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Passion dominates piano competition on Chopin's bicentennial
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Passion dominates piano competition on Chopin's bicentennial
AFP - Monday, October 18
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Passion dominates piano competition on Chopin's bicentennial
WARSAW (AFP) - – Exhausted after performing for over an hour, the youngest contender in the XVI International Chopin Piano Competition, Russian Nikolay Khozyainov, 18, seems surprised by the wave of applause and cries of wonder.
"I didn't feel any stress, I don't care about stress, I just played," the young man, whose curly blond locks give him the air of a cherub, told reporters after his performance Friday in Poland's National Philharmonic in Warsaw.
At the third stage of this prestigious competition, he played the powerful and passionate Sonata in B minor, the very difficult Polonaise-Fantaisie and the Scherzo in E major and ballad in F minor.
Khozyainov could be one of the favourites of the competition which this year places emotion, passion and great personalities ahead of the academic spirit of previous editions.
This new vibrancy is evident in the composition of the jury.
"This jury is far less conservative and less committed to the strict adherence to tradition than was the case in previous editions. This year, it is much more open," said Chinese-American pianist Mei-Ting Sun, 29, a second-time veteran of the competition.
"Five years ago, I failed spectacularly in the first round," he said, laughing.
"This year, the level is far higher than in 2005. There are many geniuses among the pianists, and within the jury."
Unlike in previous editions, the jury of the competition that takes place once every five years, with the first one in January 1927, is not composed mostly of teachers but of great artistic personalities such as Martha Argerich, Dang Thai Son, Fou Ts'ong and Philippe Entremont.
In total, 81 young pianists from 23 countries qualified for the event which opened September 30. A victor will be announced on October 20.
Known for its difficulty, the competition demands perfection in the execution of all Chopin's music: nocturnes and mazurkas, the Polish, sonatas and two concertos.
This year the pressure on the candidates seems to be even greater than usual as the world celebrates the bicentennial of the birth of Chopin, a musician and composer regarded as the genius of romantic piano, in Zelazowa Wola, near the Polish capital.
A dozen competitors are to reach the final and the winner will be awarded a gold medal with a cheque for 30,000 euros (42,000 dollars).
The victor will also have the honour of playing at the New York Philharmonic and Tokyo's NHK Symphony Orchestra.
"This year the level of competition is very high. Out of the ordinary. Rarely has there been so much talent at one time. It will be difficult to determine the winner," said Entremont, pianist, conductor and French board member of the competition.
Performer China's Cheung Wai-Ching, nervously clutching a white handkerchief, said: "At first I was not happy with my playing, I was a little nervous. Over time, it has improved."
"And anyway, coming to Warsaw I didn't imagine I would make it to the third stage of the competition. It's a surprise for me," she said.
"The last time I was happy with my playing was when I was 16 years," added Mei-Ting Sun a few hours before his performance.
"Later, you're never happy with what you play. It is quite normal," he said.
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