Around the Globe Music & Arts Newsletter April 2018
2017 Winners’ Piano Recital Around the Globe Piano Music Festival
Our next AGPMF winners’ piano recital will take place at St Magdalene Church Munster Square, London NW1 3PH on Saturday, 19th May 2018 at 7 pm.
All winning pianists will have the great opportunity to play at this prestigious venue on the exquisite Besendorfer Grand, sponsored by Markson Pianos.
More info on Markson Pianos showrooms and services at: www.marksonpianos.com
Announcement to all AGPMF winners!
To participate in the piano recital you need to apply via email at: agpianomusicfestival@gmail.com No later than Monday, 7th May 2018
In your application you should state your proposed programme that should consist of no more than 1 or 2 pieces, depending on their length. The style of your pieces should relate to your category/piano class that you have won at the piano festival in 2017. In addition, your entry needs to be supported by your piano teacher/mentor.
Please note that rehearsal time on the day of the recital will be from 6 pm.
We hope you’ll enjoy participating in this recital and would appreciate any feedback regarding the whole AGPMF experience via our email. Comments from teachers/parents/careers especially welcome!
We hope you enjoy the Easter break!
In Retrospect AGPMF 2017
In its fourth year, the Around the Globe Piano Music Festival 2017 stood out with a galaxy of great piano repertoire, which was performed by many talented young and more mature pianists including professionals. Last years’ event started early on Sunday 19th November, with a very busy schedule throughout the whole day. As in previous years, the venue took place at Colet House, a beautiful Victorian building rich in history located in west London. The place was buzzing with excitement, crowded with children and people of different backgrounds and professions who shared one common theme – love for piano music and its performance!
Lola Perrin, Martha Lawson, Melanie Spanswick
The festive atmosphere was enhanced by the presence of piano composers including Lola Perrin as well as new adjudicator Melanie Spanswick, whose works were performed with great enthusiasm, especially by the younger players. The festival was especially fruitful as we had many winners in a wide range of piano categories. For the first time in the festival’s history there were two prize winners in the Junior Contemporary Music Category – Compulsory Pieces Class for 12 years and under, the amazing Martha Lawson and Joe Davis.
Amy Zheng, Around the Globe Trophy Winner
An AGPMF 2017 Trophy for junior pianists was awarded to the exceptionally musical Amy Zheng for the best performance of contemporary composition (Love Song by Wanghua Chu), who also won the Duet Class alongside Lucy Che. Very young pianist Khusniddin Khoshimov as well as Elishe Lim stood out from many winners in Grade Repertoire Classes.
In addition, 2017 medallists of the Short Piano Recital categories including the young Arthur Anderson, Ethan Zhiming Yan and Alexander Anderson thrilled the audience with their impressive playing and their talents was noted by the adjudicators.
Ethan Zhiming Yan
Arthur Anderson, Maya Jordan, Melanie Spanswick
The star of the festival for Junior Categories was undoubtedly, medallist and a multiple winner, virtuoso Pung Rae Yue, a 13 years old girl from Singapore whose outstanding performances went beyond expectation due to her demanding and advanced level repertoire. She played with great pianistic maturity Chopin’s C minor Nocturne Op.48 and Revolutionary Etude as well as Beethoven’s ‘Pathetique’ Sonata, 1st Movement. Pung has also represented French composers in her repertoire including Debussy and Ravel, playing with a great touch of tone and musical expressiveness.
Tau Wey, Pung Rae Yue, Marina Petrov
In the Adult Categories there were many professionals and advanced level students as well as amateur pianists whose contemporary and classical music programme was quite significant and innovative. Amongst pianists of classical styles, Marianna Kapsetaki distinguished herself with virtuosity and musicianship by playing a demanding repertoire in the Recital Class for advanced pianists. Her programme highlighted a wide spectrum of pianistic styles including 1st movement of ‘Waldstein’ by Beethoven, List’s ‘La Campanella’ as well as works by Chopin and Rachmaninoff, which led her to winning AGPMF 2017 highest award.
Attractive playing and extensive programme of Jessica Wright, led her to winning AGPMF Trophy 2017 for Contemporary Piano Music (Adult Advanced), in presenting West Europeans and North American styles. We heard brilliant interpretations of compositions written by Phillip Glass, Lola Perrin, Graham Fitkin as well as lesser known work ‘Bells’ by Joseph Shone-Hatchwell.
Maya Jordan, Jessica Wright, Tau Wey
Furthermore, Lola Perrin’s piano duet ‘Before Sleep’ played by the winners Petra Chong / Leng Wye Kee, with astonishing pianistic expression, bringing to light insightful music ideas within the composition, which had excellent reviews from the judges’ panel and the spectators. The festival was honoured to host the UK premiere of a compelling Jewish Piano Suite, 2nd and 3rd movement, written by the prominent Serbian composer, the late Aleksandar Vujić (1945-2017). An outstanding performance by renowned pianist Olga Dudnik brought to light the complexity and true conception of the piece using a wide spectrum of tembre, great pianistic artistry and strong emotional charge.
This resulted in her winning a Special Prize for the most promising pianist in Adult Category – an artwork ‘Trio’ by prominent Serbian artist Dusan Rajsic- awarded by Fine Art Escape Gallery.
Tau Wey, Marina Petrov, Olga Dudnik, Ognjen Bogdanovic
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