The Tenth National Chopin Piano Competition next years will have a top prize of $100,000, it was announced today.

The winner automatically goes forward to the Chopin Competition in Warsaw (though none has yet won it).

Competition founder Blanka A. Rosenstiel said: ‘From an early age, these talented pianists are dedicated and disciplined. Their talent and hard work deserve this kind of reward and even more. The joy that their playing brings to this chaotic world is simply priceless. I hope that once the public experiences the beauty of Chopin’s music being performed so wonderfully, they too will cherish and support these fine pianists.’

 

The German pianist, presently conductor of the Royal Northern Sinfonia in Newcastle-Gateshead, has been named music director of the Orchestre de chambre de Paris, starting next July.

Brexit insurance?

 

 

 

A member of the Nuremberg Staatstheater has gone on trial for four counts of rape. At least one of the victims is still a schoolgirl.

The man, 51, cannot be named. He has refused to testify at the trial, which began today.

 

A German federal court has ordered Siegfried Mauser, former rector of the Munich Academy of Music and the Salzburg Mozarteum, to begin his jail sentence for sexual coercion against three women.

Mauser, 64, was convicted in 2016 but has successfully stayed free so far on appeal. He has many supporters among the German music establishment. He is due to serve two years and nine months behind bars.

 

Dallas Opera has named the next six trainees in its phenomenally successful scheme, launched five years ago.

The November 2019 crop are:
– Tiffany Chang (USA)
– Jane Kim (USA) replacing Jiannen Cheng of China, who suffered US visa delays
– Tamara Dworetz (USA)

– Marta Kluczyńska (Poland, above)
– Madeline Tsai (Taiwan)
– Molly Turner (USA)

The Takács Quartet, in its 45th year, has announced a lineup change. Violist Geraldine Walther will retire in May 2020 after 15 years.

Her replacement is Korean-American violist Richard O’Neill.

He will join founding cellist András Fejér, English #1 violinist Edward Dusinberre and American #2 violinist Harumi Rhodes.

 

Anthony McGill stays positive about his job.

The Copenhagen Opera Festival has named Amy Lane as artistic director.

She’s head staff director at Covent Garden, the person responsible for reviving Kasper Holten’s productions.

She’s also director of the Ring cycle at Longborough and very pro-EU.

Another Brexit loss.


PR message:

To mark the 250 th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth in 2020, pianist Boris Giltburg has created Beethoven 32, a ground-breaking project which will see him learn all 32 Beethoven Piano Sonatas, the majority of which are not currently in his repertoire. Working with filmmaker Stewart French of Fly On The Wall Productions, he will then film his performances and share at regular intervals throughout the year with a global audience via his YouTube channel.

Of the project, Giltburg comments: “The 32 Beethoven Sonatas are widely regarded as one of the pinnacles of piano music, and I am excited about the huge challenge as much as the ensuing journey of discovery. I have played nine of the sonatas so far, so 23 will be completely new, including some of the most challenging.”