Fifty Pianists Chosen As Quarterfinalists For The 2018 Honens International Piano Competition

By: Jan. 31, 2018
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Fifty Pianists Chosen As Quarterfinalists For The 2018 Honens International Piano Competition Fifty concert pianists from 22 countries have been chosen to perform in the Quarterfinals of Canada's 2018 Honens International Piano Competition. The Screening Jury evaluated more than 100 candidate applications based on proposed Competition programming, experience relative to age, and letters of reference.

The Quarterfinals/International Audition Rounds take place in Berlin (March 11 to 13-Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler) and New York (March 19 to 21-Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center). Each pianist performs a 40-minute self-programmed solo recital and is interviewed by an arts journalist.

"I have been involved with Honens since 2000, and not only was I very impressed by both the quantity and quality of the young pianists who applied this year, but also with their understanding of Honens' value of the 'Complete Artist.' It was a real challenge for the jury to reduce the field to 50 quarterfinalists," commented Eric Friesen, Chair, Screening Jury.

The 50 Quarterfinals performances are recorded on video for review by the First Jury, made up of both pianists and arts professionals: Winston Choi (2003 Honens Laureate, Head of Piano, Chicago College of the Performing Arts, Roosevelt University, United States), Isolde Lagacé (General and Artistic Director, Arte Musica Foundation, Canada), Eduardo Monteiro, (Pianist, Vice Director & Professor of Piano, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil), and Pedja Muzijevic (Pianist, Artistic Administrator, Baryshnikov Arts Center, United States). The First Jury evaluates the performances during deliberations at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in April. Ten pianists will be chosen to advance to the Semifinals in Calgary. Semifinalists will be announced on May 28, 2018.

Honens discovers, nurtures, and presents Complete Artists-21st century pianists for 21st century audiences. Calgary philanthropist Esther Honens dreamed of discovering and launching the careers of the world's most promising pianists. In 1991, she established The Esther Honens International Piano Competition Foundation with a gift of $5 million, creating a legacy for musicians and music-lovers around the world. Legacy Partners follow in Esther Honens' footsteps by securing Honens' future and ensuring its continued ability to offer a broad scope of programming and community outreach projects. Today, the Honens International Piano Competition takes place every three years as part of the Honens Festival. The 2018 Honens Prize Laureate will be awarded $100,000 CAD and an artistic and career development program worth a half million dollars-the largest prize of its kind.

The 2018 Honens International Piano Competition is presented by TD Bank Group. The 2018 Honens Festival is presented by Nexen Energy, a CNOOC Limited company. Lead Partners are TransAlta and RBC Emerging Artists Project. The Competition culminates with the Semifinals and Finals in Calgary, Canada, from August 30 to September 7, 2018.

The Honens Juries include concert pianists and other individuals from the music world who play a meaningful role in a concert artist's career. These include artist managers, collaborative musicians, conductors, and concert and festival presenters. All jurors have extensive knowledge of piano literature and represent and/or are aware of the qualities an artist must possess in order to build and sustain a career today.

The Screening Jury, made up of four members including a representative from Honens, evaluates candidate applications based on proposed Competition programming, experience relative to age, and letters of reference. The Jury selects 50 pianists to advance to the Quarterfinals: International Audition Rounds.

The Screening Jury includes:

Michael Kim Canada / United States

Noriko Ogawa Japan / United Kingdom

Gilles Vonsattel Switzerland-United States / United States

Eric Friesen Canada / Canada

indicates nationality / country of residence

First Jury: Quarterfinals

The First Jury, made up of four members, meets at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity for a week to evaluate 50 40-minute Quarterfinals recitals and interviews with an arts journalist that have been video-recorded in Berlin and New York. The Jury selects ten pianists to advance to the Semifinals in Calgary.

The First Jury is:

Winston Choi Canada / United States

Isolde Lagacé Canada / Canada

Eduardo Monteiro Brazil / Brazil

Pedja Muzijevic United States / United States

indicates nationality / country of residence

Second Jury: Semifinals and Finals

The Second Jury, made up of seven members, evaluates ten Semifinalist pianists who each perform a 65-minute solo recital and a 65-minute collaborative recital. They choose three pianists to advance to the Finals for a performance with a quintet, a concerto with orchestra, and a second interview with an arts journalist. The Second Jury ultimately chooses the Honens Prize Laureate.

The Second Jury is:

Inon Barnatan Israel / United States

Ingrid Fliter Argentina-Italy / Italy

Annette Josef Germany / Germany

Wu Han Taiwan-United States / United States

André Laplante Canada / Canada

Asadour Santourian United States / United States

Minsoo Sohn Korea-United States / Korea

indicates nationality / country of residence

COLLABORATING MUSICIANS

Solo performance, chamber music, and collaboration with orchestra are all essential for a 21st century concert pianist. These elements are therefore integral to Honens' search for the Complete Artist. For 2018, Honens intensifies its collaborative performance requirements. Semifinalists collaborate with a violinist and with a singer in a selection of art song/lieder. Finalists perform once with a wind quintet and once with orchestra. The choice of collaborating musicians allows for both a meaningful musical partnership and a mentorship opportunity for all Competition pianists.



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