DEAR MEMBERS,

THANK YOU ALL for a very successful 2010 especially to the wonderful musicians who helped finish this year with such memorable events and performances,

And our special guests to

Our concerts 2010

Presentations Pianissimo 2010

Organization:

 

And THANK YOU!!!!!! our members for believing in this project and making it become reality!!!!! Without you we could not envisage realizing dreams!! With your support we will make every year stronger and create more space for public performances, until now we have been only able to do the minimum, let us expand, create scholarships and travel outside Spain, to be able this year to pay all invited artists for their effort, this is “pianissimo”! the sky is the limit!!

to be able thito be able this year to pay all invited artists for their effort, this is “pianissimo”!

WELCOME BACK TO PIANISSIMO 2011

AGENDA 2011

Diana Baker piano Classes and recital 31 March - 2 April Bellaterra
Classes for young kids 3 April Barcelona
Geoffrey Lancaster fortepiano Recital and classes 17-20 April Heidrun’s house Castelllvell del Camp
Harmut Lindemann viola Conference “bel canto in string instruments” and individual classes 23 April-1 May Conservatori of Vila-Seca
Recital 29 June Auditori of Vila-Seca
Vladimir Sverdlov piano Master classes 5-7 June
Recital 4 June
Evelyne Dubourg piano Piano conference “my youth with Dinu Lipatti” 7 June Evelyne’s house Llorenç de Penedes
Mark Hastings Liceu Opera
Mack Sawyer Madrid Opera
Alan Branch ESMUC. Languages and lieder accompaniment 		Opera coaching and lieder for pianists. 3 days of intensive studying of opera repertoire 19-22 August
Dorota Cybulska fortepiano and Pleyel Recital and classes from Clementi to Liszt 7-9 November Heidrun’s house

We Welcome all members to participate with subscribing this year to pianissimo.

ANNUAL QUOTA: 50 euros

You can pay the quota on our website page www.pianissimo.eu with paypal or to to the following bank accounts:

2100 3884 7 8 0200059340

From outside Spain:

Caixa ES 65 2100 3884 7802 0005 9340,,,,

This year couples get a special 80 euro pass, students at conservatory 30 euro pass. Earlybird enrollments to courses 10% reduction.

WE ARE NOW ON FACEBOOK!!!!!

Pianissimo

Please use this to announce any activities you would want us to know about, propositions for participating in concerts organized by “pianissimo”, recordings, courses…so that all members can follow, questions and general info involving the concert scene here and outside Spain.

Our team wishes you a wonderful 2011,

DIANA, JEAN-LUC, ALBA, HEIDRUN, ANDREA and CONSUELO.

Professors

Diana Baker

Diana Baker Born in Sydney, Australia, Diana started piano lessons with Romola Costantino. She continued at the N.S.W Conservatorium High school and diploma class with Igor Hmelnitzky and Elisabeth Powell.

Awarded the W.A Dullo memorial scholarship, Diana continued studies in Europe and United States with Harry Datyner, Bella Davidovich, Vlado Perlemutter and Gyorgy Sebok.

She was winner of the “Prix de Virtuosité” at Geneva Conservatory, Finalist of the Rome International Competition; she also won 1st prize and gold medal in San Bartolomeo Chamber Music competition. Wanting to further her studies, she was invited to work as repetiteur for the Grand Theatre de Geneve, where she learned opera repertoire and lieder and working with the chorus.

After two years she decided to work as soloist and travelled around Europe and United States playing recitals and collaborating also with violinist Miha Pogacnik, playing his complete tour schedule.

Diana has also worked in the film industry, recording soundtracks for Swiss film director Claude Goretta. She has recorded for the labels Stradivarius, Cascavelle and Ricordi, her last release, the complete piano works of Russian composer, Sofia Gubaidulina receiving great reviews in all the famous record guides, Gramophone, American Record guide, Fanfare etc.

Diana has been giving conferences in many different forms. She has played at the World Economic Forum and many business associations as well as lecturing in piano conferences. Her particular interest is her role as musical advisor for the International Women’s Artist association and has participated in the W.I.N (women’s international networking) conferences in Rome and Oslo and Sitges,Prague and Paris.

Since moving to Spain, Diana has performed as soloist in the Festival de Danza y Musica, Granada, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Barcelona, Auditori, Barcelona and Sala Granados, Lleida. She has collaborated in opera productions for the Gran Teatro Liceu, Carlos Santos , Semanas Internaciales de Musica Tarragona, coaching students of Anna Luisa Chova and was invited as pianist for the “Semana Cantant” in Tarragona.

Diana has also started up a network for pianists, www.pianissimo.eu, to enable pianists local and international to exchange performances and ideas in informal meetings in her home town, Torredembarra.

Diana owns a Fazioli piano.

Geofrey Lancaster

Geoffrey Lancaster, Bachelor of Arts (Music) (ANU); Master of Music University of Tasmania); Doctor of Philosophy (Sydney University); Postgraduate Fortepiano Specialist Study (Royal Conservatory, The Hague).

For the past 30 years, Geoffrey Lancaster has been at the forefront of the historically-informed performance practice movement.Lancaster is Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of La Cetra Barockorchester Basel. He has appeared as conductor or soloist with all of the Symphony Australia orchestras and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Geoffrey has been frequent guest Director with the Tasmanian Symphony Chamber Players since 1987. He is also Artistic Director and fortepianist with Ensemble of the Classic Era. The most distinguished Australian pianist of his generation, Lancaster’s recent international engagements include appearances as soloist with the Gürzenich Orchestra Köln, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble 415 of Geneva, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra of Toronto, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. This season he has already performed to critical acclaim as soloist at the Alte Oper Frankfurt; the Auditorio y Centro de Congresos Victor Villegas in Murcia, Spain; Hatchlands Park in Surrey; De Doelen in Rotterdam, the Music Centre Vredenberg in Utrecht, and the Kölner Philharmonie.

As a recording artist, Geoffrey’s 30 CDs have won many awards including a Gramophone award for Best Recording, the ARIA Best Classical Recording, and Soundscapes Editor’s Choice. Geoffrey is currently recording the complete keyboard sonatas of Joseph Haydn for the Melba label. He has also recorded for ABC Classics, ABC Classics ‘Antipodes’, Tall Poppies, Sony Classical, and Supraphon.

Geoffrey Lancaster was the first Australian to win a major international keyboard competition, receiving First Prize in the 23rd Festival van Vlaanderen International Mozart Fortepiano Competition, Brugge.

An inspiring teacher and public intellectual, Lancaster undertakes regular residencies at significant European conservatoria including: the Royal Conservatorium, the Hague; the Sweelinck Conservatorium, Amsterdam; Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music; the Hochschule für Musik, Freiburg; and the Basel Musik Akademie. He also facilitates, conducts and teaches on a regular basis for the Australian National Academy of Music.

In 1996, Geoffrey Lancaster was Associate Professor at the Royal College of Music, London. Since 2002 he has been at the Australian National University where he is Professor, and since 1999 has been visiting Professor of fortepiano at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Switzerland. Lancaster received the Australian Artists Creative Fellowship from the Commonwealth of Australia for his outstanding artistic contribution to the nation. He was subsequently awarded the HC Coombs Creative Fellowship by the Australian National University. In 2006 Geoffrey Lancaster was named Australian of the Year for the Australian Capital Territory, and was awarded the Order of Australia for service to music and music education. In 2007, Geoffrey was appointed Honorary Professor of the University of Tasmania, and was elected a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators.

School of Music faculty member since 2002.

Hartmut Lindemann

Hartmut Lindemann, German violist who is widely acknow-ledged as one of the leading exponents of his instrument. His profound admiration for and understanding of the music and string playing of the late 19th and early 20th centuries has deeply influenced his playing. Lindemann graduated in 1980 with an Honours Performing Diploma from the Cologne Musikhochschule. professional career has included positions as Principal with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, the Tasmanian and the Sydney Symphony Orchestras and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

In 1987 Lindemann embarked upon a career as a freelance soloist, chamber musician and teacher. He has performed as a soloist with most of Australia's Symphony Orchestras, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Detmolder Kammerorchester and the Kammerphilharmonie Amadé. In 2001 he toured Germany with the latter, giving the European premiere of the Alfred Hill concerto. later performed the concerto in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Has participated in such prestigious music festivals as Homburg (Saarland); Soester Sommerliche Musiktage; Rösrather Kammermusiktage; Adelaide Festival; Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville; Mudgee; Huntington Festival, and the International Music Festival in Kharkov (Ukraine). frequently gives recitals with the Australian pianist Ben Martin, and in Europe with Michael Allan, Diana Baker and Megumi Hashiba.

Lindemann has been Professor of viola at the Detmolder Musikhochschule since 1997 and served on the jury of the 1999 International William Primrose Competition in Guelph and the 2000 International Lionel Tertis Competition on the Isle of Man. Has recorded five highly acclaimed solo CDs for the label TACET.

Vladimir Sverdlov

Vladimir Sverdlov was born in 1976 into a Moscow family with deep musical traditions. His first teacher was his mother, followed by Vasilisa Tuticschkina and Ida Leschinskaia. At the age of 15, he became first prize winner at the Moscow Piano Competition playing the same year with the Hessischer Rundfunk Orchestra conducted by Dmitri Kitaenko. At the age of 16, he appears in recitals in France, Russia, Switzerland and Germany. While studying with Vladimir Krainev and Nikita Magaloff, he became first prizewinner (1993) of Città di Senigalia International Piano Competition. He continued his training at the Hannover Highschool for Musik with Arie Vardi.

Vladimir Sverdlov has already appeared at some of the worlds leading halls including Moscow Conservatory, Tel Aviv with Israel Philharmonic (1994), Suntory Hall Japan (1997), De Doelen in Rotterdam, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (2000), Palais des Beaux-Arts in Bruxelles (2001), Salle Gaveau in Paris (2006).

In May 1999 he became a prizewinner of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition, Brussels. In 2006 he won the first and only prize at the Monte Carlo Piano Masters competition for the finalists of international piano competitions.

Evelyne Dubourg

EVELYNE DUBOURG. Born in Paris, Evelyne Dubourg studies with the maestro Yves Nat , she then furthers her professional tuition with Dinu Lipatti at the Geneva conservatory, continuing with Nikita Magaloff, winning the “Virtuosity Prize”. She continues postgraduate studies with Alfred Cortot, Nadia Boulanger and Yvonne Lefebure.

Her long career has brought her to play as soloist in many countries, participating in Lucerne, Zurich and Buenos Aires International Festivals.

Evelyne has appeared under the baton of Rudolfe Kempe, Hans Rosbaud, Charles Dutoit, Armin Jordan, Jerzy Maksymiuk etc with Munich, Suisse Romande, Tonhalle, Zurichand Paris Philharmonic Orchestras to name but a few.

A keen chamber music player, Evelyne created with colleagues, violinist Evgueni Sirkin and ‘cellist Alexander Osokin, the “Picasso Trio”, recording for RBM, the complete piano trios of Beethoven.

Amongst her extensive recording repertoire, for the labels, Tudor, Musical Heritage Society, Capriccio, E’tcetera, noted are her Skriabin cds, Sonatas, Preludes and “Prometheus” Concerto. She has recently released the complete Nocturnes of Chopin.

As a pedagogue,she has toured America and Poland giving master classes and has prepared students of superior level in Switzerland and at the Liceu conservatory of Barcelona.

MARK HASTINGS

MARK HASTINGS, born in New York, NY, received his MM in piano at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. After winning several competitions, and attending the Tanglewood Summer program, he was professor of piano at Plattsburg State College, NY. After more studies in the University of Michigan opera program, he moved to New York to dedicate himself to operatic coaching.

His first theatrical engagement was as ballet accompanist in Bremen, Germany in 1978. There followed principal engagements in the opera houses of Düsseldorf, and Naples (Italy) and the Deustche Staatsoper in Berlin, under Daniel Barenboim.

He has also worked as a guest in many other theatres: Stuttgart and Munich in Germany, and Macerata, Pesaro and Torino in Italy. In the USA, he was associate conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and the Dallas Opera. With Claudio Abbado he worked with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Luzern Festival in Switzerland.

In lieder recitals he has accompanied such singers as Montserrat Caballé and Thomas Hampson, and he is frequently heard in recitals at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, his artistic home since 1999. At the Liceu, he holds the position of “Head of Repertoire”, responsible for musical preparation.

Mack Sawyer

MACK SAWYER is a graduate of the Baylor University School of Music, and continued his studies in Europe at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria. After beginning his career on the musical staff of the Opernhaus Graz, Austria, he continued his work at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, Germany, and the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Switzerland. During his engagement at the Vienna State Opera (1985 – 1991) he worked with artists such as Leonie Rysanek, Mirella Freni, Gabriela Benacková, Anna Tomova- Sintov, Montserrat Caballé, Agnes Baltsa, Alfredo Kraus, James King, Plácido Domingo, Renato Bruson, Piero Cappuccilli, Giuseppe Taddei, Ruggiero Raimondi, and Nicolai Ghiaurov.

He has been invited numerous times as assistant conductor to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Festival Ferrara Musica, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Since 1999 his projects have included productions at the Teatro Real de Madrid, Palacio Euskalduna de Bilbao, l’Opéra de Montpellier, Grand Théâtre de Genève, and the Salzburger Festspiele. His intensive work with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf on German Lied led him to accompany numerous recitals throughout Europe, the United States and Japan. He has also appeared in radio and television broadcasts in Austria, Germany, and Japan, among which are telecasts of Berg’s Wozzeck and Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims from the Vienna State Opera conducted by Claudio Abbado. Other conductors he has worked with include Bruno Bartoletti, Alberto Erede, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Armin Jordan, Charles Mackerras, Georges Prêtre, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Georg Solti, and Horst Stein.

Alan Branch

ALAN BRANCH. British pianist is formed at the Royal Colleg of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Yu Chun Yee teachers, Joan Havill, Geoffrey Parsons and Graham Johnson. Also studied with Paul Schilhawsky at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Austrian government scholarship.. Accompanied for the first time for the BBC since 1978 and e1985 is devoted to chamber music and vocal repertoire.

Shared the stage with renowned singers as Victoria de los Angeles, Teresa Berganza, Benjamin Luxon and Harriet Tarrés, and Roel insrumentistas as Dieltens, Claudi Arimany, Peter Thiemann Cristian Florea with whom he recorded a CD of music by Schubert and Eckert, and Ricardo Casero with whom he formed a duo from 1991.Ha acted in Catalonia and throughout the Spanish territory, France, Norway, Britain, Austria etc.

Teaches at the School of Music of Catalonia, and the Conservatory of Vila-Seca Tarragona.. Collaborates regularly with the Gran Teatre del Liceu Foyer concerts as music assistant Bertrand de Billy, Edmon Colomer Josep Pons and works of Schoenberg, José Luis Turina and Felip Pedrell.. He has directed operas by Xavier Montsalvatge (Babel 46), Cole Porter (Kiss Me Kate) and Seville Superbarber children's production of the Gran Teatre del Liceu with stage direction by Tricicle.

He holds a degree in Romance Philology from the University of Durham (England) and maintains a close relationship with the Caixa Foundation Professor of diction for singers.

Dorota Cybulska

Dorota Cybulska. Born in Warsaw, Poland, and finishes her studies at the Frederic Chopin Academy, where she wins 1st prize with distinction in 1979.

Winner of the “Young Polish Musician’s Competition” she receives a scholarship from the French government to study in Paris. Dorota continues studies with Huguette Dreyfus and Kenneth Gilbert. She is prize winner in the International Harpsichord Competition Bruges in 1983. From September 1983, she enters in the class of Christanne Jaccotet at the Geneva Conservatory of Music where she wins in 1985 1st prize with distinction.

Her musical activities lead her to many countries (France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Poland ExYugoslavia), as soloist and in chamber music with groups such as Ensemble 415, Lausanne chamber orchestra, Suisse Romande Orchestra.

Dorota has also recorded for Swiss Television and Radio, Polish Television plus works transcribed by J.S. Bach for harpsichord on the Cascavelle label.

OPERA COACHING FOR PIANISTS, THE WORK OF A PIANIST REPETITEUR WITH MARK HASTINGS

PROFESSOR:

Mark HastingsMark Hastings

Mark Hastings, born in New York, NY, received his MM in piano at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. After winning several competitions, and attending the Tanglewood Summer program, he was professor of piano at Plattsburg State College, NY. After more studies in the University of Michigan opera program, he moved to New York to dedicate himself to operatic coaching.

His first theatrical engagement was as ballet accompanist in Bremen, Germany in 1978. There followed principal engagements in the opera houses of Düsseldorf, and Naples (Italy) and the Deustche Staatsoper in Berlin, under Daniel Barenboim.

He has also worked as a guest in many other theatres: Stuttgart and Munich in Germany, and Macerata, Pesaro and Torino in Italy. In the USA, he was associate conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and the Dallas Opera. With Claudio Abbado he worked with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Luzern Festival in Switzerland.

In lieder recitals he has accompanied such singers as Montserrat Caballé and Thomas Hampson, and he is frequently heard in recitals at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, his artistic home since 1999. At the Liceu, he holds the position of “Head of Repertoire”, responsible for musical preparation.

Place

Conservatori Professional de Música de Vila-seca,
Avinguda de la Generalitat, 27, 43480 Vila-seca (Tarragona)

Dates and timetable for course

Friday, 26th of november
10.00-14.00 private sessions
16.00-20.00 sessions open to listeners


Saturday 27th of november
10.00-14.00 private sessions
16.00-20.00 sessions open to listeners

Prices

  All Students Members of l’Associació “pianissimo” Torredembarra
Active participant 180€ 150€ 150€
Listeners (afternoon session) 15€ Free Free

To enroll

To enroll: View details

Kids in action!

Feb 6 and 7, 2010

Weekend of workshops, individual classes and concerts

Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th February, 2010

Casal de la Cultura, Torredembarra

Programme

Saturday morning 10.00-13.30 Initiation to music for kids 6-11, Michael Spencer, Aida Gavrilova.

Saturday 15.30-19.00 Master class for kids 7-11, Diana Baker and Aida Gavrilova.

Including discussions with children's teachers on repertoire and participation of parents.

Saturday 20.00 Recital Xavier Pardo Sabates with pre-lecture, explanation of works to kids.

Sunday 10.00-13.30 Master classes for kids 12-16, Diana Baker.

Sunday 15.30-19.00 Master classes for kids, Diana Baker.

Sunday 20.00 Recital Mariona Sarquella.

Prices

Inscription

Please, send us an email to pianissimo.info@gmail.com referring your:

Limited places, deadline for application 20th January.

Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer Michael Spencer is managing director of Sound Strategies (www.sound-strategies.co.uk) and has also an international music career as a performer, education head and consultant with, among others, the LSO, LPO, Royal Opera House and the Japanese Government. He advises on large scale corporate, community and educational initiatives and includes past and current consultancies with the Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras, the National School for the Arts (Johannesburg), the Development Disability Council (Florida) and the Norwegian Film Institute.

Michael is also director of Creative Arts Net (www.creative-arts.net ), a company specialising in using the arts in a wide range of educational contexts, through which he has instituted a wide range of training programmes for teachers' organisations, educational establishments and corporate clients (including Barclays Capital, Unilever, PriceWaterhouse Cooper, Google, and Saatchi & Saatchi) and speaks regularly on arts based training methods.

He recently joined an international team of contributors, organised by the Arts and Business Council of Americans for the Arts, for a special edition of the Journal of Business Strategy, and was the guest presenter of the Young and Rubicam seminar at Cannes Lions 2006. He is considered to be one of the leading experts on the use of sound in the branding mix.

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