News Flash

2025-01-01

The Wartime Pianist Heroine

London, 1940. The Blitz. Iconic images – St. Paul's amidst smoke, the Royals amidst rubble, Myra Hess playing amidst ruins – remain etched in our memory. These pictures symbolize the indomitable spirit of a nation facing adversity.
Read more at classical-music.com

2025-00-28

The Queen Elisabeth Competitors

The Queen Elisabeth Competition, rotating instruments annually, selected 70 piano candidates from 289 applicants via video pre-selection. Aged 18-31, they'll compete in the first round May 5-10, 2025, at Flagey, Belgium.
Read more at theviolinchannel.com

2024-12-31

First Non-Polish Jury Chairman Ever

American pianist Garrick Ohlsson, 1970 Chopin Competition winner, will chair the international jury for the first time in the competition's nearly century-long history. Ohlsson, described by Competition President Rafal Blechacz as "an extraordinary personality and a musician deeply immersed in Chopin's music," will bring a unique international perspective to the judging panel.
Read more at youtube.com

2024-12-30

A Superior 2025 in South Korea

Next year, Korea hosts top orchestras: Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw. Leading maestros like Makela, Dudamel, and Chung will conduct, alongside renowned soloists like Bronfman, Schiff, and Jansen. Expect intense and brilliant performances.
Read more at asianews.network

2024-12-29

Vietnam's Legendary Piano Pedagogue

Pianists of all ages, including some in their 80s, honored their esteemed master Thái Thị Liên by performing. They continue her legacy, playing with the same dedication she displayed at 100. One of her YouTube clips garnered 8 million views.
Read more at vietnamnews.vn

2024-12-28

The Complete Pianist

Illia Ovcharenko's life took a turn at age six. 'My mother brought me to a concert in Chernihiv where my godsister played Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto,' he recalls in a video call. 'It was truly a magical experience.'
Read more at bachtrack.com

2024-12-27

The First Narrow Key Digital Piano

The Athena digital piano by Narrow Keys features an 88-note graded hammer action, mimicking the weight variation of an acoustic piano. Three sensors under each key provide nuanced response.
Read more at worldpianonews.com

2024-12-26

Nietzsche's Piano Music

Despite his philosophical renown, music was Nietzsche's true passion. Born into a family of pastors where music and theology intertwined, young Friedrich was a talented pianist and organist by age seven. Recent recordings of his piano compositions inspired us to delve deeper.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-12-25

Pianist's Passion and Drive

Pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk delivered a masterful performance, brilliantly conveying the drama and other key elements of the music. His stylish playing ignited the orchestra with passion and drive, showcasing a deeply perceptive musical approach.
Read more at nzartsreview.org

2024-12-24

Masterclass with Paul Lewis

Pianist Paul Lewis, widely considered a preeminent interpreter of the Central European classical repertoire, engaged with SFCM students in a masterclass during the month of November.
Read more at sfcm.edu

2024-12-22

Gigashvili's Many Inspirations

At 12, Giorgi Gigashvili, a noted Georgian pianist, discovered Martha Argerich on YouTube. Recently drawn to classical music, he was captivated by her performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3, falling in love with both the piece and the pianist.
Read more at billboard.com

2024-12-18

Chopin - The Improviser

In Episode 8 of "The Chopin Podcast", Ben Laude and Garrick Ohlsson explore Chopin's iconic Impromptus, including the famous Fantaisie-Impromptu. They then delve into the art of improvisation, featuring two exceptional pianists who masterfully blend Chopin's artistry with their own improvisational virtuosity.
Read more at chopinpodcast.com

2024-12-17

What about Reger's Piano Concerto?

Max Reger's Piano Concerto in F minor (Op. 114) premiered in Leipzig on December 15, 1910, with Frieda Kwast-Hodapp as soloist and Arthur Nikisch conducting. The performance was met with scathing criticism, typical of Reger's contemporary reception.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-12-16

Beethoven's Great Bagatelles

Beethoven's Bagatelles, though he called them "trifles", belie their simplicity. Some were originally intended for his piano sonatas, suggesting they possess the same compositional depth and significance as full-fledged sonata movements.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-12-15

Yuja in a Speed Q + A

Yuja Wang, world-renowned pianist celebrated for her dazzling technique and charisma, achieved global recognition at just 21. In this BBC interview, she discusses motivation, inspiration, and the keys to her success.
Read more at bbc.com

2024-12-12

Ashkenazy in Conversation

Legendary pianist and conductor,Vladimir Ashkenazy shares insights from his career. He discusses playing for Sviatoslav Richter, the impact of not winning the Chopin Competition, and the pressures of Soviet-era competitions. He also reveals his passion for European football and shares a heartfelt message about the human soul.
Read more at livingthecreativelife.org

2024-12-11

Great Pianists on Memory

Maria Joao Pires famously performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 despite preparing the wrong one. This interview with Noa Kageyama explores memorization tactics pianists use to achieve such remarkable feats.
Read more at tonebase.co

2024-12-10

Taking Piano Lessons Is Good For You

"The pleasure of practicing, of marking my own progress, is, as hokey as it sounds, its own reward." writes artist Sarah Hotchkiss at KQED Arts & Culture. None of this is really a surprise. Studies show that engaging in artistic, expressive hobbies has clear mental health benefits.
Read more at kqed.org

2024-12-09

Chopin in Top at Apple Music Classical

What does the album top list for 2024 say about how we enjoy classical music? The piano is a strong feature of the charts, featuring as the lead instrument in four of the top five.
Read more at euronews.com

2024-12-08

Sad Piano: Because times change – and so do we

Being a composer is not about sitting in a room writing complex symphonies, says Matthew Hindson. It's about making music that connects.
Read more at limelight-arts.com.au

2024-12-04

Chopin the Teacher

In the first of two columns about Chopin’s teaching practices, Kenneth Hamilton outlines the state of our current knowledge, which underpins our understanding of the man and his music.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk

2024-12-01

Trifonov Teaches Thrilled Students

"He shaped my journey and my passion for music," piano student Cemeron Akioka said of Trifonov. "He's the first person that I go to when I’m thinking about learning a new piece. I listen to his recordings first." Now he got the chance to meet Trifonov in a master-class in Chicago.
Read more at cso.org

2024-11-28

Frahm Bluring the Lines

Berlin-based pianist Nils Frahm has spent the last two decades blurring the lines between classical and contemporary music. Owing to his unconventional blend of piano and ambient electronic minimalism, Frahm has had to push back at the industry’s exploitative attempts to pigeonhole him as a "neo classical" artist.
Read more at musicradar.com

2024-11-27

Winning Pianist Inspired by YouTube

"I watched the 10th Hamamatsu Piano Competition on YouTube in 2018 and knew I wanted to enter it one day", says Manami Suzuki who became the first Japanese pianist to win the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition after performing Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto in yesterday's final round.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk