April 2012 Issue 4, Volume 2. About the Piano Academy of Ireland

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1 NEWSLETTER We started the month of March with a Bang! With festival season in full throttle! DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 3-15 April: Easter Break (Classes resume Mon 16 April) 20 April: Deadline for ABRSM Theory exams 8 13 May: Newpark Music Festival 12 May: Navan Choral Festival We started the month of March with a bang! Beginning with our RIAM Piano exams, followed by Arklow Music Festival, then EPTA s 1 st Festival at the NCH (for our teen students), then onto our own PAI Festival last preparations the launching of our 3 rd Annual Festival for the first time as a National Festival was certainly a lot of work, with lots of preparation for those performing from PAI plus the organization itself, on top of the usual busy schedule of teaching! Then there was the Festival weekend itself (Paddy s weekend) topped with the Gala Prizewinners Concert the following weekend, both events held at Pianos Plus. Then when all of that was done, with adrenaline in full flow, we launched ourselves into the big annual event the Electric Feis Ceoil. Not a bad month s work don t you think! Read on to hear about all the success stories. 18 May: Deadline for Summer Concert RSVPS 18 May: Deadline for Priority Re-enrollments 28 May: RIAM Piano Exams 2 June: Summer Concerts 16 June: Theory Exams About the Piano Academy of Ireland The Piano Academy of Ireland enables students of all ages, levels and abilities to allow music to play an important role in their lives. With a proud passion for teaching of more than 8 years as a source of quality and excellence in musical pedagogy, our on-going inspiration is found in our students from all corners of Ireland and in the commitment, energy and expertise of our teachers. We are deeply dedicated, through music education, performance and appreciation, to inspiring and motivating students of all ages, enabling them to shine through music and in turn contribute to humanity.

2 Festival Prizewinners 2012 We are very proud of our achievements during the month of March, but in particular for launching a National Festival. It was after the success of last year s 2 nd Annual Festival that we decided to take the plunge and.go national! And we are so glad that we did! A fantastic opportunity for the pianists of Ireland, both young and old, to have their very own platform in which to perform. With performers travelling from Meath, Westmeath, Louth, Armagh, Sligo, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wicklow as well as many from Dublin, we can after our 1 st year with confidence, call it a National Festival! Held at Pianos Plus Recital room, the ONLY Festival we know of with warm-up pianos, our performers were truly spoiled and as expected, PAI came out TOPS! Please read on and note all the PAI award winners! (From Left to Right, with Adjudicator Pádhraic Ó Cuinneagáin) Concert 1: Solo Under 6 Years 2 nd Maria Nasypanaya, 3 rd Abigail Fahy (PAI), 1 st, James Guerrero (PAI) Concert 2: Solo Under 8 Years 2 nd Ella Dempsey (PAI), 1 st Joe O Grady (PAI), 3 rd Matthew Monaghan Concert 3: Solo Under 10 Years 1 st Milena Cuk, 2 nd Nora Ronan, 3 rd Stan O Beirne (PAI) Concert 4: Duet Under 10 Years 1 st Niall Connolly & Christine Wang (PAI)

3 Concert 5: Solo Under 12 Years 1 st Jiou Wu, 2 nd Evan Pyne, 3 rd Emer-Healy O Reilly Concert 6: Solo Under 14 Years 2 nd Conor Killian (PAI),3 rd George Motsonelidze, 1 st Ryan Joseph McGrath Concert 7: Solo Under 18 Years 2nd Jack Taylor, 1 st Peter Regan (PAI) 3 rd Chloe Power (PAI) Concert 8: Solo Under 16 Years 1 st Carmel Comiskey, 2 nd Molly Murphy O Kane, 3 rd Saoirse Kilgarriff Concert 9: Solo Golden Jubilee (Post Grade 3) 2 nd Grainne Casey (PAI) 3 rd John Kellett (PAI), 1 st Helen Redwood Concert 10: Solo Silver Jubilee (Post Grade 5) 1 st Killian Traynor (PAI) 2 nd Marco Di Marzio (PAI) 3 rd John Prendergast

4 Prizewinners at the Gala Concert Emerald Cup: John Prendergast (RIAM) For best performance of Irish work by Brian Beckett Runner up: Milena Cuk (DIT) presented by Henry Gillanders of Pianos Plus Overall Winner: Peter Regan (PAI) Awarded the Clive Gouldson Memorial Award with adjustable piano stool presented by Henry Gillanders of Pianos Plus All participants went home with a FREE music bag, hand warmer, pen and pencil courtesy of PAI!

5 Below is a rough guide for listening listed by Composer-Great Interpreter Bach Glenn Gould, Andras Schiff, Angela Hewitt, Edwin Fischer Beethoven Claudio Arrau, Daniel Barenboim, Alfred Brendel, John O Conor, Artur Schnabel, Wilhelm Kempff Brahms Julius Katchen, Sviatoslav Richter, Krystian Zimerman, Claudio Arrau, Stephan Kovacevich Chopin Claudio Arrau, Alfred Cortot, Ignaz Friedman, Murray Perahia, Maurizio Pollini, Artur Rubinstein, Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin Clementi Philip Entremont, Felix Blumenfeld, Nikolai Demidenko, Carlo Grante, Peter Katin Debussy Walter Gieseking, Zoltan Kocsis, Alexis Weissenberg, Michelangeli, Krystian Zimerman Grieg Leopold Godowsky, Peter Katin, Artur Rubinstein, Emil Gilels, Walter Gieseking, Zoltan Kocsis, Moisewitsch, Krystian Zimmerman Liszt Leslie Howard, Andre Watts, Nicolai Magaloff, Claudio Arrau, Jorge Bolet, Lazar Berman, Georges Cziffra, Michael Ponti, John Ogdon, Daniel Barenboim, Vladimir Horowitz, Earl Wild, Cyprien Katsaris, Alfred Brendel Mendelssohn Daniel Barenboim, Ignaz Friedman, Walter Gieseking, Murray Perahia, Alicia De Larrocha, Sviatoslav Richter, Mozart Daniel Barenboim, Alfred Brendel, Murray Perahia, Rudolf Serkin, Mitsuko Uchida, Andreas Schiff Prokofiev Yefim Bronfman, Boris Berman, Gary Graffman, Michael Pletnev, Sviatoslav Richter, Evgeny Kissin, Emil Gilels, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vladimir Horowitz, Gregory Sokolov, Martha Argerich Sound Advice I am learning a piece by Bach. Would love to know how it goes up to speed and would love to hear how the Great Pianists interpret the music. BUT WHAT RECORDINGS SHOULD I LISTEN TO? ~ Below is a list of some of the most well known specialists. It is by no means a complete list but is a good place to start. You may begin your search on Youtube, with itunes and naxos.com needing a small subscription charge. Famous Quote Rachmaninioff Howard Shelley, Idil Biret, Vladimir Horowitz, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Boris Berezovsky, Earl Wild, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alexis Weissenberg, Van Cliburn, Michel Pletnev, Byron Janis, Martha Argerich, Ravel Robert Casadesus, Philip Entremont, Samson Francois, Walter Gieseking, Vladimir Perlemuter, Jean Yves Thibaudet, Alfred Cortot, Pascal Roge, Emil Gilels, Ivo Pogorelich, Sviatoslav Richter Satie Aldo Ciccolini, Pascal Roge Scarlatti Vladimir Horowitz, Ivo Pogorelich, Andreas Schiff, Emil Gilels, Walter Gieseking, Glenn Gould, Clara Haskil, Myra Hess Schubert Wilhelm Kempff, Anton Kuerti, Peter Serkin, Claudio Arrau, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alfred Brendel, Leon Fleisher, Andre Watts, Sviatoslav Richter, Gary Graffman, Evgeny Kissin, Murray Perahia, Maurizio Pollini Schumann Claudio Arrau, Evgeny Kissin, Alfred Cortot, Wilhelm Kempff, Murray Perahia, Sviatoslav Richter, Vladimir Horowitz, Martha Argerich Tchaikovsky Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Martha Argerich, Van Cliburn, Vladimir Horowitz, Byron Janis Even when not listed here, I would try to have any recordings by Cortot, Gieseking, Casadesus, Rachmaninoff, Rosenthal, Backhaus, Lhevinne, Godowsky, Hess, Barere, Friedman, Moiseiwitsch, Edwin Fischer, Hofmann, Kapell, Lipatti, Rubinstein, Rudolf Serkin, Schnabel, Arrau, Gould, Michelangeli, Gilels, de Larrocha, and Horowitz. All of these artists possessed unique musical personalities, and interpretive gifts of a high order. Jorge Bolet I wish that every young pianist would really study- I don t mean just listen, but really study, the performances of Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, Moiseiwitsch, Hofmann, and Friedman and really analyze what made their performances so great.

6 #SHARP KIDS SUMMER CAMP for ages 3-9 Years Musical Activities designed to create #Sharper Kids & Little Einsteins! with Lynsey, Rhona & Archie Date: July 2 nd 6 th 2012 Time: 10 am 12 noon or 12:15-2:15pm Only 90 Venue: Lecture Hall, Christ Church, Rathgar Applications available from the Office (Mon-Fri 9:30-5pm) Performance on last day to include COOL Songs as well as FUN tunes on the piano! Suitable for Year 1 s & 2 s as well as Beginners We Celebrate 2012 Claude Debussy Music is the expression of the movement of the waters, the play of curves described by changing breezes - Debussy This year marks the 150 th Anniversary of the birth of French composer and pianist Claude Debussy. Regarded as the founder of Musical Impressionism and perhaps one of the most influential French composers of the last three centuries. Born in St Germain en Laye, France in August From the age of 10 he studied piano and composition at the Paris Conservatory In 1884, his cantata L enfant prodigue won him the prestigious Prix de Rome It is said that his early style is well illustrated in his best-known composition, Clair de lune In his music he developed a new fluidity of form and explored unusual harmonic relationships and dissonances It was during the latter years of Debussy s life some of his most famous piano works were created Died in Paris, France in March 1918, as a result of cancer. ~Don t forget to book your tickets to the Dublin International Piano Competition, starting on May 4 th in the RDS Concert Hall with 60 competing in 1 st & 2 nd rounds and then to the NCH for the 12 lucky Semi-finalists on 12 th /13 th May, with the extremely lucky 4 finalists performing their concerto in the NCH on May 15 th. The equivalent to the Olympics for Piano, this tri-yearly event is not to be missed as they vie for one of the most important music competitions worldwide. Tickets are available from NCH box office at and tickets available at the door of the RDS Concert Hall for the earlier rounds. Looking forward to seeing lots of you there! ~

7 Fairwell Michelle & Welcome Claudine! We are delighted to welcome Claudine Harney, our new Office administrator who will look after your needs when next you visit our Office. Claudine is from Cork, has a background in Administration as well as a degree in Music from Maynooth so is well suited to the environment of a Music Academy! ~ STAFF NEWS ~ Congratulations to last year s Music Appreciation teacher Gráinne Dennan who gave birth to fabulous baby boy Cathal in December. Both Grainne and baby are doing really well! Our school office is open Monday- Friday, from 9:30-5:00pm Call Claudine on or JAZZ at PAI Welcome to our newest member of Piano Staff. Miss. Anni Rorke. Originating from Finland, Anni has been an active member of Europe s jazz community for many years, uniting both classical and jazz traditions in her performances and teaching practice. Any of you who would like some proper Jazz training, Anni s THE ONE! Staff Performances Congratulations to Tetyana Vlasyuk who has been very busy performing 3 recitals this term a harpsichord recital in Werbergh St performing Bach s.a lunchtime piano recital of Schumann, Liszt and Gould in the NCH John Field Room and finally as she concluded our National Festival so beautifully at Pianos Plus with another performance of Schumann s Fantasiestuck & Liszt s Funerailles. We wish Tetyana continued success in her performing career! Guest speaker, Martin Walsh giving his fabulous talk: Basic Piano Care & Maintenance, an all-round talk on curious facts about the piano. Did you know that the piano is made from over 3 different types of wood including: mahogany (hammer head), spruce (keys and soundboard), beech (structure and frame). More curious facts on pianos on the next page Watch out for our next Adult Appreciation talk coming soon!

8 2012 Festival Results Three Aspects of Piano Tuning 2012 EPTA Piano Festival Sophia Tseng - 1st Prize 3rd years Peter Regan - 2nd Prize 4th years Conor Killian - VHC 1st years Chloe Power - VHC 4th years Sarah Windle - VHC 5th years Ellen Duffy - VHC 6th years 2012 Arklow Music Festival Peter Regan - 1st Prize U18 Peter Regan - 1st Prize Senior Repertoire Chloe Power - 2nd Prize U18 Chloe Power - 2nd Prize Senior Repertoire Emma Boylan 1st Prize Adult Open Daire O Shea 2nd Prize Adult Open 1. Tuning Strings need to be in tune and in harmony to be playable in 12 different keys. This is based on equal temperament from Galileo s father in the 1500s. 2. Toning Pulling out the mechanics and working on the hammers that produce the tone. The harder the hammer the brighter the tone. If hammers are in bad condition then you get poor sound. Hammers made of wool and as it compacts the sound gets brighter. Use of needles to break down felt to get dynamic range back. 3. Touch Regulating the keyboard weight and speed and ease that the keys go down. Remember! Toning takes longer than tuning. - Martin Walsh Piano Technician Shine Music Festival Joe O' Grady - 1st Prize Solo 5-6 yrs Rachel Low - 1st Prize Solo 7-8 yrs Jeannine Guerrero - 2nd Prize Solo 7-8 yrs Stan O' Beirne - 3rd Prize Solo 7-8 yrs What the PRESS are saying 2012 Feis Ceoil Peter Regan - 1st Prize Fritz Brase Cup Siofra Coveney - C Fritz Brase Cup Peter Regan - 1st Prize J.J. O' Reilly Cup Peter Regan - 1st Prize Junior Pianoforte Solo A Chloe Power - 2nd Prize Junior Pianoforte Solo A Peter Regan - 2nd Prize Dorothy Stokes Cup Peter Regan - HC Claude Biggs Memorial Cup Stan O' Beirne - C Junior Pianoforte Solo E

9 Watch out next Autumn for the BBC1 movie Celebrity Sighting! Loving Miss Hatto, a drama about the story of the greatest fraud that has been perpetrated in the classical music world and how a married couple in the 70s, sitting in their small bungalow in Royston, Hertfordshire, was able to pull it off. The story of Joyce Hatto (Francesca Annis) - belatedly discovered as Britain s greatest living pianist in her 70s when she was tragically suffering from inoperable cancer - is a seemingly romantic one. When Joyce Hatto died in June 2006 her obituaries were unanimous here was one of the best British piano players that had ever lived, the breadth of her repertoire extraordinary or was it? Archie Chen is pictured here with British actress Maimie McCoy who portrays the young Joyce Hatto in the film. In preparation for her role in the movie, Maimie came to the Piano Academy for piano coaching classes which involved tips about hand position, posture and basic technique, in order for her to be able to fake playing the piano in the movie. A different teaching approach for Archie on this occasion! (Not to be tried at home!) However it was his other (even bigger) role, of performing all the music you will hear in the movie, that was his greatest challenge, in which he had only TWO WEEKS to learn ALL before Recording Day! Pieces to listen out for include the ferociously difficult Godowsky-Chopin Etudes, Liebestraume and Consolation by Liszt and works of Schumann, Chopin and Rachmaninov. But as they say typically in the movie world.. I want it done RIGHT and I want it done YESTERDAY! PIANO FACULTY Rhona Gouldson Archie Chen Tetyana Vlasyuk Lina Kiva Noramarie Noone Anni Rorke MUSICIANSHIP FACULTY ADMINISTRATOR Miriam Kehoe Lynsey Callaghan Claudine Harney