Society news

Winner of the BPSE Junior Competition 2008 Announced
Julian Clef (Chetham's School) was the winner of the 2008 Beethoven Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition, presented by the BPSE at the Bluthner Piano Centre, 1 Davies Street, London W1, on 16 March. The distinguished jury comprised Professor Sulamit Aronowksy, Stephen Savage and Angela Brownridge. Of the five participants, second prize was awarded to Lin Yang (Junior RNCM) and third prize to Schay Wickham (Junior RAM). All three received cash prizes and a copy of the BPSE journal 'Arietta' and will perform in prize winners' recitals, to be announced soon, with details on the BPSE website (www.bpse.org). A sizeable audience attended the exciting event generously hosted by Roger Willson of the Bluthner Piano Centre. Paying tribute to the BPSE for providing a platform for young performers, Stephen Savage, Jury spokesman, observed that the practice of live performance was especially valuable in an era in which audiences often judge interpretations from recordings. Moreover, such competitions also offer a beneficial stimulus to institutions to foster their own internal Beethoven competitions. The Jury was looking, he explained, for many qualities, including attention to pianistic colour, effective ways of approaching the instrument's sonorities, and sensitive pedalling. All the participants played the compulsory Bagatelle, Op 33/4 and a sonata of their choice: the first and third winners each gave dramatic accounts of the 'Appassionata' sonata Op.57, while Lin Yang played a crisply articulated Op. 27/2. We also heard Sarah Lyo (Junior RCM) in Op. 78 and Holly Coma (Croydon Music Centre) in an arresting Op. 31/2. The event was especially memorable as it always refreshing to hear young performers approach favourite warhorses for the first time, discovering the music afresh, and making it meaningful. The winner, Julian Clef, was particularly impressive for his polished and professonal attitude, his powerful expression, originlity of voicing, notably in the slow movement, and technical discipline. He is soon to study at the RNCM; one hopes to hear him at the BPSE Senior Intercollegiate Competition in the near future. Malcolm Miller
BPSE Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition 2008 to be held on 16 March
The 2008 BPSE Intercollegiate Beethoven Piano Competition, generously sponsored by Bluthner Pianos, will be held at Bluthner Piano Centre, 1 Davies Street, London WC1 on 16 March 2008. Pianists from Junior Colleges and Specialist Music Schools across the UK will gather to perform works by Beethoven before a distinguished Jury comprising Professor Sulamit Aronowsky and Professor Stephen Savage. The event begins at 2pm. Further Details may be obtained by emailing contact1 AT www.bpse.org or telephoning our Secretary at minamiletic AT hotmail.com
Winner of the 15th BPSE Beethoven Intercollegiate Competition Announced
Jayson Gillham (Royal Academy of Music) won first prize in the 15th Beethoven Intercollegiate Piano Competition 2007, presented on 2 December 2007 by the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe, at the Blüthner Piano Centre who sponsored the event. Eight competitors from UK conservatoires played the Bagatelle Op.119/3 and a sonata of their choice to a distinguished jury Murray McLachlan, (Chairman EPTA UK), Dejan Sinadinovic (President EPTA Servia) and Steven Savage. Jovanni De Pedro (Trinity College of Music) came second and Alexander Kanchavely (Royal Scottish Academy of Music) third. Gillham, who played an impressive Op.109, also received the Audience Prize, and received the Beethoven Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians by their Master, Leslie East, as well as a cash award and recitals in the 2008 BPSE season. For full Report see Articles.
Winners of the 2007 Beethoven Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition
The 2007 Beethoven Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition was held on 25 March 2007 at The Bluthner Piano Centre, 1 Davies Street, London W1, presented by the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe, with generous sponsorship by the Bluthner Piano Centre. At their fine showrooms in London's West End, nine young pianists from the junior schools of our major conservatoires and some of the specialist schools competed against each other, performing a sonata of their own choice together with the compulsory work, the A major Bagatelle from the opus 33 set. The distinguished and experienced panel of judges, comprising Noretta Conci-Leech, Alberto Portugheis and Ratimir Martinovic, awarded joint first prize to Walid El Yafi (Chetham’s School) and David Secchi (Wells Cathedral School), dividing the second prize between Mandaktuja Dorj (Junior Royal Academy of Music) and Lin Yang (Junior Royal Northern College) while Fumi Sakuma (Croydon Music Centre) was awarded third prize. A full report appears on our 'Articles' webpage.
BLUTHNER PIANOS IS THE NEW VENUE ON 17 DECEMBER FOR THE 2006 BEETHOVEN INTERCOLLEGIATE COMPETITION
The 2006 Beethoven Intercollegiate Piano Competition will be held for the first time at Bluthner Pianos, 1 Davies Street, Berkeley Square, London W1, on Sunday 17 December at 2pm. Since its inception in 1993 the competition has been located at the Austrian Cultural Forum, Rutland Gardens, SW7. This year marks a new departure, coupled with valuable sponsorship from Bluthners. The distinguished Jury includes Peter Frankel, Murray McLachlan, Dorian Leljak, and Valentino Surif. Competitors, nominated by eight music colleges around the UK, perform Beethoven sonatas of their choice alongside a compulsory Bagatelle. The event is scheduled to begin at 2pm, and ends at 9pm, with the awards taking place around 8pm. Members of the BPSE and general public are invited to attend and enjoy this uniquely exciting event.
First Beethoven Marathon at City Lit - November 2006
BEETHOVEN MARATHON 29 November 2006 Wednesday 29 November 2006 saw the City Lit's first attempt at a marathon concert event in the recital room of the City Lit. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. students, tutors and a constantly changing audience heard a range of performances for solo piano, chamber music and song given by students and tutors of the City Lit in a true tour de force. The breadth and range of pieces programmed for the marathon reflected the musical genius of Ludwig Van Beethoven and truly captured the minds and spirit of the audience who remained steadfast and impassioned throughout the day. We would like to congratulate Yekaterina Lebedeva, the co-ordinator for piano and keyboards at the City Lit, for a spectacular event! We look forward to the next marathon... Janet Obi-Keller, Head of Music, City Lit, London
Harnoncourt's Beethoven
Conscious perhaps of the renewed public interest in Beethoven following the issue of the new Simon Rattle cycle with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on EMI 5 57445 2, Warner Classics has reissued at mid-price Nikolaus Harnoncourt's recording of the complete Beethoven Symphonies with The Chamber Orchestra of Europe (0927-49768-2). The critically-acclaimed cycle, originally released in 1991, was Gramophone Record of the Year 1992 and is still hailed as the finest modern instrument recording of the 1990s.
Angela Brownridge on tour, on CD and on Radio 3
At the beginning of 2005, a live broadcast by Angela Brownridge on Radio 3 with interview previewed the release of her recording of the complete piano works of Kenneth Leighton in a three CD set on the DELPHIAN label. The recording has been featured in articles in International Record Review and Musical Opinion, as well as receiving five-star reviews. Beethoven's "Appassionata" Sonata cropped up repeatedly in Angela's recital programmes this year, including the Cambridge Faculty of Music concert Hall and the Jaqueline Du Pré Hall in Oxford. Along with the US premieres of works by Leighton, the Beethoven also featured in her four recitals in New York, including the Merkin Hall on 1st November. On 24th November, she plays in the Crossley Gallery of Dean Clough, Halifax, at the start of her series of lectures and masterclass weekends there for students of RNCM, Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield Universities (see website: thepianoacademy.co.uk). February found her on a tour of Scotland with recitals later in the year in the south of France before her return to the USA and Canada.
1st International Piano Amateur Competition was held in Berlin in September 2006.
The 1st International Piano Amateur Competition Berlin was held at the famous Halls of the Berlin Philharmonic from 19-23 September 2006. No less than 60 outstanding piano amateurs from all over the world met at this special event which was supported by Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic.
Russian Pianist at RNCM wins 2005 BPSE Piano Competition
There was an international flavour to the 2005 13th Beethoven Intercollegiate Piano Competition held on 16 December at the Austrian Cultural Forum, Rutland Gate, London, thanks to the hospitality of its Director Dr Johannes Wimmer. The eight competitors, drawn from UK colleges, included pianists from Russia, Japan, Romania, China and Portugal. In the final of three sessions there was a capacity audience to hear the winning performance, that of the accomplished young Russian pianist Mikhail Shilyaev, a postgraduate student at the Royal Northern College of Music, whose masterly performance of the Sonata Op.111 in C minor, followed by the compulsory Bagatelle Op 119/3 formed the climax of the event. Second prize went to the Japanese pianist Yoko Misumi (Trinity College of Music) and third prize to Diana Zavalas (Birmingham Conservatoire) from Romania. The BPSE's UK Chairman Malcolm Troup introduced the Competition's distinguished jury, Deborah Sobol, Raphael Terroni and Alan Walker, the Liszt scholar, who congratulated all the participants on their achievements. He emphasised that while there were qualities to all the performances, the Jury decision on first prize had been unanimous, and their choice was borne out by the Audience Prize choice. For full report on the Competition see under 'Articles'.
A Winner: BPSE 2005 Junior Beethoven Competition Results!
The winner of the 2005 Beethoven Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition held on 15th December 2005 was Joseph Sloan (Junior Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama). The BPSE's annual Junior competition was again held at the Austrian Cultural Forum thanks to the hospitality of its Director Dr Johannes Wimmer, and attracted talented young pianists from four of the UK specialist schools, who each played Beethoven sonatas and, as in previous years, a compulsory Bagatelle Op.33 No.4 in A major. BPSE Vice Chairman Alberto Portugheis introduced the event and the distinguished Jury of Professor Deborah Sobol from Chicago and Professor Raphael Terroni, who announced the results and decided to award just one prize, commending the generally high standard. The winner receives a cash award, a recital in the BPSE series and copies of the Society's journal Arietta no.5, were given to all four participants.
New Beethoven website
The Beethoven Piano Society of Europe has launched its new website to coincide with its AGM and Beethoven's Birthday on 16 December 2005.
BPSE 2005 Junior Competition Winner announced!
The winner of the 2005 Beethoven Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition held on 15th December 2005 was Joseph Sloan (Junior Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama). The BPSE's annual Junior competition was again held at the Austrian Cultural Forum thanks to the hospitality of its Director Dr Johannes Wimmer, and attracted talented young pianists from four of the UK specialist schools, who each played Beethoven sonatas and, as in previous years, a compulsory Bagatelle Op.33 No.4 in A major. BPSE Vice Chairman Alberto Portugheis introduced the event and the distinguished Jury of Professor Deborah Sobol from Chicago and Professor Raphael Terroni, who announced the results and decided to award just one prize, commending the generally high standard. The winner receives a cash award, a recital in the BPSE series and copies of the Society's journal Arietta no.5, were given to all four participants.
Lead poisoning?
Expert scientists in Chicago now believe (from examining fragments of hair and bone) that Beethoven died of lead poisoning. For some additional background, see a review of the exciting detective novel "Beethoven's Hair", see Arietta, Journal of the BPSE, Vol.3 2003
Music fascists
In a Gramophone interview a few years ago, Stephen Kovacevich declared that if you play Beethoven on a modern piano today "they think you're a fascist, who wants to close down all the hospitals".
AGM
The society held its 2005 AGM on 16th December.