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Joined: Feb 2002
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Hello all, The William Kapell International Piano Competition is just getting started. The opening ceremony took place tonight, and tomorrow morning piano selections begin. The field has shrunk down to 25 competitors due to some cancellations. Tonight there was an opening ceremony, and the pianists drew their order of playing. I am here at the University of Maryland for Kawai America, so as long as a few pianists choose with the Shigeru Kawai or the Kawai EX, I can report in during the competition here, if anyone would like updates. Is anyone else here attending, or involved? Here is the competition web site: http://claricesmithcenter.umd.edu/2007/c/kapell2007/
Don Mannino RPT, MPA
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I will be attending most of the performances on Tuesday, July 10th. I also hope to attend the final concerto round, but I still need to get tickets for those. I am looking forward to it.
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I meant to mention that there are 6 pianos available to play (in alphabetical order): - Kawai EX - Mason & Hamlin CC - Shigeru Kawai EX - Steinway D NY - Steinway D Hamburg - Yamaha CF-IIIS
A first for Mason & Hamlin - the piano sounds pretty nice! Well, all the pianos sound big and bright - we'll see what the players think in the next 2 days.
Don Mannino RPT, MPA
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Bassoony,
Order the tickets quick - they were talking about being sold out for the final round. It is only one night, and the theater isn't that big.
Don Mannino RPT, MPA
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In 1985, I drew 'number 1' to play in the competition. I actually chose the Baldwin because it was the most even and consistent--though changed to the Steinway for the other rounds once it was fixed. But as soon as I started the Bach g minor Prelude, WTC II, I used the middle pedal on the first bass note 'G' and for some reason, both the middle and damper pedals went down at the same time. I had to try to unhook the pedals with my feet as I was playing the piece! I got through it, then played the fugue, then a classical sonata--then Feux follets and the Scriabin Etude in D-flat Major--the double notes. I loved the competition, and mostly, the festival--Stewart Gordon ran a smooth ship. I ended up winning it with Prokofieff's Second Concerto--it was the first time the competition finals with orchestra was held in the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, and the name was changed to the William Kapell in 1986 after a long run known as the University of Maryland International Piano Festival and Competition. It was a tough contest, with great players from all over the world--even 2nd prize Leeds competitors! I hope it goes well this year--perhaps some day, I'd like to be on the jury as an alumnus.
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I haven't heard of anything - they will posting updates on line, but no live audio that I know of.
Don Mannino RPT, MPA
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I'll be on the audience jury, so I'll be present for all the semi-final performances, and for the final performance (I got tickets for that).
The Steinways, if they're the same ones that are usually kept for the concert halls, are not very well maintained. They get tuned for every single recital, which is practically every other day, and every now and then someone complains and the action gets totally redone (and never expertly) - suffice to say, there's far too much meddling and at any given moment the concert hall pianos are in pretty bad form (generally the sound is far too shallow or far too piercing).
Anyway, if you haven't purchased tickets, you should do so immediately, as I believe there's already a waiting list for the final round. If you can't get final round tickets, go ahead and purchase them for the chamber music round. The string instrumentalists are all top-notch players - I think this will be the most enjoyable part of the competition, to be quite honest.
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They are not using the school / Clarice Smith pianos. They have brought in 2 excellent Steinway pianos fro New York, prepped for the event. Unfortunately for me (since I work for Kawai) the Steinway pianos are by far winning the initial round of this competition . . . 1/2 of the competitors have chosen pianos, and only 1 has chosen a Kawai so far.
Don Mannino RPT, MPA
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We never had so many to choose from in any competition. In Norway, 1988, I had Steinways, a Fazioli and I believe a Yamaha to choose from, though I liked the Steinway for the range of sound. The Kawai's and others are really making lovely instruments, and it's great to see them all displayed for the artist choosing in these events!
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I'll be there as much as work will let me. I've been attending the Kapell since 1985, before it was the Kapell, and tickets have always been pretty easy to get at the door. But KawaiDon's warning about ticket availability moved me to head for the web sites and get mine tonight. I got good seats for 4 events, but you never know. If you didn't register for the festival and get a full set that way, an early visit to the box office or web site would probably be advisable. (Really wanted to hear Garrick Ohlsson, but his concert is sold out and running a waiting list.)
I hope someone chooses the Mason and the Shigeru == I've never heard either one in a concert hall and I'd love to hear how they sound.
Phil Bjorlo
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Opening morning today - the first four contestants played.
Anastasya Terenkova, Jose Menor, Sandro Tusso (especially impressive to my ear) and Vadimas Chaimovicius are now settling in to wait until Thursday night to hear who will make the semi-finals.
They are doing something unusual in this competition. The pianists have a 30 minute recital to perform for the first round. The pianists choose the first selection, but then the Jury tells the pianist what to play next - pieces chosen from the repertoire list the pianist has provided. It seems to me this is pretty hard on the pianist, and it is causing the jury to have to debate what to ask for before the pianist comes on stage. The pianist also cannot repeat any of this music in the second round. So we are hearing some individual movements from sonatas now, and I guess we will hear the remainders of the sonatas in the semi finals. Interesting.
Don Mannino RPT, MPA
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Sandro Russo was my student at Brooklyn College for his two-year Master degree program. He came with good fingers and beautiful sound, but we worked on varying the sound, temperament and style. He walked out a better man! I wish him luck in this competition!!
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Darn it why didn't I hear anything about this before now??? It's semi-close to where I live and I would've loved to compete in it
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Originally posted by JBiegel: I ended up winning it with Prokofieff's Second Concerto--it was the first time the competition finals with orchestra was held in the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, and the name was changed to the William Kapell in 1986 after a long run known as the University of Maryland International Piano Festival and Competition. It's nice to have a Kapell winner here! Was winning it a major career boost?
"Playing the piano is my greatest joy...period."......JP
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Yes--in some respects. It opened a door to Donald Johanos, the late music director of the Honolulu Symphony, who conducted the final round with the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center. There were recitals--like in Knoxville, where the past music director, Kirk Trevor, was invited to a private audition. He engaged me with the Beethoven 'Emperor' for the following season. We've been great friends ever since. The Maryland was a wonderful festival--lots of great friends made there ie Marilyn Brown, from Raleigh, and the judges too ie Anne Koscielny--the great Beethoven interpreter, and the wonderful Norwegian artist/teacher, Einar Steen-Nokleberg, for without his advice to then enter the Sonja Competition (then for piano), I would never have went to Norway which created a wonderful chance to re-visit Norway many times. Even if you don't win a competition, there are many people to meet, and it helps to branch out in that sense.
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Wow! I know of Einar Steen-Nokelberg for his specialty in Norwegian music (mostly Grieg since he is my favorite composer). I hear Norway is a beautiful country and my hope is visit it next year. Of course I will visit Troldhaugen if I do go.
As for the Festival, I want to go see the talk Donald Monaldi is giving next week. Although it's probably sold out and I couldn't get off work anyway. I also tried to purchase tickets for either Garrick Ohlssohn's recital or talk that he would give earlier in the day. Unfortunately, it looks like I won't be attending any of the 3 events.
I took your advice KawaiDon and bought my tickets for the final concerto round, which is the only performance I'll be able to attend after today, due to work and other things.
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The University of Maryland Piano Archives is fantastic. If you go, see what times are available.
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I notice Sofya Gulyak made the semis--I enjoyed her playing in Norway.
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So I just came back from the first of the semifinals - it was the first performance I've heard from this competition. Anyone else see this? I felt that all three pianists had their strengths and weaknesses - I wasn't entirely taken with any of them, nor was I too disappointed. I'm a bit tired to explain myself - does anyone else have particular thoughts?
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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