Untitled - Chopin Foundation

CHOPIN FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, INC.
Officers & Directors
Krzysztof Penderecki - Honorary Chairman
Fall 2015
Blanka A. Rosenstiel - Founder & President
Olga Melin - Vice President
Richard Lubman - Treasurer
Rebecca Baez - Secretary
Dr. Adam Aleksander - Artistic Advisor
Jadwiga Viga Gewert - Executive Director
Volume XXV / Number 1
Directors
Agustin Anievas, Roberta O. Chaplin, Rosa-Rita Gonzalez,
Dr. William J. Hipp, Renate Ryan, Lorraine Sonnabend
Regional Councils
Mack McCray - San Francisco Chopin Council
Allan Park - Northwest Chopin Council
Christopher Onzol - Southwest Chopin Council
Scholarship Committee
Dr. Adam Aleksander, Agustin Anievas, Dr. Hanna Cyba
Advisory Board
Bonnie Barrett - Yamaha Artist Services
Joel Harrison - American Pianists Association
Gary Ingle - Music Teachers National Association
Ron Losby - Steinway & Sons
International Artistic Advisory Council
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Message from the Founder and President..................................... 2
Chopin Foundation Donors and Contributors................................ 3
Message from the Executive Director............................................ 4
Highlights from Last Season ......................................................... 5
2015 National Chopin Competition Winners.................................. 6
Competition Moments ................................................................. 7
Reflections on the Competition by Eric Zuber................................ 8
Sponsor Spotlight: Harvey Chaplin................................................ 9
2015-16 Season of Winners................................................10 & 11
2015 Scholarship Recipients & MTNA Chopin Awards................ 12
Agustin Anievas, Martha Argerich, Emanuel Ax, Jeffrey N. Babcock,
John Bayless, Luiz Fernando Benedini, John Corigliano, Ivan Davis,
Christopher T. Dunworth, Charles Dutoit, Nelson Freire,
Bruno Leonardo Gelber, Gary Graffman, Horacio Gutierrez,
Marta Istomin, Byron Janis, James Judd, Cyprien Katsaris,
Zoltan Koscis, Garrick Ohlsson, Paloma O’Shea, Daniel Pollack,
Maurizio Pollini, Abbey Simon, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski,
Michael Tilson Thomas, Charles Wadsworth,
Susan Wadsworth, Krystian Zimerman
Chopin Foundation Scholarship Program.................................... 13
Editorial
XVII International Chopin Competition ....................................... 18
Polonaise is published semi-annually by the
Chopin Foundation of the USA
1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117, Miami, FL 33141
Editorial Office: 305-868-0624 • 305-865-5150 (Fax)
E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.chopin.org
Publisher: Lady Blanka A. Rosenstiel
Executive Editor: Jadwiga Viga Gewert
Editor: Barbara Muze
Contributors: Mack McCray, Chris Onzol, Allan Park,
Beata Paszyc, Lynne Schaefer, Eric Zuber
Design: Rick Tuckerman, Zoom IQ
San Francisco Chopin Council .................................................... 14
NW Chopin Council .................................................................... 15
SW Chopin Council .................................................................... 16
Our Sponsors ............................................................................ 17
International Federation of Chopin Societies ............................... 19
2015 Chopin Competitions Conference ...................................... 19
Chopin Master Class Weekends.................................................. 20
Support Young American Pianists................................................ 21
Copyright © Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc. All rights reserved.
Message from Founder
“It ’s not that people don’t like classical music.
It ’s that they don’t have the chance to understand and to experience it.”
Gustavo Dudamel
Blanka A. Rosenstiel
Founder and President
I
t is hard to believe that it is has been 40 years since we first
presented the American Chopin Piano Competition. This past
Spring, the Chopin Foundation celebrated this anniversary with
the 9th National Chopin Piano Competition in Miami. We were very
impressed with the 24 contestants who were selected to participate in
10 days of intense music making. The 9 distinguished jurors had the
difficult task of deciding who among these young American pianists
would take home a total of $159,000 in cash prizes. In the end, 6
finalists were chosen with the First Prize of $75,000 going to Eric Lu,
a brilliant 17 year-old who is studying at Curtis Institute of Music. In
addition to his cash prize, the largest of any such competition in the US,
the Chopin Foundation has arranged an extensive concert tour for Eric.
The tour includes solo performances and appearances with orchestra,
and has taken him to Atlanta, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Newport
Music Festival in Rhode Island and Duszniki, Poland – to name just a
few - where he has received terrific reviews.
Eric, along with Second Prize winner, Rachel Naomi Kudo, has gained
automatic acceptance to the XVII International Chopin Competition in
Warsaw taking place from October 2 through October 23, 2015. I will be
there along with a delegation of US-based Chopin enthusiasts to cheer
for our young Americans.
2 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
If you are not among the lucky few who were able to get tickets to this
pivotal event, we encourage you to watch the activities broadcast via
live streaming on your computers. Best of luck to the contestants and
may the best Chopinist win!
Each new day brings something to look forward to at the Chopin
Foundation. In addition to our annual programming which includes the
Southern Wine & Spirits’ Chopin for All Free Concert Series, the Salon
Concerts at the lovely La Gorce Country Club, and the Scholarship
Program for Young Pianists, we are always looking for ways to further
our mission of supporting young talented musicians. This year we
are looking into the possibility of presenting Chopin Master Classes
with members of our Competition Jury. We are also actively building
an endowment for the Foundation so that the seeds we have planted
will continue to be fertilized and will keep blooming long into the
future. Once we achieve our endowment fund goal, we will qualify for
matching funds from the State of Florida. Please consider making a
donation to the Chopin Foundation Endowment Fund this year so that
all of our great programs can continue for years to come.
As always, my deepest appreciation goes to all of our caring members,
supporter, sponsors and volunteers without whom our mission could
not become reality.
Our Donors
We extend our deepest thanks
to those whose vision and support have helped us this year with our mission: to develop the next generation of
great musicians! May we continue to add to this esteemed roster others who would join us in support of our mission.
FOUNDER
PATRONS
Lady Blanka A. Rosenstiel
Idelia Alvarado
Hilda Andrews
Isa Baez
Phillip Balbi
Erica Balogh & Jim Barklow
Irene Barowska-Gladek
Jewel Bertman
Lina Blondet
Andrzej Bytnar
Michael Caldwell
S. Peter Capua, Esq.
Kay Carpenter & B G Carter
Buddy & Diane Cohen
Lucette Comer
Carmen Cuenca
Alfred Cuzan
Eldris De La Torre
Shelby Dennis Winstead
Dr. Carlos & Carmen Dominguez
Dr. Allan & Susan Dunn
Norman Edelcup
Wendy Erickson
Olga Figueras
Florence Fowlkes
Roberto & Marie Friedman
Margarita Garcia
Mario Garcia
Pamela Jo Garrison
Lenore Gaynor
Donna Genet
Marcia Green
Olga Gulinsky
Clifford & Norma Hall
Joseph Hegleh
Madeline Hillsberg
Christopher Humberstone & Luisa Ruffin
William Hutchinson
IBM
Alma Kadragic
Laura Keith
Leda Kwiatek
Dr. Steven Lagerberg
Norman & Margaretha Leathers
Little Keswick Foundation
GRAND BENEFACTORS
The Beveridge Family Foundation
Harvey & Roberta Chaplin
The City of Coral Gables
Brenda Bruce Fountain
Funding Arts Network
Florman Family Foundation
Marvin & Isabel Leibowitz
Ann E. Leibowitz Fund
Richard & Theresa Lubman
Olga & David Melin
Miami-Dade County
Miami Salon Group
The Sascha Gorodnitzki Foundation
Rosenstiel Foundation
Joy Segal
The State of Florida
Stephen & Lorraine Sonnabend
Southern Wine & Spirits of America
Joseph & Ligia Wiegand Family Foundation
BENEFACTORS
Agustin & Carol Anievas
American Council for Polish Culture
Audrey Love Charitable Foundation
Manuel & Rebecca Baez
George Berberian
Chopin Vodka
The Garvin Family Foundation
Rosa-Rita Gonzalez
Keith & Agnes Gray
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
Janine Lennox
Jadwiga Henderson
William & Frankie Hipp
Maestro William Noll
Maestro Grzegorz Nowak
Renate Ryan
Joseph Lavinio
Drs. Dipnarine Maharaj & Jacqueline Gouvea
Miami Foundation
Avis Neiman
Bac Hai Nguyen & Bao-Tran Doan
Sabrina Noto
Packman, Neuwahl & Rosenberg
Dr. Carlos Perez
Palisades Contractors - in memory of Paul Roth
Mike Periu
Elizabeth & Ralph Piotrovsky
Luis Pujol
Daisy Richardson
Hedwig Ringger
Carole Romer
Carol Sadowski
Vivian San Juan
Alicja Schoonover
Peter & Lisa Seite
Fred Seltzer
Sophia Sieczkowski
Clara Sredni
Barbara Stephens
Richard & Margarita Tonkinson
Duane & Liliana Treeman
Jacqueline Tuozzolo
Louise Valdes-Fauli
Migdania Vega
Gerrit & Tatiana Verburg
Jerry Wang
Jean Warner
Julie & Bob Williamson
Linna Wing
Lawrence Wong
FRIENDS
David Adler
Sonia Alcazar
Marian Alperstein
Robert Arnebeck
Naomi Barrettara
Allan Behm
Julia Benavides
James Butt
James Campbell
Jack Cohen
Raymond Copell
Ann Marie Crawford
Dory Cruz
Rosemarie Curasi
Grecia Falcon
Candido Font
Jean Fraser
Nancy Hanna
Petrina Hurlbert
Sandra Ivy
Yasmin Jacob
Kurien Jacob
Claire Jacobson
Jessica Jetley
Gary Johnson
Patricia Laland
Barbara Levy
Stephen Lipster
Annabella Lou
Iona Luke
C.S. Mason
Susan Mattes
Teresa Mestre
Marlon Migala
Cheng Mitch
Li Chiung Moyant
David Niemiec
Yolaine Numa
Marta Olchyk
Raul Recasens
Lulu Rosen
Eugene Ross
Leonard Sanginario
Leslie Silverman
Peter Steeger
Peter Steinberg
Dean Taylor
Arlene Terrinoni
Richard Vaz
Carol Warsawer
Maria Wiesmann
Joanna Zaremba
Evhen Zasadney
Maria Zayas
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 3
Executive Director’s Message
T
he Ninth National Chopin
Competition made the last
season very special for us. We
hope that if you were not with us in
Miami, you watched its sessions via
live streaming.
Now we all look forward to the XVII
International Chopin Competition in
Warsaw, and keep our fingers crossed
for our winners!
Jadwiga Viga Gewert
In addition to the National Competition,
last season featured five concerts within
the annual Chopin for All FREE concert series, two salon concerts and
two other performances in collaboration with partner organizations. Our
audiences were able to listen to some of the new winners, and other
great young artists – please see the photos on the next page. We have
also awarded ten new scholarships for young American piano students,
and two Chopin Prizes at the MTNA’s Piano Performance Competition.
Executive Director
In November we will start the new season of concerts, presenting new and
past laureates who will return to South Florida to play for us. It will be a real
Season of Winners! Please visit our website www.chopin.org to learn more
about our programs and activities.
In the world of piano competitions, there are many perspectives and
thoughts on the merits and shortcomings of these endeavors. The jurors
come with very personal notions as to what they look for in a pianist
based on years of training and knowledge gained from experience. The
audience has its own set of expectations. And then there are the contestants
who enter the event with a certain outlook and with hopes of achieving
specific goals. In a wonderful moment of personal insight, a prize winner
of this year’s 9th National Chopin Piano Competition, Eric Zuber, shared
his thoughts about this competition and competitions in general on his
Facebook page – just two days after the awards ceremony. We reprint it
here with Eric’s permission. While it is only one pianist’s perspective, we
feel his words will resonate with anyone who has ever participated in a
competitive event as a spectator, juror or contestant.
We invite you to read Eric’s essay on page 8.
Winners, Jurors and Supporters of the 2015 National Chopin Piano Competition
4 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
Highlights from Last Season
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 5
Competition Prize Winners & Underwriters
Ninth National Chopin Piano Competition
Miami, FL
February 20 – March 1, 2015
First Prize $75,000 – Eric Lu
Underwritten by the Rosenstiel Foundation.
Presented by Lady Blanka A. Rosenstiel.
Fourth Prize $10,000 – Eric Zuber
Underwritten and presented by
Olga & David Melin.
Plus automatic acceptance to the XVII International
Chopin Piano Competition, and concert performances
in the United States and abroad.
Second Prize $35,000 – Rachel Kudo
Underwritten by the Board of Directors of the
Chopin Foundation, with major support from Mr.
and Mrs. Stephen Sonnabend, and with additional
support from Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Baez.
Presented by Mrs. Roberta Chaplin.
Fifth Prize $5,000 – Joshua Wright
Underwritten by the Ann E. Leibowitz Fund
and Dr. Joy Segal.
Presented by Isabel and Marvin Leibowitz.
Plus automatic acceptance to the XVII International
Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.
Sixth Prize $4,000 – Alexander Beyer
Underwritten by the American Council for
Polish Culture.
Presented by Ms. Judy Tompkins.
Third Prize $20,000 – George Li
Underwritten by the Joseph & Ligia Wiegand Family
Foundation in Memory of Joseph Wiegand.
Presented by Dr. John McAuliffe.
Special Prizes
Best Mazurka $1,000:
Best Polonaise $1,000:
Best Sonata $1,000:
Best Concerto $1,000:
6 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
Joshua Wright - Underwritten by Maestro William Noll
Rachel Kudo - Underwritten by Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Baez
George Li - Underwritten by Mr. George Berberian
Eric Lu - Underwritten by Ms. Rosa Rita Gonzalez
Semi-finalists not advanced to the finals $1,000 each
Underwritten by the Sasha Gorodnitzki Foundation, presented by Mrs. Miyoko Lotto
Third through sixth prize winners also received an all-expense-paid trip to Warsaw,
Poland to attend the Preliminary Round of the XVII International Chopin Piano
Competition in April 2015, underwritten by Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Leibowitz.
Competition Moments
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 7
From Eric Zuber’s Facebook page…March 3, 2015
I
’m finally home, at
least for a short while.
What a memorable
week I had in Miami! I feel
honored to have made
the finals once again and
to have received a prize.
In competitions, whether
they be of the sports or of
the music variety, the only
truly satisfied person is
the one who walks away
with the gold medal, but it
is unrealistic to think that
one can win gold every
time-- there are simply
too many fabulous young talents, and too many varying jury opinions on what
constitutes a winning performance. More importantly, I was very happy to have
had the opportunity over the last three months to get back to so many of Chopin’s
incredible masterpieces that I had played in the past, and to add some new ones
to my repertoire. The depth and variety of emotions that this music allows us to
express as performers and to feel as listeners never fails to astonish and inspire me,
and this week was a great and personal reminder of why I’m so thankful as a pianist
to spend my days in the company of such incredible statements of the human spirit.
For me, these emotions were made even more visceral and immediate by the
recognition that this was to be my final competition. As the finale of the Chopin
Concerto came to a close, I felt a great sense of joy and gratitude overwhelm
me, partially brought on by the rousing finish that Chopin had so magnificently
penned, and partially because all of the unforgettable moments of my past ten
years as a competitor came rushing back to me. Say what you will about the merit
of competitions, but they have given me the chance to travel to so many amazing
places around the world, to meet some of my closest friends, and to play on many
of the world’s greatest stages. Perhaps more importantly, they have afforded me
the opportunity to stare down my biggest fears and emerge on the other side- sometimes victorious and sometimes not-- but always standing. And that is a
priceless thing.
Musically, I leave the world of competitions more humbled, and in some ways more
confused than ever before. I grew up as a young musician thinking that there were
some objective truths to be had regarding the method of making good music, and
for 20 years I have been meticulously taught to navigate the razor-thin boundary
between artistry and selfish indulgence. But I now have years of experience
8 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
seeing what I had come to consider to be ‘good taste’ consistently trampled without
consequence, and performances that I would consider exploitative, shallow, and
selfish hailed for their ‘sensitivity and artistry.’ All this has left me wondering whether
the musical road signs that I had constructed for myself, and the ones that others
had constructed for me, are perhaps artificial and unnecessary in the world of art. In
short, I have never been less sure of what is ‘good’ or what constitutes ‘over-the-top,’
and question whether these labels are even necessary in a world where audience
members know less and less about the substance of what they hear.
These days, both in and out of the competition circuit, I hear more and more playing
that is less and less connected to the score, playing that goes for audience points and
quick emotional fixes, as if we as musicians have become both the needle and the
drug that periodically injects our users (the audience) with their desired ‘ooh that’s
nice’ moment, whether it be of the subtle coloristic or of the bravura variety (I call it
the “Lang Lang School of Emotional Manipulation,” peace be upon him). It certainly
feels nice to be able to manipulate an audience into feeling a certain way emotionally,
and judging from audience reactions to this type of performance, they obviously don’t
seem to mind being manipulated. But I have to ask myself-- are we really giving the
audience the kind of transcendent experience that the composer had envisioned, or
have we become puppet-masters to willing subjects, merely pulling their strings to
satiate our own cravings for acceptance and validation?
Some other questions that I have been pondering: Does integrity matter if no one
knows what it is? Do I even know what it is or have I been fooling myself into
thinking that it is something tangible, quantifiable, and achievable? Who am I to tell an
audience what they should enjoy? Can anyone play a simple melodic phrase without
jerking it into incomprehensibility anymore? Does that kind of subtlety-free emoting
equate with sensitivity? Does any of this even matter?
As for me, and perhaps this is a personal credo as I go forward into the next phase
of my career, if I wished to be known for anything, I would hope to be thought of as
the type of artist that works to glorify the music that means so much to me. If I am
not that now, then I consider it a personal failing and I wish to become it. When an
audience listens to me it is my hope that they would be exhilarated, not by me, but
by the music of the great composers who spilled their heart and soul on paper so
that we could come to a communion with them and feel what they felt at that
moment of creation.
That competitions are about the musician and not the music is understandable-it comes with the territory. But this is the very thing that makes me feel most
uncomfortable about them, and it is the thing that I will miss the least. As I hang
up my competitive cleats for the final time, I look back with great fondness at the
moments I have had over the past decade, and I look forward with excitement to a
new chapter in my career and an opportunity for a new perspective on music-making.
Sponsor Highlight
The Chopin Foundation of the United States is honored to recognize Harvey and Roberta Chaplin for their generous support and
in particular for sponsoring the Chopin for All Free Concert Series for many years. This concert series enriches the cultural lives
of thousands every year – many who might not otherwise be able to attend such high quality classical music performances.
Thank you Harvey and Roberta for all the good you do for our community. May your acts be an inspiration to many.
B
increasingly active in many causes, including opera
and the fine arts.
y the time that Harvey Chaplin graduated
from Brooklyn Boy’s High School in 1946,
he had already begun his career in the
wine and spirits industry as a part-time mailroom
employee at Schenley Industries in Manhattan.
He eventually worked his way up the ladder
to become assistant director of marketing at
Schenley. In 1969, Mr. Chaplin joined Southern
Wine & Spirits of America, along with other
founding executives.
Prior to becoming its Chairman and CEO in 1994,
Mr. Chaplin served in numerous senior executive
roles running day-to-day operations of the
company from 1969 to 1993.
Roberta Chaplin is a native of Brooklyn, New
York’s Brighton Beach area. She graduated from
Brooklyn College and began a career in interior
decorating. After moving to Florida in 1978, she
established a thriving commercial and residential
interior decorating consulting practice and became
In 2002, Harvey and Roberta married, and together
they have helped many thousands through their
extraordinary generosity.
Harvey & Roberta Chaplin
“Do all the good you can
To all the people you can,
In every way you can.
As long as you can.”
In addition to their tremendous support of the
Chopin Foundation, Harvey and Roberta have been
recognized and honored by many international
and national charities. Their indelible footprint has
impacted the South Florida community, as they
have spread their generosity amongst many welldeserving organizations and philanthropies.
The Chaplins reside in Miami. He has three children
– daughter Terry Jove and sons Paul, an orthopedic
doctor, and Wayne, who currently serves as the
President and CEO of Southern Wine & Spirits of
America. Harvey is the proud grandfather of nine
grandchildren – Monica (Chaplin) Starosta, Katie,
Elizabeth, David, Mark and Jennifer Chaplin; Scott,
Ryan and Tyler Jove.
Harvey Chaplin
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 9
2015-2016
CHOPIN FOR ALL
2015-16 FREE Concert Series
Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc.
All concerts are presented in two locations
Saturdays at 3 PM
Broward County Main Library
100 S. Andrews Ave
Fort Lauderdale
&
Sundays at 3 PM
Granada Presbyterian Church
950 University Drive
Coral Gables
November 7 & 8, 2015
ERIC ZUBER
A prize winner of the 2015 & 2010
National Chopin Piano Competition. Also
a major prize winner at the Cleveland,
Rubinstein & other competitions.
December 5 & 6, 2015
GEORGE LI
A prize winner of the 2015 National
Chopin Piano Competition & Silver
Medalist of the 2015 Tchaikovsky
Competition.
January 16 & 17, 2016
JOSHUA WRIGHT
A prize winner of the 2015 National
Chopin Piano Competition plus the
Washington, Seattle & New York
International Piano Competitions.
10 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
February 27 & 28, 2016
TBA
A finalist of the 2015 International Chopin
Competition in Warsaw, Poland.
March 19 & 20, 2016
HANA CHU
Semi-finalist of the 2015 National Chopin Piano
Competition & prize winner of the Korean Nationwide
Music & New York International Piano Competitions.
April 16 & 17, 2016
Young Pianists Concerts
Selected local piano students in an all-Chopin program.
May 14 & 15, 2016
ERIC LU
First Prize Winner of the 2015 National Chopin
Piano Competition
Season of Winners
CHOPIN SALON CONCERTS
CHOPIN AT KEY BISCAYNE
Followed by wine reception & optional dinner
March 6, 2016 at 5 pm
FREE Concert – Artist TBA
4:00 PM - La Gorce Country Club
5685 Alton Road, Miami Beach, Florida
Salon Concerts with reception are FREE for Members
Non-Members are also welcome: $45
Elegant buffet dinner (wine & tip included) for only $55
Reservations required: (305) 868-0624
November 22, 2015
Jon Nakamatsu
1995 winner of the National Chopin
Piano Competition & 1997 winner of
the Van Cliburn
Key Biscayne Community Center
10 Village Green Way, Key Biscayne
Presented in partnership with the Village of Key Biscayne.
For more information or to reserve tickets,
please call (305) 868-0624
or visit www.chopin.org
Chopin Foundation of the United States
1440 79th St. Causeway, Suite 117
Miami, FL 33141
January 10, 2016
Krzysztof Jablonski
Laureate of the 1985 International
Chopin Competition & other
prestigious competitions
March 13, 2016
Kevin Kenner
1990 top winner of the National Chopin
Piano Competition & International
Chopin Competition
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 11
2015 Scholarship Recipients
Chopin Prizes Awarded at the
2015 Music Teachers National
Association Piano Competition
Year 1
David Sacks, 15
Valerie Narumi, 16
Amanda Mac, 15
Greenwich, CT
Stanford University
Online
High School
Piano Teachers,
Miyoko Lotto /
Ursula Oppens
Yorba Linda, CA
Valencia High School
Piano Teachers, Dr.
Grace Fong /
Dr. Ron Anderson
Concord, CA
Northgate High School
Piano Teacher,
Dr. Jed A. Galant
The Chopin Foundation was once again pleased
to award the Chopin Prize at the MTNA Junior
and Senior Solo Piano Competitions. They were
presented during the Annual MTNA Conference
held in Las Vegas, NV this past March.
Year 2
Trenton Chang, 17
Christopher Richardson, 16
Logan, UT
Logan High School and
Utah State University
Youth Conservatory
Piano Teacher,
Gary Amano
Evren Ozel, 16
Lake Forest Park, WA
Shorecrest High School
Piano Teacher,
Duane Hulbert
John Schindler, 16
Minneapolis, MN
Walnut Hill School
for the Arts Natick, MA
Piano Teacher,
Wha Kyung Byun
Lewis Zou, 15
Hartland, WI
eAchieve Academy
Piano Teacher,
Margarita Kontorovsky
Solon, OH
Solon High School
Piano Teachers,
Emanuela Friscioni /
Alvin Chow
Jessica Zhang, was awarded a Chopin Prize of $500 by the
Chopin Foundation of the United States for the Best Chopin
Performance by Junior Solo Piano. Pictured with Jessica is
Barbara Muze, Marketing/Development Manager of the Chopin
Foundation of the United States, presenter, and Fei Xu, teacher.
Year 4
Michael Davidman, 18
New York, NY
Curtis Institute of Music
Piano Teachers,
Efrem Briskin /
Robert McDonald
Kadar Qian, 17
Westford, MA
Westford Academy
Piano Teacher,
A Ramon Rivera
Daniel Eras was awarded a Chopin Prize of $1,000 by the
Chopin Foundation of the United States for the Best Chopin
Performance by Senior Solo Piano. Daniel moved to the United
States from San José, Costa Rica, in 1996. He is a piano student
of Alexander Braginsky.
12 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
Scholarship Program for Young P ianists
Requirements, Repertoire and How to Apply - Online Applications Only!
The purpose of the Chopin Foundation Scholarship Program is to support and encourage young, talented American pianists through up to
four years of preparation for the National Chopin Piano Competition of the United States, which is held in Miami, Florida, every five years.
Up to ten (10) renewable scholarships of $1,000 are awarded each year on a competitive basis to outstanding young American pianists who
demonstrate a special affinity for the interpretation of Frédéric Chopin’s music. In addition, the Scholarship may grant half-awards in the
amount of $500 to qualified applicants. A half-award may be granted to an applicant only once during the four-year program.
Eligibility
Procedure
The Scholarship Program is open to all qualified American pianists (US citizens or
legal residents) not younger than 14 and not older than 17 years of age on May 15
of their first year of application.
As of 2015, all Scholarship applications must be submitted online. Please
visit the Chopin Foundation website, www.chopin.org for a link to the online
Scholarship application. PLEASE READ ALL ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE
PREPARING YOUR APPLICATION. The following are required and must be
uploaded with the application:
Renewal
The scholarships are renewable for up to four years as long as the recipient
continues to study piano, maintains satisfactory academic progress, and each year
submits an application including a video recording of an unedited performance of
the Chopin works required for that year for evaluation. The Scholarship Committee
may accept an application of the returning applicant even if one year was skipped
within the four-year period. Any applicant who was not awarded a scholarship
may reapply the following year, submitting a new recording of the music of his/her
choice from the repertoire required for the year in which he/she was not accepted.
Reapplication is allowed only once while in the Scholarship Program.
Repertoire
Year 1: 2 Etudes, 2 Nocturnes, and your choice of: a Ballade or Barcarole in
F-sharp Major Op. 60 or Fantasia in F Minor Op. 49
Year 2: 6 consecutive Preludes from Op. 28 played in order, 2 Waltzes,
and 2 Mazurkas
Year 3: 1 Sonata and 1 of the following Polonaises: Andante Spianato and Grand
Polonaise in E-flat Major Op. 22 or Polonaise in F-sharp Minor Op. 44 or
Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat Major Op. 61
Year 4: 1 of Chopin’s two Concertos – all movements - with orchestra or a
2nd piano
1 Statement of career goals.
2 Two recommendations from piano teachers or professional piano performers.
The recommendation letters may be uploaded and submitted with your
application; or they can be mailed directly to the Chopin Foundation –
postmarked on or before May 15; or emailed to [email protected] directly
from the recommender, with a date on or before May 15.
3 A video recording of Chopin’s works as required for Years 1 – 4 (listed
previously), must be recorded in one session - but must be saved and
uploaded as separate files. For example, Year 1 applicants would upload
three files: one with the 2 Etudes, one with the 2 Nocturnes and one with the
chosen piece. The recording must be of professional quality, but cannot be
edited. Please label the uploaded files with the name of the piece(s) and the
edition used or you may upload the list of pieces and editions as a separate
document in the optional upload area.
4 Proof of current school enrollment/statement of being home-schooled.
5 Non-refundable $25.00 application fee.
6 Optional: Upload additional page(s) to list significant repertoire studied. Place
an asterisk (*) by works performed in public. Include copies of programs/
reviews, if possible.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
For a link to the online application, please visit www.chopin.org. Applications, along with all attachments listed above, must be received by May 15th.
Scholarships will be announced by July 15th. Please contact the Chopin Foundation with any questions:
Phone: (305) 868-0624 • Web: www.chopin.org • Email: [email protected]
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 13
Chopin Foundation Council of San Francisco
T
his season has been a busy and successful
one for the San Francisco chapter. In
December we had our traditional holiday
concert and reception at the Queen Anne Hotel
(beautiful as always, its dark-paneled public room
full of amazing historical Christmas decorations), at
which our 2014 Competition winners performed
again. Joining them was San Francisco Conservatory
student Ning Zhou, from Shanghai, who has been
accepted into the 2015 preliminary round of the
Warsaw Chopin Competition.
In February 22, 2015, we enjoyed our annual Concert celebrating Chopin’s
birthday at the City’s venerable Old First Church. This year was a gala
celebration, a three-hour concert featuring ten of the Bay Area’s most
distinguished pianists, including Jacqueline Divenyi, Daniel Glover, Nancy
Lee Harper, Heidi Hau, Mack McCray, Corey McVicar, Gwendolyn Mok,
Robert Schwartz, Hanson Tam and William Wellborn.
We are already looking forward to inviting one of the winners of the
National Chopin Competition to perform in San Francisco on February
21, 2016.
Mack McCray, President
Birthday Concert Artists
2015 Chopin Young Pianists Competition Winners
Winners of the 2014 Chopin Young Pianists Competition
after Annual Holiday Concert with members of the Board
On June 6 we had our nineteenth annual Chopin Young Pianists Competition.
The Competition has become so popular and so big that we have had to
use two sets of judges to accommodate all the contestants in the three
categories. The winners performed the following evening at the San
Francisco Conservatory in a Winners Concert in which they received their
diplomas, monetary awards, and a beautiful flower. They will perform again
at the Chopin Christmas concert in December.
Winners of the 2015 Chopin Young Pianists Competition
FIRST AGE CATEGORY (THROUGH 9)
First Prize Ray Chen
Second Prize
Mia Kao
Third Prize Katharine Vari
Honorable Mention
Mai Arai
Honorable Mention
Alex Lin
14 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
SECOND AGE CATEGORY (10-12)
First Prize Leo Jergovic
Second Prize Dominic Pang
Third Prize Gawon Choi
Honorable Mention Anna Guan
Honorable Mention Irene Geng
THIRD AGE CATEGORY (13-15)
First Prize Second Prize Third Prize Honorable Mention
Andrew Semenza
Cami Akioka
Leyla Kabuli
Andrew Lin
Chopin Foundation Council of the Northwest
O
ur 2015 Chopin Festival attracted
147 children from 6 different states.
We awarded 13 Gold Medalists with
scholarships totaling over $1000, and one
concerto winner the opportunity to perform with
Federal Way Symphony.
Allan Park, President
Our adjudicators this year were Dr. Jack Winerock,
Nancy Weems and Dr. Judith Widrig. They judged
over 25 combined hours at the beautiful Bellevue
Presbyterian Church in three different auditoriums.
The Gold Medalists performed at the University
of Washington, Brechemin Auditorium the very next day and the Silver Medalists
performed in Kirkland, WA, two weeks later. Our very capable and passionate
board was ready to celebrate their artistry by showering them with medals,
flowers and refreshments. Complete video performances of the Gold and Silver
Medalists can be found at: www.chopinnw.org.
We are also pleased to announce an addition of two board members: Dr. Yelena
Balabanova, a Steinway Artist, and Kurt Kolb, a pianist and one of the founders
of University of Washington Presidential Piano Series Concerts. Along with new
board members from 2014, Dr. Hanna Cyba and Dr. Adam Aleksander, our
Northwest Chopin board has no shortage of brilliant minds and wonderful hearts.
2015 NW Chopin Festival winners:
Division A (ages 9 and under)
Gold Medalists: Constantina Tsang, Alison Tan, Catherine Chong
Silver Medalists: Andre Ye, Jerry Li, Mia Chen
Division D (ages 16-18)
Gold Medalists: Andrew Barnwell, Christopher Son Richardson, Jason Dan
Silver Medalists: Kyler Schubkegel, Val Wold, Micah Hollen, Kennadi Hawes
Division B (ages 10-12)
Gold Medalists: Edward Zhang, Eashan Vagish, Adrian King
Silver Medalists: Daniel Chen, Dora-Ziyan Chen, Alex Zhang, Jaden Zhang, Daniella Tsang,
Allyson Kim, Anna Wang, Paige Everling, Sandy Huang, Kaia Burgos, Nicole Yang, Jeremy Lin
Division C (ages 13-15)
Gold Medalists: Shannon Cassady, Bryan Zhao, Stephen Binondo
Silver Medalists: Andrew Ma, Mya King, Alex Camai, Emily Pan, Jenna Everard,
Emily Kim, Ariel Stiber, Casey Sim, Lauren Yoon, Preston Lee
Division E (ages 19 and up)
Gold Medalists: Hyun Su Seo
Silver Medalists: Chelsea Bloomberg, Mari Okamoto
Division F (Concerto & Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise)
Winner to Perform with Federal Way Symphony: Christopher Son Richardson
Alternate: Millicent McFall
Honorable Mention: Frederick Huyan
Our next Festival will take place on January 23, 2016. As always, we plan to award Adjudicators for the 2016 competition are Dr. Jeffrey Biegel from Brooklyn
gold and silver medals in each age category, and select the winner of the Concerto College, Dr. Rachelle McCabe from Oregon State University and Dr. Milica
Jelaca Jovanovic from Western Washington University.
Division, who will perform with the Orchestra Seattle, Clinton Smith conducting.
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 15
Chopin Foundation Council of the Southwest
T
he Southwest Council of the Chopin
Foundation of the United States was
founded in 2014, and held its inaugural
concert on December 6, 2014 in Agoura Hills,
California. The concert featured The Rice
Brothers, performing an all Chopin recital titled
“Chopin’s Heart, Your Heart.” Stacey Medina
and Anjey Mossakowski acted as masters of
ceremony and introduced the organization and
its directors to the audience.
Our main event of the Fall 2015 season was a concert by the winner of
the 2015 National Chopin Piano Competition, Eric Lu, who will soon be
competing in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland
beginning in October. The concert took place on Sunday August 30, 2015
at the historic South Pasadena Library with a full house including film,
fashion, music, and arts celebrities and esteemed guests such as the Consul
for Culture, Science, Education and Polish Community, Ignacy Zarski, who
following the introductory words of Christopher Onzol, President of the
Southwest Council, graciously outlined the meaning and historic significance
of the International Chopin Piano Competition.
Chris Onzol, President
Since then, members of the board have
participated in Polish cultural events throughout Southern California, hosted
by other Polish-American organizations in an effort to promote our new
organization and establish connections for future cooperation. In the first
months of our existence we focused on building membership and trying to
establish a series of events, such as house concerts, media presentations,
lectures, and an annual festival to promote young talents.
L-R order: Christopher Onzol, Katarzyna Pytlarczyk , Eric Lu,
Consul Ignacy Zarski , Maja Trochimczyk, Director, Polish Music Center
Mr. Lu delighted the audience with 31 Chopin works. His performance was
followed by a standing ovation, including high praise from many wellknown pianists and pedagogues from the Los Angeles area. Excerpts and
interviews from the concert were filmed by the Road 28 Productions team
for a news segment on TV Polonia 24. Please stay tuned for news about
future happenings and we hope to see you at our next event.
For additional information please visit www.chopinswcouncil.com
Johnny & Chris Rice
16 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
Our Sponsors
The Chopin Foundation’s programs are sponsored in part by the Miami-Dade
County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the MiamiDade County Mayor and the Board of Commissioners; the City of Coral Gables; the
State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida
Council of Arts and Culture; numerous generous individuals; and the following:
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 17
XV11 International Fryderyk Chopin P iano Competition
Warsaw, Poland
Held under Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland
Presented by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute
Competition Calendar
October 1 – 23, 2015
National Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw
The competition sessions will be broadcast
live at http://chopincompetition2015.com
October 1, 8 pm Inaugural Concert, Martha Argerich, Nelson Goerner & Warsaw
Philharmonic Orchestra, Jacek Kasprzyk, conductor
October 2, 6 pm Inaugural Concert, Garrick Ohlsson, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
and Male Choir, Wojciech Rajski, conductor
October 3 - 7 October 9-12 October 14-16 First Stage
Second Stage
Third Stage
October 17, 8 pm Celebrations marking the 166th anniversary of Fryderyk Chopin’s
death. Mozart Requiem, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir,
Jacek Kasprzyk, conductor; Holy Cross Church, Warsaw
October 18-20, 6 pm Finals
October 21
October 22 October 23 18 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
Winners’ Concert
Second Winners’ Concert
Third Winners’ Concert
Competition Jury
Katarzyna Popowa-Zydron, Chair
Dmitri Alexeev
Martha Argerich
Dang Thai Son
Akiko Ebi
Philippe Entremont
Nelson Goerner
Adam Harasiewicz
Andrzej Jasinski
Garrick Ohlsson
Janusz Olejniczak
Piotr Paleczny
Ewa Pobłocka
John Rink
Wojciech Switała
Dina Yoffe
Yundi Li
The International Federation of Chopin Societies
The International Federation of Chopin Societies was established
in 1985 in Zelazowa Wola, Poland, the birthplace of Frédéric
Chopin, as a global organization representing Chopin Societies
from all over the world. Since 1989 the Federation has been a
part of the International Music Council, which is a member of
UNESCO.
The Board of the Federation is elected by the General Assembly for a fiveyear term.
Current Board of Directors
President: Theodor Kanitzer (Austria - Vienna)
Vice-Presidents: Ivan Klansky (Czech Rep.- Marianskie Laznie)
Antoine Paszkiewicz (France - Paris)
First Conference of Chopin Competitions in the World
Warsaw/Radziejowice, Poland, April 21 through 23, 2015
Organized by The Fryderyk Chopin Institute (NIFC), this meeting was
the first opportunity for the organizers of the Chopin competitions from
all over the world to meet and discuss issues concerning their programs.
More than 15 competitions from 13 countries (and four continents)
were represented at the conference. Three other organizations (including
the Alink-Argerich Foundation) were guests at the assembly.
During the conference, participants had the chance to present
information on their respective competitions, as well as to become
familiar with the activities, achievements and problems of the other
participants. The conference was held in a relaxed and friendly
atmosphere, which fostered the exchange of ideas and a willingness to
cooperate across the borders.
General Secretary: Elzbieta Artysz (Poland - Warsaw)
Treasurer: Andrzej Merkur (Poland - Duszniki)
Members of the Board: Rosa C. Ferra (Spain - Valdemosa)
Jadwiga Gewert (USA - Miami)
Kazimierz Gierzod (Poland - Warsaw)
Sookie Schober (Germany - Hannover)
Ilse Schwarz Schiller (Germany - Taunus Oberursel)
Horoyuki Takashima (Japan - Tokyo)
The NIFC was represented by its Director, Dr. Artur Szklener, Deputy
Director, Dr. Wojciech Marchwica, Coordinator of the International
Chopin Competition, Mr. Jerzy Michniewicz, and the VIP Coordinator,
Mrs. Monika Strugala. All participants shared a desire to intensify
collaboration among the Chopin competitions, facilitate information
exchanges and create a worldwide Chopin competition system
under the leadership of The Fryderyk Chopin Institute. The Chopin
Competition Conference will provide a platform for such a system and
for teamwork among its membership.
Delegates attending the meeting of IFCS in Torun, Poland,
May 2015, with local government officials
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 19
Master Class Weekends
Jon Nakamatsu
Krzysztof Jablonski
Kevin Kenner
Margarita Shevchenko
Agustin Anievas
FE ATUR ING TH E JU RO RS O F T H E 2 0 1 5 N AT IO N AL CH O P IN P IANO C OM PE TI TI ON
The Chopin Foundation of the United States is offering a new Chopin Master Class
program for young pianists (ages 17-25) within the 2015-2016 season in Miami.
The proposed program will consist of three Master Class Weekends, each including
a concert by one of the jurors of the 2015 National Chopin Piano Competition:
November 21 - 23, 2015 – Jon Nakamatsu
January 9 - 11, 2016 – Krzysztof Jablonski
March 12 - 14, 2016 – Kevin Kenner
The above mentioned pianists will be a part of that respective weekend’s Master
Class, along with two other jurors, Margarita Shevchenko and Agustin Anievas. The
three-day sessions would give every participant an opportunity to study with these
great internationally acclaimed master musicians.
During the pilot year of this program, only five young pianists will be accepted for
each Master Class Weekend. In keeping with the Foundation’s mission, preference
will be given to American pianists (born or naturalized). Participants will be selected
on a first-come, first-served basis.
This project will focus exclusively on the music of Frederic Chopin, and especially
on the program required for the National and International Chopin Piano
Competitions. Participants will choose up to five pieces from the repertoire of
the 2015 Chopin Competition to play during the Master Class Weekend. Every
participant will be guaranteed one hour with each of the teachers.
Expenses
A registration fee of $400 covers three days of master classes, including
lunches. It also includes the cost of the concert and a post-concert dinner at
the La Gorce Country Club. Participants will be housed by host families in the
Miami area. If host families are not available/not desired, local hotels will be
suggested, in which case participants would be responsible for housing costs.
Participants will be responsible for transportation to and from Miami, as well as
local transportation.
Application deadlines
October 1, 2015 for November 21 - 23 weekend
November 15, 2015 for January 9 - 11, 2016 weekend
January 15, 2016 for March 12 - 14, 2016 weekend
Please submit a letter of application via email to [email protected] including the
names of piano teachers and the number of years studied. Include your age,
place of birth, citizenship status, and schools attending/attended. Please also
list the 5 pieces you wish to perform and a paragraph stating how you hope to
benefit from the Master Class Weekend.
For more information contact the Chopin Foundation at (305) 868-0624 or by
email to [email protected]
Day One: 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM Teacher: Agustin Anievas
MORE GOOD NEWS!
Day Two: 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM Teacher: Margarita Shevchenko;
4:00 PM – Concert & dinner
We are pleased to welcome Kevin Kenner to Miami!
An internationally acclaimed pianist and top prize winner of the
1990 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, Kenner is joining
the faculty of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.
Day Three: 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM Teacher: Jon Nakamatsu /
Krzysztof Jablonski / Kevin Kenner
20 // POLONAISE FALL 2015
Contributions
DONATION FORM
Please be generous and join us in our mission
YES, I want to help talented, young musicians!
The Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc., is a national non-profit
organization headquartered in Miami, FL, and dedicated, since 1977, to the
support of young American rising-star classical musicians through scholarships,
performance opportunities and international exchange programs. The
Foundation also offers these talented young pianists a chance to compete
in the National Chopin Piano Competition of the USA, held in Miami every
five years. The Chopin Foundation is committed to making classical music
accessible to ALL by presenting a FREE Concert Series in two locations in
South Florida. Our mission is carried out on the West Coast by councils in San
Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles. The Chopin Foundation is a member of the
National Music Council and the International Federation of Chopin Societies.
Enclosed is my tax-deductible donation of: $________________
With your support, young talented American artists will receive the
encouragement they need and the recognition they deserve. Thanks to your
generosity, the music of Frédéric Chopin will be kept alive, enriching our lives
and preparing new generations of classical music lovers.
Please apply my donation to:
l General Programming
l Competition Fund
l Endowment Fund
l Scholarship Fund
l In Memory of ______________________________________________
Please make check payable to: The Chopin Foundation
NAME: ______________________________________________________
COMPANY: __________________________________________________
ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________
CITY: ___________________________ STATE: _______ ZIP: ________
HOME PHONE#: _____________________________________________
EVENING PHONE#: __________________________________________
What Your Contribution Helps Fund
•
National Chopin Piano Competition of the USA
•
Chopin for All FREE Concert Series in South Florida
•
Four-year Scholarship Program for Young American Pianists, ages 14-17
•
Winners Exchange Program with European counterparts
•
Semi-annual Polonaise magazine, sent to all major music schools and
music teachers across the USA; Chopin Societies around the world; our
Scholarship Recipients, Young Pianists and Competition Applicants; and
our Members.
E-MAIL ADDRESS: ___________________________________________
Mail to:
Chopin Foundation of the United States
1440 79th St. Causeway, Suite 117
Miami, FL 33141
To donate by credit card, please visit www.chopin.org
or call (305) 868-0624 for more information.
Please contact me about:
l In-kind contribution
l Estate Planning
l Planned Giving
l Volunteering
Donations to the Chopin Foundation of the United States are tax-deductible
to the extent permitted by law. The Foundation is a non-profit corporation
qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
POLONAISE FALL 2015 // 21
CHOPIN FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES
1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117
Miami, Florida 33141
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