Piano-e-Competition

Alexander Braginsky

President /Artisic Director

Jeffrey Wirth

Chief Executive Officer

HAMLINE Louise F. Ruhr UNIVERSITY 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”,

consisting of seven jurors; a second, with two more judges, will be added offers a special 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

to each judge's location. pianists worldwide

Our artistic vision aims to bring to the public’s attention young artists

with the promise of lasting and important careers.The program has been to participate in a 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

the actual competition. A competition website will provide information highest artistic 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 International piano-e-competition 2 6th place––$5000 6th place––$5000 5th place––$5000 4th 3rd place––$10,000 place––$15,000 2nd 1st place––$25,000 l oisi ..dollars all moniesinU.S. PRIZES • • these prestigiousprizes: First Prizewinneralsoreceives • • Additional Prizes: • • of America. Hall atLincolnCentersponsored by Yamaha Corporation Sonata Spring 2003New York CityDebutRecitalat Alice Tully Disklavier Yamaha DC3A6’1” Engagements with: $1500 prizefor thebestperformance oftheSchubert PianoSoft A Yamaha CD issuedonthe Ten Thousand Lakes label. reproducing piano. (Offered by Club). The Schubert Richmond Symphony Orchestra akRselSih MusicDirector Mark RussellSmith, h Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra The ™ recording for the Yamaha Disklavier ® polished ebony grandpiano. JURY Emanuel Ax Pianist , U.S.A.

Acclaimed for his poetic lyricism and brilliant technique, Emanuel Ax is one

of the best known and most highly regarded musicians in the world today. His Emmanuel Ax* distinguished career has encompassed many prestigious prizes, performances

with every major symphony orchestra, countless recitals in the greatest concert Yefim Bronfman* halls and a catalogue of highly successful recordings.

Ax captured public attention in 1974 when, at the age of 25, he won the Fou T'Song 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 Ralf Gothoni 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 Sergio Perticaroli GRAMMY ® awards.

Born in Lvov, Poland, Ax moved with his family to Winnipeg, Canada, Abbey Simon (chair) while still a child. A graduate of Columbia University where he majored

in French, Ax currently resides in . Sontraud Speidel

Yefim Bronfman Pianist, U.S.A. Dubravka Tomsicˇ Yefim Bronfman is widely regarded as one of the most talented virtuoso

pianists performing today. His commanding technique and exceptional lyrical gifts Earl Wild 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 International piano-e-competition 4 and PinchasZukerman. Jean-Pierre Rampal has played ShlomoMintz, chambermusic with Lynn Harrell, Yo-Yo Joshua Bell, Ma, Bronfman also Guarneri andJulliard aswell astheChamberMusicSocietyofLincolnCenter. quartets Cleveland, Bronfman hascollaboratedwiththeEmerson, chambermusic performer, A devoted Fou teachesannually attheInternationalFoundationT’Song for Italy.Young PianistsheldinComo, andjudgingschedules, recording, Inaddition tohisextensive performance, Chopin andDinoCiani. , QueenElizabeth, includingLeeds, member for numerous internationalpianocompetitions, Fou T’Song hasbeenajury andChopinhaveby Mozart recently been issuedby CarltonClassics. Hisrecordings andSchumannpianoconcerts ofsolopianomusic by Mozart performer ofChopin. HermannHessecalledhimtheonly true hailed himasthegreatest Chinesemusician alive today. ledhimtotheclassofZbigniew Drzewicki. Warsaw, the ChopinCompetitionin including Majorawards, professors wereConservatory amazed athisintuitive graspofmazurkarhythm. Fou where the T’Song movedWarsawnumerous toEurope in1953, awards andaccolades. aswell criticsandmusic lovers asbrought theworld him over, conductors, the attentionofmusicians, ,China Pianist Fou T’Song citizensince1989. Bronfman hasbeenaU.S. Bronfman immigratedtoIsraelin1973. Soviet Union, Bornin1958 in withEsa-Pekka inthe Concertos SalonenandtheLos Tashkent, Angeles Philharmonic. Bronfman won aGRAMMY oni 94i hnhi hn,Fou T’Song possessesaclearandnaturaltalentthathasgarnered China, Born in1934Shanghai, . ® award in1997for hisrecording Piano ofthethree Bartok TIME magazine has 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 accepted Simon at the Curtis Institute, where he trained with fellow classmates and . Simon made his official debut in New York’s Town Hall as the winner of the prestigious Naumburg Award.

5 International piano-e-competition 6 served asajuristfor manyserved internationalpiano competitions. andhas Korea, Braziland Israel, Greece, Speidel regularly conductsmastercoursesin Austria, Korea. Speidelalsoisthemusic director oftheClavissimo Piano Festival inSeoul, Germany. Sontraud Speidelcurrently asProfessor serves ofPianoattheStateMusicUniversity ofKarlsruhe, Géza Anda andStefan Loriod-Messiaen, Askenase. teachers includeBrankaMusulin,Yvonne won thefirstprizeof “Audiophile Reference” inthesoloinstrumentcategory. Herrecording ofallworks for two pianosby MaxRegertogetherwithEvelinde over 20CDs. Trenkner Speidelhasrecorded Israel and firstperformer torecord thepianoworks ofFannyAsia.The Hensel, andSouth North America, hasperformed withorchestras throughout Europe, and chambermusic, whohasgiven recitals inbothsolo Speidel, isaprolific performer andrecording artist. the ageof18, Germany , Pianist Sontraud Speidel andthisiswhatIlove.” experience every time, Simonprefers atotally live new performance.“It’s Despite hisenormoussuccesswithrecordings, thelatestofwhichisacompletesetChopinNocturnes. collection encompassesmore than20discs, HisChopin andSchumann’s Carnaval andFantasy. thecompleteworks ofRavel; of Rachmaninoff; Hehasrecorded alloftheconcerti Simon isoneofthemostrecorded ofalltime. classicalartists Awarded theSilver Cross for specialculturalachievement Speidel’s by thecityof Vienna, BachInternationalPianoCompetitionin at Washington whowon D.C. theJ.S. Sontraud Speidel, Dubravka Tomsicˇ Pianist , Slovenia

The brilliant Slovenian pianist Dubravka Tomsicˇ 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,Tomsicˇ 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.

To m sicˇ 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.Tomsic,ˇ who studied at the Ljubljana Academy and The 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 International piano-e-competition 8 Manhattan SchoolofMusicandOhioStateUniversity. Penn StateUniversity, University ofRochester’s EastmanSchoolofMusic, The Julliard Schoolof Music, 80th Birthday Tribute)”. oopaopee.In1997hereceived aGRAMMY solo pianopieces. to perform for sixconsecutive Presidents oftheUnitedStates. alsohastheunequaledhonorofbeingrequested instrumentalistsandsingers.Wild great conductors, Hehascollaboratedwithmany oftheworld’sperformed countlessrecitals every country. invirtually students ofFranzLiszt. both andXaver whohimselfhadstudiedwithEugend’Albert Scharwenka, famous SelmarJanson, Wild wasacceptedasapupilofthe Whenhewaslessthan12, world for more than seven decades. ,U.S.A. Pianist Earl Wild Healsocurrently asvicepresident serves ofthe Accademia. AccademiaofSantaCeceliainRome. the hewasappointed totheChairof Advanced PianoStudiesat In1989, ofFlorence. the Conservatoire asaprofessor Hehasserved in teacher. Perticaroli alsohasbeenadedicatedandmuch sought-after In addition to teaching master classes around the world,Wild hasbeen onthefacultyof In addition toteachingmasterclassesaround theworld,Wild idsdsorpyicue oeta 5paocnets 4cabrwrs andover 700 24chamberworks, Wild’s discography includesmore than35pianoconcertos, aswell as hasappeared withnearly every orchestra, hallveteran by aconcert the age of19, Wild, figure inthemusic hasbeenalegendary oneofthetwentieth century’sEarl greatest pianists, Wild, ® wr for “Earl Wild —theRomanticMaster(an award 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

play an important role in the performing arts community. is to use the very 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

piano and computer electronics.This will allow all rounds and the gala concert of the to bring music to as competition to be broadcast over the Internet.

To earn acceptance by the world’s leading professionals, a piano must be far more

than simply adequate; it must be truly a superlative instrument. Yamaha grands are wide an audience 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 International piano-e-competition 10 inst,USA. Minnesota, Paul, Minneapolis andSt. in thecitiesof 2002 16, be heldJune 4– will Piano-e-Competition The International RULES For otherinformation ortoanswer questions: to thefollowing address: All correspondence andapplication forms shouldbesent are advisedtosendtheirentriesviaairmail. applicants Whensubmittingapplications, may beduplicated. Theform be downloaded from thee-Competitionwebsite). (Theform may Please usetheofficialapplication form toenter. 2002. 15, The postmarkdeadlinefor applications isJanuary 2002. who are noolderthan32years ofageasJune 7, isopentopianists ofallnationalities The Piano-e-Competition -al e-piano E-mail: 612-373-0428 Fax: 612-373-0417 Telephone: MN55402USA Minneapolis, 615 Second Avenue South International Piano-e-Competition @ grandhotelminneapolis.com 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 competi- tors 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 International piano-e-competition 12 screening audition. will beinvited tothe Up to60contestants PROGRAM COMPETITION at the concluding meeting of the Jury Panel. at theconcludingmeetingofJury Thefinalplacingandawards willbedecided to thefinalround. Nomore than6pianistswillbeadmitted round. preliminary inthe No more than24pianistswillbeselectedtoparticipate andfinalroundspreliminary ofcompetition. will consistofascreening auditioninthe Twin Citiesand thePiano-e-Competition Following theinitialselectionprocess, o eetiecagsi pi 5 2002. for repertoire changesis April 15, Lastday program must belisted ontheapplication form. will beconsidered intheJury’s overall evaluation.The and judgmentusedintheselectionofrecital program imagination ofaprogram ofhisorherchoice.The minutes, Each contestantshallperform asolorecital of65to75 Preliminary Round tape canberepeated during thescreening audition. from Repertoire theaudio from round. thepreliminary andaselection etudeby ChopinorLiszt, and onevirtuoso Haydn orMozart movement from asonataby Beethoven, program shouldincludeone exceed 25minutes.The Each contestantwillperform aprogram thatmust not Screening Audition 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 deter- mined 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 consid- erations 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 International piano-e-competition 14 JURY RULES Piano-e-Competition. the rulesof the acceptanceof presupposesof theJury inthework Participation ilb otdo h in--optto website. will bepostedonthePiano-e-Competition votes allJury At theconclusionofPiano-e-Competition, rules. Piano-e-Competition final decisionregarding theinterpretation of the willbreak any tieormake the Piano-e-Competition the Director ofthe Artistic rules, Piano-e-Competition In caseofasplitvote orinmattersofinterpreting the No relative ofany juror may inthecompetition. participate 2002). 1997through June 3, (June 4, Piano-e-Competition contestant duringthefive-year periodpreceding the membermayNo Jury betheprincipalteacher ofany their opinionspublicduringthecompetition. memberswillabstainfrom ormaking Jury givinginterviews of pointsawarded. Prizeswillbegiven basedonthenumber by thejudges. a25-pointsystemwillbeused Inthefinalround, the Jury. tothefinalroundpreliminary by asimplemajorityvote of Contestantswillmove from the the screening committee. roundadmitted tothepreliminary by amajorityvote of willbe Contestants applying tothePiano-e-Competition written judgingprocedures. andwillbegoverned throughout by the Piano-e-Competition, Chairmaninconsultationwiththe the Jury Director of Artistic of willperform itsfunctionsunderthesupervision The Jury 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 International piano-e-competition 16 screening audition. repeated duringthe audio tape canbe fromRepertoire the PROGRAM COMPETITION .Aselectionfrom round thepreliminary 3. etudeofChopinorLiszt Onevirtuoso 2. Mozart Onemovement from asonataofBeethoven, 1. program nottoexceed25minutes. A solorecital, SCREENING AUDITION be repeated round. inthepreliminary 2from thescreening auditionscannot Selections #1and# 3. One piano concerto from Onepianoconcerto thefollowing: 3. sonata Any FranzSchubert 2. Schumann Dvorak, Onepianoquintetby Brahms, 1. performance withanorchestra. chambermusic and A combinationofsoloperformance, FINAL may choosehisorherprogram for thisround. Eachcandidate program of65to75minutes. A solorecital, PRELIMINARY ROUND or Shostakovich or Haydn Chopin 1&2 Liszt 1&2 Saint-Saens 2 Tchaikovsky 1 Prokofiev 2&3 Rachmaninoff 2&3 Grieg Schumann Brahms 1&2 K595#27 K482#22, K466#20, Mozart Beethoven 4&5 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