my favourite so far! 

[jlh]

Ilya Rashkovskiy (Rusland) played the Brahm's Paganini Variations - he is my favourite so far! 

...otherwise known as Russia (for those who don't speak German).

[frederic chopin]

...otherwise known as Russia (for those who don't speak German).

I only copied and pasted that from the original post higher up...

[nicco]

From today's competitiors:

Jae-Won Cheung (Korea) played a mean Gaspard. 

I saw that, the Scarbo was amazing!

[etudes]

I saw that, the Scarbo was amazing!

I think otherwise
I prefer her op.101 but her Scarbo was worse than last concert she gave 

[franz_]

one of them personally 

Who? 
I'm watching Miyean Lee's Mozart No. 21 now.

[frederic chopin]

Wow - some astounding playing in the semi finals.

The pianists who I thought were brilliant went through to the final and the few who were not up to scratch did not. So overall, I am quite happy with the results. 

[franz_]

I really can't understand why Brakhman didn't reached the finals. Someone can explain me??
Also, yesterday I was in the conservatory of Brussels, in the hall to watch en hear the results. I saw Anna Vinnitskaya. (again, after I saw playing her). I felt in love with her, what a beautiful, natural woman. I want to contact her, but how?

[alessandro]

I don't think the jury is partial.  Why should one think that ? What I find interpelling is the choice of the Bulgarian Mangova.  I agree everyone has its own favourite repertoire or pieces one likes to play, one is good in...  But her music is, like herself, full of body but with inaudible or vague endings.  There's often a well-defined 'contour' needed, a sharpness, articulation.  Her playing is round, bodied... charming, but not my cup of tea.  My favourites are the Italian lady (Vacatello ?)(she will not win) and Khegay. (He should win if he doesn't play to much mistakes). The Swiss guy is also original.  By the way, what a drug is watching that competition.  It is so interesting how classical music can sound every so modern.

[alessandro]

I don't think the jury is partial.  Why should one think that ? What I find interpelling is the choice of the Bulgarian Mangova.  I agree everyone has its own favourite repertoire or pieces one likes to play, one is good in...  But her music is, like herself, full of body but with inaudible or vague endings.  There's often a well-defined 'contour' needed, a sharpness, articulation.  Her playing is round, bodied... charming, but not my cup of tea.  My favourites are the Italian lady (Vacatello ?)(she will not win) and Khegay. (He should win if he doesn't play to much mistakes). The Swiss guy is also original.  By the way, what a drug is watching that competition.  It is so interesting how classical music can sound so modern.

[alhimia]

I really can't understand why Brakhman didn't reached the finals. Someone can explain me??

I agree. Brakhman was one of the best, he should be in the finals. Vadim Kholodenko was impressive too, although he didn't reach the finals either.
My favourite, however, is Plamena Mangova. Her Mozart was full of imagination.  The French guy  (Dumont) is also very good.
And about the jury... choices are always different from what you expect...

[phillip21]

I have enjoyed the coverage so far of the QE competition, both on the web, and also on RTBF Sat TV which I can get via my satellite dish.  What stands out for me so far is the two performances in the semi-finals of Leon Jongen's 'Campeador' (the last by Nicolaas Kende).  Leon was the younger brother of the more famous Joseph Jongen.  I had never come across this piece before, but it is a tremendous work.  Has anyone got it or ever played it, or heard other performances?

I was also very impressed with the Mozart concerto of Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort.

Phillip

[franz_]

So, the finals started two days ago. I now gonna watch to Anna Vinnitskaya, performing Prokofiev 2.
I love her!

[franz_]

I just saw Anna Vinnitskaya playing...   F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C
She played 2nd pianoconcerto of Prokofiev on a faboulous way.
How can I contact her???

[alessandro]

What a thrill, that competition.

I just saw Anna Vinnitskaya playing... F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C
She played 2nd pianoconcerto of Prokofiev on a faboulous way.
How can I contact her???

Go on Saturday to the finals.  After the performance, just before proclamation, it is possible to slip in the arena.  12 Contestants must be present.  Prepare a little perfumed note with your telephone number, and try to slip it in the palm of her hand.

Unfortunately fell asleep last night, consequence of my staying up late for the previous 4 contestants and getting up early for work.  My favourites still are the Keghay from Kazachstan and Piemontesi from Switzerland.  Others were up to now disappointing.  A hollow Rach from the Korean guy, Vacatello and Japan where too gentile, too prudent, too contained to be winners.   
Maybe Brakhman will surprise.

Kindly.

[franz_]

Maybe Brakhman will surprise.

Brakhman isn't in the finals, I know, I can't believe it either.
About Anna Vnnitskaya, the concert hall is sold out, I can't get in anymore. 

[elevateme_returns]

wow, there are quite a few asians! thats a rare thing

[franz_]

My pronostic:

1. Khegay
2. Van Beckevoort
3. Vinnitskaya
4. Mangova
5. Rashkovskiy
6. That Korean guy


I really hope Vinnitskaya win.

[franz_]

Y E S !!!
Anna Vinnitskaya has won the Queen Elisabeth Competition Piano 2007 !!!
What a fantastic woman, a thrumendeous pianist, and a beauty...

1. Vinnitskaya
2. Mangova
3. Piemontesi
4. Rashkovskyi
5. Hong-Sun Lim
6. Van Beckevoort

[sharon_f]

Y E S !!!
Anna Vinnitskaya has won the Queen Elisabeth Competition Piano 2007 !!!
What a fantastic woman, a thrumendeous pianist, and a beauty...

1. Vinnitskaya
2. Mangova
3. Piemontesi
4. Rashkovskyi
5. Hong-Sun Lim
6. Van Beckevoort

OMG!!