Marc-André Hamelin on the cover of ‘Pianist’ magazine
The iconic Marc-André Hamelin, known worldwide for his unrivaled blend of consummate musicianship and brilliant technique, is the cover star of the spring issue of Pianist magazine, for April and May, 2024!
Jessica Duchen talks to Marc about his eclectic range of repertoire, and his own Variations on a Theme of Paganini.
The iconic Marc-André Hamelin, known worldwide for his unrivaled blend of consummate musicianship and brilliant technique, is the cover star of the spring issue of Pianist magazine, for April and May, 2024!
Jessica Duchen talks to Marc about his eclectic range of repertoire, and his own Variations on a Theme of Paganini.
Pick up your copy of the magazine HERE.
Also, check out Pianist’s “10 must-watch live performances from Marc-André Hamelin”: From Bach in Russia, to Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody in Tokyo back in 1997... we've chosen 10 of Marc-André Hamelin's most incredible live performances for you to enjoy.
Pianist Magazine: Getting to Know: Karen LeFrak
A native New Yorker, composer and author Karen LeFrak has created vibrant, moving musical scores that have been presented in prestigious concert halls across the globe. She chats to Pianist about how and why she composes, her latest Christmas album, plus she shares some advice for budding composers and pianists...
1. Congratulations on more than 28 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music! What does this milestone mean to you? How does it feel to resonate with such a breadth of listeners?
This is so exciting! I am honoured that so many people want to hear my music! When I started composing very late in life, I never thought in a million years that I’d find myself in this position. I am grateful.
Pianist Magazine
By Ellie Palmer
A native New Yorker, composer and author Karen LeFrak has created vibrant, moving musical scores that have been presented in prestigious concert halls across the globe. She chats to Pianist about how and why she composes, her latest Christmas album, plus she shares some advice for budding composers and pianists...
1. Congratulations on more than 28 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music! What does this milestone mean to you? How does it feel to resonate with such a breadth of listeners?
This is so exciting! I am honoured that so many people want to hear my music! When I started composing very late in life, I never thought in a million years that I’d find myself in this position. I am grateful.
Read more here.
Pianist Magazine: Getting to Know: Illia Ovcharenko
Back in October, Ukrainian pianist Illia Ovcharenko was named Prize Laureate of the prestigious 2022 Honens International Piano Competition. He walked home that day with 100,000 (CAD) and an Artist Development Program valued at a half-million dollars. Over half a year later, he is thriving and is enjoying his playing more than ever.
Pianist Magazine
By Ellie Palmer
Back in October, Ukrainian pianist Illia Ovcharenko was named Prize Laureate of the prestigious 2022 Honens International Piano Competition. He walked home that day with 100,000 (CAD) and an Artist Development Program valued at a half-million dollars. Over half a year later, he is thriving and is enjoying his playing more than ever. Below he opens up on his experiences in Canada, his Carnegie Hall debut, and how he balances his fast-paced lifestyle...
How has winning the Honens International Piano Competition changed your life?
I am often lost [for] words when trying to describe how my life has changed since winning the Honens International Piano Competition. It was changed drastically! It truly feels like a beginning of a new chapter in my life as a musician. Most of the time I am either on a plane or in front of the piano and I must say, I love it! The best part is performing and being on stage as well as always preparing for something.
Read more here.
Pianist Magazine: Getting to Know Weiyin Chen
Meet the classical pianist who also just happens to be a Vogue-featured fashion designer. Taiwanese-American pianist Weiyin Chen is certainly one of a kind. She speaks to Pianist about her love of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas, the influence of Leon Fleisher on her life, and the link between her fashion and pianist careers.
Can you share a little about your musical pedagogy and influences?
My teacher Leon Fleisher had the profoundest influence on my musical and pianistic development. Without him, I wouldn’t be playing the piano today. Richard Goode and Claude Frank each enriched my growth in more ways than I ever imagined.
You have the unique skill and vision of being a fashion designer in addition to a concert pianist. How do these two art forms inform each other and interact?
They have magnified my imagination exponentially, they work synergistically. After my first few designs were created, I began writing my own cadenzas. Accessing the fantastical through designing served as a catalyst for what I was ready to unleash in music.
Pianist Magazine
Meet the classical pianist who also just happens to be a Vogue-featured fashion designer. Taiwanese-American pianist Weiyin Chen is certainly one of a kind. She speaks to Pianist about her love of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas, the influence of Leon Fleisher on her life, and the link between her fashion and pianist careers.
Can you share a little about your musical pedagogy and influences?
My teacher Leon Fleisher had the profoundest influence on my musical and pianistic development. Without him, I wouldn’t be playing the piano today. Richard Goode and Claude Frank each enriched my growth in more ways than I ever imagined.
You have the unique skill and vision of being a fashion designer in addition to a concert pianist. How do these two art forms inform each other and interact?
They have magnified my imagination exponentially, they work synergistically. After my first few designs were created, I began writing my own cadenzas. Accessing the fantastical through designing served as a catalyst for what I was ready to unleash in music.
I see designing as a form of visual/musical composition. Construction, colours, textures, and shapes orchestrate into one unified expressivity, conveyed with style. How I conceive designs is very similar to how I conceptualize scores – design is experienced visually, music is “felt” viscerally. I think this extra dimension of time and rhythm that we can relate to the pulse of our heartbeat is what I find especially powerful in music, it can communicate with our inner most heartstrings that we cannot explain in words.
Read more here.
Photo Credits: Lisa Mazzucco
Pianist Magazine: 3 Idyllic US Music Festivals to Attend This Summer
Pianist Magazine
We take a closer look at Bravo! Vail Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival and Sun Valley Music Festival
Summer is swiftly approaching, and with it comes the opportunity to take a road trip and enjoy music outdoors. The US is home to many summer festivals with robust offerings, but three in particular stand out for their idyllic settings and the spotlight they shine on the piano this season. The best news? With some planning, one could even make a journey out of it and attend all three for a summer to remember.
Read more here.
Pianist Magazine: Tianxu An’s time is here: The pianist talks about his quest for success
Tianxu An’s time is here: The pianist talks about his quest for success
In 2019, Tianxu An fell victim to a terrible error in the final of the International Tchaikovsky Competition. With the pianist expecting to play one piece, the accompanying orchestra started playing a completely different piece. Two years on, he's back and ready to aim for the stars.
Pianist Magazine
By Ellie Palmer
Tianxu An’s time is here: The pianist talks about his quest for success
In 2019, Tianxu An fell victim to a terrible error in the final of the International Tchaikovsky Competition. With the pianist expecting to play one piece, the accompanying orchestra started playing a completely different piece. Two years on, he's back and ready to aim for the stars.
Can you tell us a little bit about your musical background and what led you to pursue a career as a solo pianist?
I come from a non-musical family. My parents initially thought that playing piano would be a good way to help us kids develop our intelligence so they enrolled us in lessons. Since I had no musical knowledge at that time, my attitude was neutral. Thanks to my studies at the elementary and the middle school affiliated to Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, I began to love music and became more interested in playing the piano.
I am currently studying at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, which gives me a closer connection with the western culture and environment. My experiences have showed me how music is a powerful language which establishes the deeply emotional bond among people that surpasses the limits of verbal language on its own. Because people’s lives nowadays are more occupied by electronic devices, the emotional bond mentioned above is rarer and thus more valuable. I want to use the piano as a tool to reconstruct that intimate connection with people, which is why I have continued pursuing this career.
While many musicians were still in quarantine, your new China-based manager Armstrong Music & Arts/Poly Armstrong organised a 19-city recital tour. Can you tell us about your recital programme and experience returning to performing for live audiences?
I prepared two programmes with some overlapping pieces. The repertoire includes Beethoven Op 110, Brahms Sonata Op 1 and Prokofiev Sonata No 6. Other works include selections from Rachmaninov's and Debussy’s preludes. I have been so lucky to have consistent performance engagements throughout this difficult time and I treasure each opportunity to play onstage. I give each of my performances my all and feel so grateful for the enthusiasm I’ve received from audiences.
Read more here.
Pianist: Anne-Marie McDermott celebrates 10 years as Artistic Director of Bravo! Vail
American pianist Anne-Marie McDermott chats with Pianist about 10 years with Bravo! Vail, the importance of protecting classical music, and an upcoming trip to Europe...
Pianist
Ellie Palmer
American pianist Anne-Marie McDermott chats with Pianist about 10 years with Bravo! Vail, the importance of protecting classical music, and an upcoming trip to Europe...
First, our congratulations on your tenth anniversary as Artistic Director of Bravo! Vail Music Festival. In your view, what makes Bravo! Vail such a unique and special summer festival?
What makes Bravo! Vail so unique to me is the combination of the extraordinary music-making with being located in one of the most magnificent locations on planet earth, and the incredible enthusiasm and love that our audience has for the music and for the musicians.
Read more of the interview here.
Pianist Magazine: Honens Piano Competition Commissions New Piano Concerto
Honens Piano Competition has commissioned a brand-new piece in memory of Canadian jazz pianist, mathematician, educator, and composer Bruce McKinnon.
The new work will be premiered in 2022 with additional performances across Canada and internationally anticipated for the 2022/23 season.
Pianist Magazine
Ellie Palmer
Honens Piano Competition has commissioned a brand-new piece in memory of Canadian jazz pianist, mathematician, educator, and composer Bruce McKinnon.
The new work will be premiered in 2022 with additional performances across Canada and internationally anticipated for the 2022/23 season.
This concerto commission fits both pianist [Nicolas] Namoradze and composer Agócs perfectly (both pictured above). Namoradze shares, “I am a passionate advocate of new music. Having a major concerto written for me by a young composer I have the greatest admiration for is a dream come true.” The piece will be an expressive, virtuosic showcase for Namoradze, twenty minutes in duration.
Read more here.