Piano-e-Competition Alexander Braginsky President /Artisic Director Jeffrey Wirth Chief Executive Officer HAMLINE UNIVERSITY Louise F. Ruhr Project Manager Partners Grand Hotel Minneapolis Hamline University Minnesota Public Radio Yamaha Corporation of America With The Participation Of Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis Rosalyra Quartet The Schubert Club Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Murry Sidlin, Conductor
About The Competition Through advanced technology, including the use of pianos capable of transmitting the pianists performances via MIDI through the Internet, the The International Piano-e-Competition can be judged from any location.this concept enables the e-competition to attract to the jury great musicians who would otherwise be prevented from participating by their busy schedules. Piano-e-Competition For the first e-competition, two juries will be assembled: one, on site, offers a special consisting of seven jurors; a second, with two more judges, will be added for the finals.these two judges will adjudicate from their home locations. Each judge will be able to view the competition via opportunity for young video-conferencing, and also hear the competition as synchronous performances are transmitted from the competition site directly pianists worldwide to each judge's location. Our artistic vision aims to bring to the public s attention young artists to participate in a with the promise of lasting and important careers.the program has been designed to allow participants the freedom to demonstrate their strongest qualities in the repertoire that suits them best. competition of the The Internet will be used to inform and educate those unable to attend highest artistic the actual competition. A competition website will provide information on participants, works being performed and offer additional educational elements. For the duration of the competition, all solo performances quality and integrity. will be stored on the Internet, accessible at any time. All rounds and the Gala Concert will be broadcast over the Internet. 1
PRIZES 1st place $25,000 First Prize winner also receives these prestigious prizes: Yamaha DC3A 6 1 Disklavier polished ebony grand piano. I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n 2nd place $15,000 3rd place $10,000 4th place $5000 5th place $5000 6th place $5000 Spring 2003 New York City Debut Recital at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America. CD issued on the Ten Thousand Lakes label. A Yamaha PianoSoft recording for the Yamaha Disklavier reproducing piano. Additional Prizes: $1500 prize for the best performance of the Schubert Sonata (Offered by The Schubert Club). Engagements with: Richmond Symphony Orchestra Mark Russell Smith, Music Director The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra all monies in U.S. dollars 2
JURY Emanuel Ax Pianist, U.S.A. Acclaimed for his poetic lyricism and brilliant technique, Emanuel Ax is one Emmanuel Ax* Yefim Bronfman* Fou T'Song Ralf Gothoni Sergio Perticaroli Abbey Simon (chair) Sontraud Speidel Dubravka Tomsic ˇ Earl Wild of the best known and most highly regarded musicians in the world today. His distinguished career has encompassed many prestigious prizes, performances with every major symphony orchestra, countless recitals in the greatest concert halls and a catalogue of highly successful recordings. Ax captured public attention in 1974 when, at the age of 25, he won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Tel Aviv. In 1975 he won the Michaels Award of Young Concert Artists and, four years later, took the coveted Avery Fisher Prize. Ax regularly performs duo recitals with Yo-Yo Ma, and their recordings of the cello and piano repertoire have earned three GRAMMY awards. Born in Lvov, Poland, Ax moved with his family to Winnipeg, Canada, while still a child. A graduate of Columbia University where he majored in French, Ax currently resides in New York City. Yefim Bronfman Pianist, U.S.A. Yefim Bronfman is widely regarded as one of the most talented virtuoso pianists performing today. His commanding technique and exceptional lyrical gifts have won him consistent critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience responses worldwide, whether for his solo recitals, his prestigious orchestral engagements or his rapidly growing catalogue of recordings. Bronfman, an Avery Fisher Prize *e-judges winner, has appeared with most of the world s celebrated symphony orchestras. 3
A devoted chamber music performer, Bronfman has collaborated with the Emerson, Cleveland, Guarneri and Julliard quartets as well as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Bronfman also has played chamber music with Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Shlomo Mintz, Jean-Pierre Rampal and Pinchas Zukerman. Bronfman won a GRAMMY award in 1997 for his recording of the three Bartok Piano Concertos with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Born in 1958 in Tashkent, in the Soviet Union, Bronfman immigrated to Israel in 1973. Bronfman has been a U.S. citizen since 1989. I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n Fou T Song Pianist, China. Born in 1934 in Shanghai, China, Fou T Song possesses a clear and natural talent that has garnered the attention of musicians, conductors, critics and music lovers the world over, as well as brought him numerous awards and accolades. Fou T Song moved to Europe in 1953, where the Warsaw Conservatory professors were amazed at his intuitive grasp of mazurka rhythm. Major awards, including the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, led him to the class of Zbigniew Drzewicki. TIME magazine has hailed him as the greatest Chinese musician alive today. Hermann Hesse called him the only true performer of Chopin. His recordings of solo piano music by Mozart and Schumann and piano concerts by Mozart and Chopin have recently been issued by Carlton Classics. Fou T Song has been a jury member for numerous international piano competitions, including Leeds, Queen Elizabeth, Geneva, Chopin and Dino Ciani. In addition to his extensive performance, recording, and judging schedules, Fou T Song teaches annually at the International Foundation for Young Pianists held in Como, Italy. 4
Ralf Gothoni Pianist, Conductor, Composer, Finland For more than 25 years, Ralf Gothoni has enjoyed a multi-faceted career as a pianist, chamber musician and conductor. He often appears as both a soloist and a conductor, conducting from the keyboard. A regular guest artist at many major chamber music festivals, Gothoni has performed at the prestigious music festivals of Salzburg, Berlin, Prague, Aldeburgh, Edinburgh, La Roque de Antheron, Ravinia and Tanglewood. Gothoni s compositions include three chamber operas, the chamber cantata The Ox and Its Shephard and a Concerto Grosso version for violin, piano and strings. A prolific recording artist, Gothoni has recorded more than 80 albums for a variety of labels. In September 2000, Gothoni was appointed principal conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra. In 1996, Gothoni started the Forbidden City Music Festival, held in Beijing. He serves as artistic director for the Aino Ackte Institute for chamber music in Savonlinna. In May 2000, Gothoni was appointed a visiting professor at the Royal College of Music in London. Mr. Gothoni is the recipient of the Gilmore Artist and Schubert Medal of the Austrian Ministry of Culture. Abbey Simon (Chair) Pianist, U.S.A. Recognized as one of the grand masters of the piano, Abbey Simon s 50-year career has taken him across six continents to perform in all of the major music capitals. At the age of eight, the great pianist Josef Hofmann accepted Simon at the Curtis Institute, where he trained with fellow classmates Jorge Bolet and Sidney Foster. Simon made his official debut in New York s Town Hall as the winner of the prestigious Naumburg Award. 5
Simon is one of the most recorded classical artists of all time. He has recorded all of the concerti of Rachmaninoff; the complete works of Ravel; and Schumann s Carnaval and Fantasy. His Chopin collection encompasses more than 20 discs, the latest of which is a complete set of Chopin Nocturnes. Despite his enormous success with recordings, Simon prefers live performance. It s a totally new experience every time, and this is what I love. Sontraud Speidel Pianist, Germany I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n Sontraud Speidel, who won the J.S. Bach International Piano Competition in Washington D.C. at the age of 18, is a prolific performer and recording artist. Speidel, who has given recitals in both solo and chamber music, has performed with orchestras throughout Europe, North and South America, Israel and Asia.The first performer to record the piano works of Fanny Hensel, Speidel has recorded over 20 CDs. Her recording of all works for two pianos by Max Reger together with Evelinde Trenkner won the first prize of Audiophile Reference in the solo instrument category. Awarded the Silver Cross for special cultural achievement by the city of Vienna, Speidel s teachers include Branka Musulin,Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen, Géza Anda and Stefan Askenase. Sontraud Speidel currently serves as Professor of Piano at the State Music University of Karlsruhe, Germany. Speidel also is the music director of the Clavissimo Piano Festival in Seoul, Korea. Speidel regularly conducts master courses in Austria, Greece, Israel, Brazil and Korea, and has served as a jurist for many international piano competitions. 6
Dubravka Tomsic ˇ Pianist, Slovenia The brilliant Slovenian pianist Dubravka Tomšic gave her first public recital at the age of five and has since established herself as one of the world s finest artists. In fact,tomšic has given more than 3,500 performances throughout Europe,Australia, North America, Mexico, Russia,Asia and Eastern Europe. Her more than 70 recordings of recital works and concerti have added to her worldwide acclaim. Tomšic has performed at prestigious international festivals in Dubrovnik,Vienna, Prague, Naples, Paris, Mexico City, Joliette, Newport (R.I.), and at Mostly Mozart in New York City, as well as Tanglewood. She serves as a juror for many international piano competitions, including the Van Cliburn International Competition, the Leeds International Piano Competition, and the Beethoven International Piano Competition.Tomšic, who studied at the Ljubljana Academy and The Juilliard School of Music, as well as privately with Artur Rubinstein, makes her home in Ljubljana, where she is a professor at the Ljubljana Academy of Music. Sergio Perticaroli Pianist, Italy Sergio Perticaroli was born in Rome, Italy and obtained his music degree at the Rome Conservatoire of Santa Cecilia. In 1952, Perticaroli won the prestigious Concours International d Execution Musicale in Geneva, and two years later, first prize in the Busoni International Piano Competition. During Perticaroli s brilliant career, he has appeared as both a soloist and with orchestras in most of the world s major venues. Russian composer Aram Khatchaturian nominated Perticaroli as the best interpreter of his Piano Concerto, and invited him to tour in all of the major European capitals. Sir John Barbirolli also arranged Perticaroli to tour extensively in England as a soloist with the Halle Orchestra. 7
Perticaroli also has been a dedicated and much sought-after teacher. He has served as a professor in the Conservatoire of Florence. In 1989, he was appointed to the Chair of Advanced Piano Studies at the Accademia of Santa Cecelia in Rome. He also currently serves as vice president of the Accademia. Earl Wild Pianist, U.S.A. Earl Wild, one of the twentieth century s greatest pianists, has been a legendary figure in the music world for more than seven decades.when he was less than 12, Wild was accepted as a pupil of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n famous Selmar Janson, who himself had studied with Eugen d Albert and Xaver Scharwenka, both students of Franz Liszt. Wild, a concert hall veteran by the age of 19, has appeared with nearly every orchestra, as well as performed countless recitals in virtually every country. He has collaborated with many of the world s great conductors, instrumentalists and singers.wild also has the unequaled honor of being requested to perform for six consecutive Presidents of the United States. Wild s discography includes more than 35 piano concertos, 24 chamber works, and over 700 solo piano pieces. In 1997 he received a GRAMMY award for Earl Wild the Romantic Master (an 80th Birthday Tribute). In addition to teaching master classes around the world,wild has been on the faculty of The Julliard School of Music, University of Rochester s Eastman School of Music, Penn State University, Manhattan School of Music and Ohio State University. 8
Piano-e-Competition and Yamaha The vision of The technology exists that allows for transmission of piano sound directly to the the International Internet and from one piano to another. This technology is incorporated into the amazing Yamaha Disklavier, the only piano of this kind currently in existence. With more than 100 years of manufacturing expertise,yamaha pianos have earned a Piano-e-Competition global reputation as instruments of exceptional quality, touch and tone. Renowned for their eloquent and expressive range, their reliable performance,yamaha concert grands is to use the very play an important role in the performing arts community. During the Piano-e-Competition, participants will have the opportunity to perform on Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand pianos.what will be unique about performing on these latest in technology instruments is that they will be equipped with state-of-the-art Disklavier Pro reproducing technology. This system, which was pioneered by Yamaha, is the fusion of the acoustic to bring music to as piano and computer electronics.this will allow all rounds and the gala concert of the competition to be broadcast over the Internet. To earn acceptance by the world s leading professionals, a piano must be far more wide an audience than simply adequate; it must be truly a superlative instrument. Yamaha grands are consistently played and praised by some of the greatest concert artists of our time. The Piano-e-Competition is pleased to announce that Yamaha Corporation of as possible. America is the official provider of Disklavier concert grand pianos for the competition. 9
RULES The International The Piano-e-Competition is open to pianists of all nationalities who are no older than 32 years of age as of June 7, 2002. The postmark deadline for applications is January 15, 2002. I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n Piano-e-Competition will be held June 4 16, 2002 in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. Please use the official application form to enter. (The form may be downloaded from the e-competition website). The form may be duplicated. When submitting applications, applicants are advised to send their entries via air mail. All correspondence and application forms should be sent to the following address: International Piano-e-Competition 615 Second Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55402 USA For other information or to answer questions: Telephone: 612-373-0417 Fax: 612-373-0428 E-mail: e-piano@ grandhotelminneapolis.com 10
General Information/Rules for Application Foreign contestants must obtain their own passports and visas. Applicants should contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate for advice. International Piano-e-Competition competitors are responsible for the arrangement and cost of their transportation to the Twin Cities. Competitors admitted to the preliminary round will be reimbursed up to $750 for travel expenses. Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult, or should make suitable arrangements with the Piano-e-Competition prior to departure from their home country. Upon arrival, competitors will be provided with competition-related transportation and practice facilities. Lodging will be provided for the duration of the screening audition free of charge by Hamline University at its dormitories in St. Paul. Further lodging and food will be provided only to those admitted to the Preliminary round. Competitors must not have any other professional commitments during the Piano e-competition. No contestant may have any member of the jury as a principal teacher during the five year period preceding the Piano-e-Competition (June 4, 1997 through June 3, 2002). No relative of any juror may participate in the Piano-e-Competition. The following documents must be submitted along with the application form: Certified copy of a birth certificate or other proof of date of birth. Current one-page biography or professional resume. Curriculum vita, including a list of principal teachers, master classes attended, concert reviews and letters of support from prominent musicians (if available). Two recent glossy black-and-white photos, in business or formal attire suitable for publication. Photos should be no smaller than 5 by 7 inches (12 by 17 centimeters). Audio cassette containing performances of one sonata by Beethoven, Haydn or Mozart; and one virtuoso etude by Chopin or Liszt. The audio cassette should be no longer than 25 minutes, and should contain no fade-outs or editing. A non-refundable check or international money order of $100.00 U.S. dollars payable to the International Piano-e-Competition. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Each applicant will be notified of his or her acceptance or non-acceptance as a competitor by March 15, 2002. The 60 accepted competitors names will be posted on the competition website (www.piano-e-competition.com). Applicants should retain copies of all materials sent with their applications. All applications will be treated as confidential. The Piano-e-Competition accepts no responsibility for lost documents and reserves the right to request additional information about an applicant. All information contained in this application book is correct at the time of publication. However, the Artistic Director of the Piano-e-Competition reserves the right to make changes if circumstances so dictate. No application materials will be returned. 11
COMPETITION Up to 60 contestants Following the initial selection process, the Piano-e-Competition will consist of a screening audition in the Twin Cities and will be invited to the preliminary and final rounds of competition. I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n screening audition. PROGRAM No more than 24 pianists will be selected to participate in the preliminary round. No more than 6 pianists will be admitted to the final round. The final placing and awards will be decided at the concluding meeting of the Jury Panel. Screening Audition Each contestant will perform a program that must not exceed 25 minutes.the program should include one movement from a sonata by Beethoven, Haydn or Mozart and one virtuoso etude by Chopin or Liszt, and a selection from the preliminary round. Repertoire from the audio tape can be repeated during the screening audition. Preliminary Round Each contestant shall perform a solo recital of 65 to 75 minutes, of a program of his or her choice.the imagination and judgment used in the selection of the recital program will be considered in the Jury s overall evaluation.the program must be listed on the application form. Last day for repertoire changes is April 15, 2002. 12
Final Round Each contestant is required to perform a piano quintet, chosen from quintets by Brahms, Dvorak, Schumann or Shostakovich, a Schubert sonata, and a concerto (choice of concerti is listed below).the concerto will be performed with a symphony orchestra. Choose one of the following concerti for the final round: Beethoven 4 & 5 Mozart K466 #20, K482 #22, K595 #27 Brahms 1 & 2 Schumann Grieg Rachmaninoff 2 & 3 Prokofiev 2 & 3 Tchaikovsky 1 Saint-Saens 2 Liszt 1 & 2 Chopin 1 & 2 A contestant may not repeat the performance of any work during the competition rounds (with the exception of the selection from the preliminary round that is in the screening audition). Repertoire from the audio tape can be repeated during the screening audition.the performing order of repertory for each program is determined by the contestant. Contestants will not be interrupted or stopped during the programs and recitals unless the stated time limit is exceeded. The order of appearance of pianists in all rounds will be determined by a drawing. The competition will follow this order except at the discretion of the Chairman of the Jury, or for unusual and extenuating circumstances, or for programmatic considerations in the final round during which contestants perform with an orchestra. Each contestant will be allotted time to practice his or her recital programs on stage. Contestants may not contact or speak with any member of the Jury as long as they continue to participate in the Piano-e-Competition.Any violation of this rule may disqualify the pianist. The preliminary and the final rounds of the competition are open to the public. All stages of the competition will be broadcast over the Internet and may be accessed on www.piano-e-competition.com.the Piano-e-Competition may be videotaped or recorded for subsequent transmission.all tapes or recordings will be the exclusive property of the Piano-e-Competition and no payment will be due any competitor for said recordings. 13
JURY RULES Participation in the work The Jury will perform its functions under the supervision of the Jury Chairman in consultation with the Artistic Director of the Piano-e-Competition, and will be governed throughout by written judging procedures. of the Jury presupposes I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n the acceptance of the rules of the Piano-e-Competition. Contestants applying to the Piano-e-Competition will be admitted to the preliminary round by a majority vote of the screening committee. Contestants will move from the preliminary to the final round by a simple majority vote of the Jury. In the final round, a 25-point system will be used by the judges. Prizes will be given based on the number of points awarded. Jury members will abstain from giving interviews or making their opinions public during the competition. No Jury member may be the principal teacher of any contestant during the five-year period preceding the Piano-e-Competition (June 4, 1997 through June 3, 2002). No relative of any juror may participate in the competition. In case of a split vote or in matters of interpreting the Piano-e-Competition rules, the Artistic Director of the Piano-e-Competition will break any tie or make the final decision regarding the interpretation of the Piano-e-Competition rules. At the conclusion of the Piano-e-Competition, all Jury votes will be posted on the Piano-e-Competition website. 14
Prizes and Awards The following prizes will be awarded: Cash Prizes First Prize: $25,000 Second Prize: $15,000 Third Prize: $10,000 Fourth Prize: $5,000 Fifth Prize: $5,000 Sixth Prize: $5,000 All cash prizes paid in U.S. dollars First Prize winner also receives these prestigious prizes: Yamaha DC3A 6 1 Disklavier polished ebony grand piano. Spring 2003 New York City Debut Recital at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America. CD issued on the Ten Thousand Lakes label. A Yamaha PianoSoft recording for the Yamaha Disklavier reproducing piano. Additional Prizes: $1500 prize for the best performance of the Schubert Sonata (Offered by The Schubert Club). Engagements with: Richmond Symphony Orchestra Mark Russell Smith, Music Director The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Additional engagements may be added by the Piano-e-Competition.Taxes will be deducted from the prizes according to U.S. tax laws in effect at the time of the Piano-e-Competition. Depending on the outcome of the Piano-e-Competition and acting within the limit of the number of prizes, the Jury has the option to refrain from awarding all prizes or dividing the prizes between performers.the first prize will be awarded to only one contestant.the decision of the Jury is not subject to any reviews. Contestants receiving prizes are required to be present at the awards ceremony. 15
COMPETITION PROGRAM Selections #1 and # 2 from the screening auditions can not be repeated in the preliminary round. Repertoire from the audio tape can be SCREENING AUDITION A solo recital, program not to exceed 25 minutes. 1. One movement from a sonata of Beethoven, Mozart or Haydn 2. One virtuoso etude of Chopin or Liszt 3. A selection from the preliminary round I n t e r n a t i o n a l p i a n o - e - c o m p e t i t i o n repeated during the screening audition. PRELIMINARY ROUND A solo recital, program of 65 to 75 minutes. Each candidate may choose his or her program for this round. FINAL A combination of solo performance, chamber music and performance with an orchestra. 1. One piano quintet by Brahms, Dvorak, Schumann or Shostakovich 2. Any Franz Schubert sonata 3. One piano concerto from the following: Beethoven 4 & 5 Mozart K466 #20, K482 #22, K595 #27 Brahms 1 & 2 Schumann Grieg Rachmaninoff 2 & 3 Prokofiev 2 & 3 Tchaikovsky 1 Saint-Saens 2 Liszt 1 & 2 Chopin 1 & 2 16
Important Piano-e-Competition DATES SUMMER 2001 Application books mailed worldwide JAN 15, 2002 Postmark deadline for applications MARCH 15, 2002 Final notification of acceptance or non-acceptance to the Piano e-competition APRIL 15, 2002 Last day to make repertoire changes JUNE 1-3, 2002 Arrival in the Twin Cities JUNE 3, 2002 Drawing lots to determine performance order JUNE 4-6, 2002 Screening audition JUNE 7, 2002 Competition begins JUNE 7-11, 2002 Preliminary round JUNE 13-16, 2002 Final round JUNE 17, 2002 Awards Ceremony and Gala Concert
615 Second Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55402 U.S.A. www.piano-e-competition.com