Franz Schubert and Modern Music 2022 Documentation

JULY 21 - 23, 2022

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Published by:

University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG)

Responsible for content:

Georg Schulz, Rector

Editors:

Team of the 11th Int. Competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music

Proofreading:

Forrest Moody

Layout:

Antonia Pokorn - The Schubidu Quartet on a draft of Anna Kleindinst (KUG)

Photo Credits: See page 115

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TIMELINE

75 Lied Duos & 33 Piano Trios from around 40 nations applied

Video Round

February 2022

Opening concert

ATOS TRIO (prizewinners 2006)

February 5, 2022

MUMUTH, Gyögy-Ligeti-Hall

Pre-selection phase in autumn 2021

Until February 5, 2022: Video submission for all pre-selected ensembles

February 6 - 11, 2022:

Jury evaluation phase and jury meeting

Summer Chamber Music Festival:

July 20 - 24, 2022

Semi-finals and finals on-site in Graz

July 21: Semi-finals Lied Duo

July 22: Semi-finals Piano Trio

July 23: Finals

Mid February, 2022:

Announcement of the semi-finalists

July 24, 2022:

Feedback and #career day

ARTISTIC COMMITTEE

Joseph BREINL

Professor of Lied Interpretation, Jury Chair in the category Duo for Voice and Piano (Lied)

Chia CHOU

Professor of Chamber Music - Piano

(KUG), Trio for Piano, Violin and Violoncello

Jury Chair Piano Trio

Georg SCHULZ

Rector of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Chair

FOREWORD

Ladies and gentlemen,

It was a great pleasure to welcome you at the international chamber music competition dedicated to Franz Schubert and Modern Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. We are delighted that you joined to celebrate this festival of chamber music with us. As with the rest of the KUG programme, we were able to see the work of the young artists up close.

Some 249 musicians from 40 different countries entered for this year’s event. Following the pre-selection and video round, you could experience 21 ensembles live in Graz from July 21 – 23, 2022. These ensembles were ultimately be whittled down to no more than three award-winning ensembles per category. Where else could you experience such a concentration of musical prowess?

Artistic excellence is part of the very DNA of a university dedicated to music and the arts like the KUG, as students come here in expectation of a profession in which they will have to prove their mettle, and where cooperation is at least as important as artistic competition. First launched in 1989, the KUG’s international competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music combines these two elements, while also forging a connection between Franz Schubert’s chamber music and contemporary and modern classical music. Along with Schubert’s Lieder and trios, you also heard pieces that have been specially commissioned for these ensembles.

We hope you had a wonderful time in Graz or watching the competition online (still available on the website of the competition and IDAGIO) and now you can follow up the competition highlights and results here.

Georg SCHULZ

Rector of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz

PATRONAGE

Alexander VAN DER BELLEN President of the Republic of Austria

HONORARY SENATE

GREETINGS TO THE CONTESTANTS AND THE AUDIENCE

The year 2022 marks the 11th staging of a competition rich in tradition, namely Franz Schubert and Modern Music. Musicians from 33 nations presenting 36 song duos and 24 piano trios in the two categories of Duo for voice and piano (Lied) and Trio for piano, violin and cello have been invited to present their outstanding skills here at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz at one of the greatest classical competitions in Austria.

Unfortunately, the Corona pandemic also poses challenges to running the competition and now requires a plan B. Consequently the musicians will first demonstrate their talents in video performances in February. However, a special highlight awaits us in July, when we will have the pleasure of experiencing the semi-final and final live in Graz as part of the summer festival of chamber music.

Notwithstanding the fact that the current situation poses great challenges for the artists, I am delighted that the 11th edition of the competition can take place this year and that the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz is once again presenting itself as a centre of attraction for young talents. Because I am convinced that it is especially important now for young musicians to be able to pursue their talent and passion and to have the space to exchange experiences with like-minded people.

I would like to thank the executive committee of the competition headed by Rector Georg Schulz as well as the entire team of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz for their commitment and flexibility in the organisation. I would also like to thank all the distinguished jurors and the musicians for their commitment and wish the audience many memorable moments, both during the video rounds in February and at the festival of chamber music in July.

Yours truly,

Christopher DREXLER Governor of the Province of Styria

The Franz Schubert and Modern Music competition was first staged in 1989, initiated by Otto Kolleritsch. The theme of the competition is well suited to the city of Graz, which can draw on many examples of how the old and the new can be brought together in a creative manner.

Franz Schubert visited Graz close to the end of his short life. Although he had been granted honorary membership of the Styrian Music Society in 1823, it was only on September 3rd , 1827, that he first set foot in Graz and, two days later, attended a performance of Giacomo Meyerbeer’s opera The Crusader in Egypt . During the performance of the Sultan Saladin bass solo, Schubert is said to have commented to his friend, Anselm Hüttenbrenner, “I can’t stand it any longer. Let’s go outside.”

Such words will certainly not be uttered at the eleventh FS&MM, delayed till 2022 by the Corona pandemic. Past participants have become internationally important performers today. The distinguished jury and range of events surrounding the competition ensure that musicians can gain valuable experience and find their professional path.

I thank the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz for organising the chamber music competition, underlining as it does the standing of our city in the world of music. My wish for the participants is that they should delight their audiences and the jury – certainly to an extent greater than that achieved by the bass singer in 1827 – a performance incidentally by one Johann Nestroy.

Elke KAHR

Mayoress of the Provincial Capital of Graz

Ladies and gentlemen,

Lied and chamber music are, with good reason, counted among the most advanced forms of so-called serious music , and this is no less true of modern music than of the classical-romantic era. This naturally means that this music places the greatest demands on the audience, and especially on the performers.

I am therefore pleased that the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz is again organising the competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music in 2022 for what is now the eleventh time. Events like this are always more than the anyway difficult testing and comparison of artistic abilities alone; they are also opportunities for musicians and audiences to experience and meet each other and, above all, a commitment to the future of our concert scene.

The large number of applications from 40 nations not only proves the international reputation of this competition, but also stands as a visible, indeed far more audible accolade to our University of Music and Performing Arts here in Graz.

As Councillor for Culture and Science, I would like to thank everyone who makes Franz Schubert and Modern Music possible, to wish the audience exciting and enriching interpretations, and especially to wish the artists all the best for the competition and their continuing musical careers.

Franz Schubert spoke of the aspiration that a “sparkle of delight” in what is beautiful might “brighten all else”.

In this spirit, all the best and every success!

Günter RIEGLER Councilor of the Provincial Capital of Graz

PRIZEWINNERS

2 ND PRIZE ex aequo

(1st prize was not awarded)

DUO ADAMOVA/SCHÄFER

Bella Adamova Mezzo-Soprano, Czech Republic

Malte Schäfer Piano, Germany

The Czech mezzo-soprano Bella Adamova and the German pianist Malte Schäfer have been working together for many years. They met in Montepulciano in 2018 at a masterclass given by Christoph Prégardien and Ulrich Eisenlohr and subsequently developed a lively artistic exchange. Both share a fascination for the world of the Lied in all its linguistic and stylistic forms, constantly expanding their repertoire and working on new programme concepts.

For their joint recording of Schumann’s Opus 39 and 40, they each won prizes in their respective fields at the International Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau.

Currently, they are doing their master studies of Lied in the class of Jan Philip Schulze at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. They have additionally received invaluable input at masterclasses of Christian Immler, Andreas Frese and Michael Gees.

2 ND PRIZE

€ 6,500 & career consultancy

The prize was endowed from the total subsidies of the cultural department of the city of Graz for this competition.

Bella Adamova Malte Schäfer

Mezzo-soprano and improviser Bella Adamova grew up in Prague, Czech Republic, torn between and surrounded by many cultures. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance at London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance under the tuition of Lynton Atkinson and her Master’s degree in Cologne, Germany, with Thomas Piffka. She completed her improvisation studies at the Basel Music Academy with Fred Frith and Alfred Zimmerlin. She is currently studying art song with Jan Philip Schulze and Henryk Böhm in Hanover.

She was prizewinner of the International Robert Schumann Competition in 2021, the Czech Song Prize at the Emmy Destinn Awards in London, the Martinů Prize at the International Dvořák Competition, and as a finalist of the 2020 Bundeswettbewerb Gesang in Berlin, she chose the art of song as a focal point. In 2021, Bella Adamova was a finalist at the International Cesti Competition at the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music.

Bella Adamova sings and improvises in duo with pianist Michael Gees. Their debut album “Blooming” was released in 2019 on Challenge Records. In 2021, Bella made her debut with the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, performing Mahler’s Rückertlieder under Chuhei Iwasaki, as well as at the Rudolfinum singing de Falla’s El Amor Brujo with Radek Baborák. With conductor Tomáš Netopil and harpsichordist Barbara Maria Willi she appeared at the Maraton Hudby Brno and Hudební Kroměříž festivals. She also performed a Mahler recital at the Festival de Royaumont and a Schumann recital in Zwickau in duo with pianist Malte Schäfer.

During her studies she was involved in a number of operas, notably singing “Hermia” in Britten’s “A midsummer night’s dream” and “Celia” in Haydn’s “La fedeltà premiata” at Theater Aachen. In the coming season she will appear as the “Third wood sprite” in Rusalka at Theater Bielefeld.

Bella Adamova has also had the privilege of learning from Thomas Hampson, Christoph Prégardien, Anne Sofie von Otter, Klesie Kelly, Dalia Schaechter, Simon Keenlyside, Josef Protschka, Christian Immler, and Kateřina Kněžíková, among others.

With his remarkable skills as a chamber musician and accompanist, the pianist Malte Schäfer distinguished himself as a finalist in various European Lied competitions. Together with his long-standing duo partner, the tenor Ronan Caillet, he was awarded the Prix de Mélodie française at the Concours international Nadia & Lili Boulanger and received an appreciation award at the International Competition Art Song Competition at the Hugo Wolf Academy in Stuttgart, as well as a special prize at the German Music Competition.

Malte Schäfer was recently awarded the prize for the best song accompaniment at the International Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau, and shortly afterwards the 3rd prize for pianists at the International Helmut Deutsch Lied Competition in Vienna. At the Maritim Music Prize of all North German universities, he also won the prize for outstanding piano accompaniment, donated by the Oscar and Vera Ritter Foundation.

Malte Schäfer studied piano at the “Lübeck Academy of Music” and at the “Guildhall School of Music & Drama” in London. He is currently completing his studies in chamber music and song accompaniment at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media with Markus Becker and Jan Philip Schulze, and at the “CNSMD Paris” with Anne Le Bozec. He has attended masterclasses given by, among others, Wolfram Rieger, Hartmut Höll, Hans Eijsackers, Ralf Gothoni, Ulrich Eisenlohr, Anthony Spiri, Itamar Golan, the Belcea quartet and the Fauré quartet.

Malte is a scholarship recipient of the “Richard Wagner Verband” and the “Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Foundation”.

Numerous concert appearances mainly as chamber musician and song accompanist have lead him to important concert venues such as the “Liederhalle Stuttgart”, “Tonhalle Düsseldorf”, “Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern” and festivals like the”Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker” and “Schumannfest Bonn”. His studio and concert recordings have been broadcasted by “France Musique”, “NDR Kultur” and “HR2”.

2 ND PRIZE ex aequo

(1st prize was not awarded)

DUO BALEIRO/COSTA

André Baleiro Baritone, Portugal

Pedro Costa Piano, Portugal

The Portuguese Duo started its collaboration in 2016. Recently, they were prize winners of the Helmut Deutsch Lied Competition in Vienna. Baritone André Baleiro is the prizewinner of the Emmerich Smola Award, the International Robert Schumann Competition and received a special prize at the Das Lied International Song Competition. He studied at the Berlin University of the Arts with Kammersänger Siegfried Lorenz and Axel Bauni. Pianist Pedro Costa studied Piano in Brussels with Piet Kuijken and Liedgestaltung in Graz with Joseph Breinl and Julius Drake. He currently works as an accompanist at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.

2 ND PRIZE

€ 6,500 & career consultancy

The prize was endowed from the total subsidies of the cultural department of the city of Graz for this competition.

André Baleiro Pedro Costa

André Baleiro won the Emmerich Smola “SWR Young Opera Stars” Award in 2019, the 17th International Robert Schumann Competition and the 9th Rotary Foundation’s Singing Competition in Lisbon in 2016. In addition, he was awarded the prize of the prestigious Das Lied International Song Competition in 2017 as well as 2nd prize at the Helmut Deutsch Lied Competition 2021 in Vienna.

His operatic highlights include “Tarquinius” in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia at Teatro São Carlos in Lisbon, “Figaro” in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and “Kaspar” in the new production Kaspar Hauser (Schubert/Wilgenbus) with the Munich Chamber Opera, “Don Parmenione” in Rossini’s L’occasione fa il ladro at the Teatro Perez Galdos in Las Palmas, and Orphée by Philip Glass at the Centro Cultural de Belém in Lisbon.

Numerous concert tours have taken the young baritone to France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Japan, and Switzerland. His broad repertoire includes Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine, Bach’s passions and cantatas, Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Dettinger’s Te Deum, Dvořák’s Mass in D Major, the Requiems by Fauré, Duruflé and Brahms, Ravel’s Don Quixote à Dulcinée, the Dona Nobis Pacem Cantata by Ralph Vaughan Williams, L’enfance du Christ by Berlioz, and Schönberg’s Gurre-Lieder

He has collaborated with conductors, such as Michel Corboz, Steffan Blunier, Frédéric Chaslin, Graeme Jenkins, Martin André, Moritz Gnann, Antonio Pirolli, Andreas Spering, Joana Carneiro, Nabil Shehata and Lorenzo Viotti.

André Baleiro also enjoys a significant activity as a recitalist, focusing not only on the great works of the 19th and early 20th century, but also in romantic and contemporary music.

The Portuguese baritone began his musical studies at the Instituto Gregoriano de Lisboa in his hometown. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Choral Conducting at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, André Baleiro studied singing under the tuition of Kammersänger Siegfried Lorenz, song with Eric Schneider and contemporary song with Axel Bauni at the Berlin University of the Arts. He received further musical guidance in masterclasses with acclaimed singers, such as Tom Krause, Ian Bostridge, Lorenzo Regazzo and José van Dam.

André Baleiro received scholarships from the Walter & Charlotte Hamel Foundation in Hanover and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon. He currently works regularly with Snežena Stamenković in Mannheim.

Pedro Costa is a Portuguese collaborative pianist based in Vienna. He currently holds a position as Senior Lecturer for Accompanying at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. He was the prizewinner of the Helmut Deutsch Lied Competition in Vienna, the Louis-Spohr-Competition for Lieder Accompaniment in Kassel as well as at other major competitions in Portugal and Belgium like the New Tenuto and the Estoril National Competition. He was also awarded with the Accompanist Prize at the Rotary Foundation’s Singing Competition in Lisbon and with the 1st prize at the Chamber Music Competition of the Portuguese Radio. He has played in many European concert halls, including Wigmore Hall in London, Große Saal Mozarteum in Salzburg, Flagey in Brussels, Casa da Música in Porto, CCB, Teatro S. Carlos and Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon.

He worked in masterclasses with Udo Reinemann, Christianne Stotijn, Anne Sophie von Otter, Peter Schreier, Christoph Prégardien, Brigitte Fassbaender, Sir Thomas Allen among others. Pedro Costa regularly accompanies singers, such as Peter Kellner, André Baleiro, LaureCatherine Beyers, Josh Lovell, Coline Dutilleul, Marina Pacheco and Tiago Matos.

Born in 1989 in Mação, Pedro Costa studied at Porto’s Superior School of Music and Performing Arts (Portugal), the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (Belgium), and at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Austria) where he studied Vocal Accompaniment with Joseph Breinl and Julius Drake.

3 RD PRIZE & SPECIAL PRIZE

DUO KAYAKI/EBINA

Sawako Kayaki Soprano, Japan

Haruka Ebina Piano, Japan

Soprano Sawako Kayaki and pianist Haruka

Ebina formed a duo in the spring of 2021 for the Franz Schubert and Modern Music competition. Ever since then, the two musicians have gained concert experience performing at festivals and masterclasses – for example, during the Internationale Liedkonzerte Berlin.

3 RD PRIZE € 4,500 sponsored by BIG - Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft & SPECIAL PRIZE

for the best interpretation of the commissioned work of Judith Weir: € 1,000 co-sponsored by Zonta Club Graz

Sawako Kayaki Haruka Ebina

Japanese soprano Sawako Kayaki was born 1999. She started her vocal education at the age of sixteen. She studied at the Tokyo University of the Arts and at the International Opera Academy (IOA) in Ghent.

She sang leading roles in the IOA’s production of “Private View”, and in “Lost & Found” by the Belgian composer, Annelies Van Parys. She is also an active interpret of Lied. Recently she was invited by the Oxford Lied Festival in Berlin. This summer, 2022 she won the third prize and special prize in the competition “Franz Schubert und die Musik der Moderne”. She got the first prize at the Internationaler Gesangswettbewerb Basel 2021.

Her operatic repertoire includes the roles of Lakmé in Lakmé ( Delibes ), Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos ( R. Strauss ), Die Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte (Mozart), Gilda in Rigoletto (Verdi), Morgana in Alcina ( Händel ), Ännchen in Der Freischütz ( Werber ), Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail ( Mozart ), Oscar in Un ball in maschera ( Verdi ) etc.

She is currently on tour with the production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia as Rosina (soprano version), directed by Tom Goossens.

The pianist Haruka Ebina deals with a broad musical spectrum, ranging from classical music and contemporary music to ensemble music and solo concert activity. She is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions: International Orléans Competition (Isang Yun Prize sponsored by Unsuk Chin) and Franz Schubert and Modern Music (3rd Prize and a Special Prize for the best interpretation of a commissioned work by Judith Weir). Her performance of Agata Zubel’s piano concerto conducted by Konstantia Gourzi was recorded and broadcasted by Bavarian Radio. For a BR production she played Xenakis’ masterpiece “EONTA” in an interpretation with which it was later also heard in the Munich Isarphilharmonie. With a solo recital commissioned by the municipal promotion of culture in Munich, in which she played works from Debussy to Ligeti and Stockhausen, she fascinated the audience and also the critics of the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Her great interest is the German Lied. She has made guest appearances also at various festivals. Baritone Dietrich Henschel invited her to the International Liedfest in Berlin, which has a cooperation with the festival Oxford Lieder.

She also accepted an invitation from Julian Prégardien to join the Brentano Academy in Aschaffenburg and played three recitals there: one each in the Stadttheater Aschaffenburg and in the Goethe-Haus in Frankfurt and in the Blaibach concert hall. Ebina completed her master class studies in the piano class of Thomas Böckheler, the Master of Contemporary Music with Markus Bellheim and the Master of Art Song Interpretation with Fritz Schwinghammer, Rudi Spring and Donald Sulzen with top grades at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. During her studies she received scholarships from the DAAD and Yehudi Menuhin Live Musik Now München e.V.

In addition to her regular concert activities, Haruka accompanies as part of a full-time job as piano accompanist at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich ballet, Instrumental and singing students.

1 ST PRIZE & SPECIAL PRIZE

TRIO ORELON

Marco Sanna Piano, Italy

Judith Stapf Violin, Germany

Arnau Rovira i Bascompte Violoncello, Spain

1 ST PRIZE € 13,500 & career consultancy donated by the Province of Styria & SPECIAL PRIZE for the best interpretation of the prizewinning work of the International Piano Trio Composition Competition € 2,000

Harmony, creativity and a thirst for discovery: this is what the piano trio Orelon, founded in Cologne in 2018, stands for. They owe their name to the world language Esperanto in which “Orelon” simply means “ear”, thus symbolising the many aspects of listening in music: listening to each other, listening to oneself, immersing oneself in the structure of the composition, sensing and listening to the connection between audience and artists during the concert.

Violinist Judith Stapf, cellist Arnau Rovira and pianist Marco Sanna came together at the conservatoires in Cologne and Berlin. All three had already gained experience in chamber ensembles but dreamed of playing in a classical piano trio. For the members of the Trio Orelon, they are seeking harmony not only musically but also on a personal level. In doing so, they maintain an inquisitive and dynamic view of the works for their instrument combination and connect this with an irrepressible energy and desire for differentiated expression.

Symphonic density, homogeneous sound, “chamber music intensity and emotionality” (FAZ) – these qualities were already attributed to the Trio Orelon shortly after its founding. After their first concerts the trio was selected by the Werner Richard – Dr. Carl Dörken Foundation for a scholarship in the summer of 2019 and they subsequently gave guest performances at numerous renowned chamber concert series.

In July 2022 Trio Orelon won the first prize and the special award for the best interpretation of the compulsory piece at the competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music in Graz, Austria.

Other highlights of the trio’s career so far was the “Prize for the Best Interpretation of a Commissioned Work” at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2021 which included a performance at the Konzerthaus Berlin, and the second prize at the Schumann Chamber Music Competition In Frankfurt am Main, which included a Debut at the Alte Oper Frankfurt. Recently the Trio Orelon became a prizewinner of the competition “Premio Trio di Trieste” in Italy and of the “BorisPergamenischkow-Preis” in Berlin.

The trio is currently under the artistic supervision of Prof. Thomas Hoppe at the Folkwang Universität der Künste in Essen and of Prof. Jonathan Aner at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin.

Concert tours take the Trio Orelon to renowned concert halls including the Tonhalle Düsseldorf, the Laeiszhalle Hamburg and the Gewandhaus Leipzig, as well as throughout Europe. The three musicians present their enthusiasm and curiosity for innovative and thematic programmes, in which they combine classical repertoire with lesser known and undiscovered works. In the course of their repertoire research, Trio Orelon developed the project “Beethoven’s Daughters” which focuses on the literature of female composers and relates them to their predecessor Ludwig van Beethoven in moderated concerts.

Marco Sanna

Pianist Marco Sanna from Italy is devoted to his passion for chamber music. He regularly performs in chamber music concerts together with members of the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Karajan Academy and musicians of the WDR Funkhaus Orchester in Cologne. Together with the Berlin-based string quartet Furiant, he toured across Europe and the United States, playing around 300 concerts. In addition, the well-known pianist also appeared in renowned festivals, such as the Verbier Festival, the Rheingau Musikfestival and the Beethovenfest Bonn.

Judith

Violinist Judith Stapf won numerous national and international competitions in Germany as well as in Moscow, Paris and New York early on in her career. She is a passionate chamber musician and has collaborated with renowned artists such as Lahav Shani, Denes Varjon, Claudio Bohórquez and Jörg Widmann. As a solo artist, she has given convincing performances with orchestras such as the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, the WDR Sinfonieorchester, the Dortmunder Philharmoniker, the Duisburger Philharmoniker and the Beethoven Orchester Bonn.

Cellist Arnau Rovira i Bascompte studied in Utrecht, Netherlands, before continuing his studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz (HfMT Köln) in Cologne, Germany. He is a master student of Maria Kliegel, the grande dame of the violoncello, and has collaborated with numerous renowned contemporary cellists, including David Geringas, Gary Hoffmann, Melissa Phelps and Dimitri Ferschmann. Arnau Rovira i Bascompte won the university music competition at the HfMT Köln and was a finalist in the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Conservatory Competition at the Berlin University of the Arts. In the season of 2020/2021, he was engaged as a cellist with the Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal.

TRIO UNIO

Young Sun Choi Piano, Republic of Korea

Eunji Kim Violin, Republic of Korea

Ah-Yeon Nam Violoncello, Republic of Korea

Based in South Korea, Trio Unio is made up of violinist Eunji Kim, cellist Ah-Yeon Nam, and pianist Young Sun Choi.

The Latin word unio means unite, or combine into one. This name corresponds to their musical goal: to perform and sound as a united, single ego.

The members of Trio Unio share the same educational background by graduating from the same music schools: Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School, and Seoul National University. This shared experience enables them to understand and bond with each other. All three members are now continuing their studies in different countries: Korea, USA, and Germany.

The diverse musical experiences gained in different countries has added a significant variety to their music.

Trio Unio won the Prix D’Honneur at Concours International Leopold Bellan, the 1st prize at Grand

Prize Virtuoso Bonn International Competition, and the Grand Prize at the Virtuoso Salzburg International Competition.

Trio Unio has given many recitals in South Korea at venues such as the Ensemblian Hall, the Samik Art Hall, and the Sharon Hall. Selected as one of the artists in The House Concert series, they will perform a recital in 2022.

2 ND PRIZE € 9,750 donated by the Province of Styria

Young Sun Choi

The South Korean pianist Young Sun Choi started to play the piano at the age of 6. She graduated from the Yewon School and the Seoul Arts School, then continued her musical studies at the Seoul National University. She earned a national scholarship for outstanding artists from the Korean government and graduated summa cum laude from the Seoul National University with a bachelor’s degree in piano and musicology. She studied piano with Aviram Reichert and musicology with Hee-Sook Oh. After she moved to the U.S. in 2018, she received a Master of Music from the IU Jacobs School of Music where she is currently a doctoral student. She has been studying with Arnaldo Cohen and serving as an associate instructor in piano there.

She has won prizes in numerous competitions, e.g. Lyon International Piano Competition, Mladi Virtuozi International Competition, Ann & Charles Eisemann International Young Artist Competition. She has given solo recitals at Kumho Art Hall and Youngsan Art Hall and performed concertos with a.o. the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kazan Chamber Orchestra La Primavera.

Eunji Kim

The South Korean violinist Eunji Kim began studying the violin at the age of 6. She made her debut at the Kumho Prodigy Recital at the age of 14. She won the Grand Prize, Minister Prize of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in The Music Association of Korea Competition and first prizes at a.o. the Ewha & Kyunghyang Competition and the Indiana University Concerto Competition. She has been a featured soloist a.o. with the Indiana University Concert Orchestra, Tongyeong Festival Orchestra, and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. She has performed recitals in the Kumho Art Hall, Ceramic Palace Hall, and Youngsan Yangjae Hall.

As a chamber musician, she won the Young Sylvia prize in The Artsylvia Chamber Music audition, first prizes in the Medici International Music Competition and the Universal Chamber Music Competition. She has recorded chamber music for the Naxos label and her Sarasota Music Festival Rising Star Recital was featured on the Young Artists Showcase program of WQXR in New York City. She has played chamber performances with professors, such as Stephen Wyrczynski and Peter Stumpf.

She graduated from Seoul National University and Indiana University where she studied with Simin Ganatra. She is currently a doctoral student at Seoul National University under Kyung Sun Lee.

Ah-Yeon Nam

The South Korean cellist Ah-Yeon Nam started playing the cello at the age of 6. She made her debut at the Ewon Art Hall at the age of 12. Ah-Yeon Nam won first prizes at the Seoul Philharmonic Competition, the Strad Competition, the Sungjung Competition as well as other major prizes.

She performed as a soloist with the Incheon Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Symphony Orchestra and as Principal Cellist for Seoul National University Symphony Orchestra and Seoul Arts High School Orchestra.

She participated in the Seiji Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy Okushiga and Andre Navarra Memorial Music Festival and performed a recital in the Kumho Art Hall. She graduated from Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School and Seoul National University with a Bachelor’s degree and studied with Lee Jung Ran, Lee Suk Jung, and Hwang Sojin.

After moving to Germany in 2018, she worked at the Gürzenich Orchestra as an academist in Cologne and received second prizes in chamber music competitions at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln.

She graduated from that university with a master of music with distinction where she has been currently studying “Konzertexamen”. Since 2018, she has been studying with Johannes Moser.

TRIO SOLERI

Asen Tanchev Piano, Bulgaria/Germany

Dainis Medjaniks Violin, Latvia/Germany

Moritz Weigert Violoncello, Germany

The Bulgarian pianist Asen Tanchev and the Latvian violinist Dainis Medjaniks had been performing successfully together for several years before founding the Soleri Trio (originally: L’Ondine Trio) in 2017. After a prolonged search they were joined by the cellist Moritz Weigert.

The name Soleri stands for the three places of origin of the musicians: Sofia, Leipzig and Riga. Since winter semester 2020, the trio has been studying with Dirk Mommertz (Fauré Quartet) and Priya Mitchell at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, and before that with Oliver Wille (Kuss Quartet) and Markus Becker at the University of Music, Theater and Media in Hannover. They received further musical guidance from Eberhard Feltz, Günther Pichler (Alban Berg Quartet), Raphaël Merlin (Ébène Quartet), Jacques Ammon, Peter Buck (Melos Quartet), Stefan Heinemeyer (Atos Trio) and Troels Svane.

In 2021, the trio won the Highly Commended Award at the Parkhouse Awards at Wigmore Hall in

London, as well as the 2nd prize at the 28th Società Umanitaria Music Competition in Milan. At the 64th International Jeunesses Musicales Chamber Music Campus in Weikersheim they were awarded the special prize as one of the most promising young ensembles of 2019.

Numerous concert performances throughout Germany are planned for the coming season.

The trio is united by the great desire to be able to reflect their different cultures and stories in music. They are always looking for new ways and means of expression without neglecting the musical context for all their enthusiasm, passion and spontaneity.

3 RD PRIZE € 6,750,donated by the Province of Styria

Asen Tanchev

Asen Tanchev (1992, Sofia) currently deepens his pianistic skills under the tutelage of Gerald Fauth in the Master Class at the HMT Leipzig. He is also studying chamber music at the HMTM Munich in the class of Dirk Mommertz and Priya Mitchell. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano with highest honors at the HMTMH Hanover in the class of Arie Vardi and a master’s degree in chamber music in the class of Markus Becker and Oliver Wille.

He won the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Moscow, 1st prize at the International Competition Young Virtuosos in Sofia, the International Alexander Scriabin Piano Competition in Grosseto and the International Piano Competition Princess Lalla Meryem in Rabat. He won the German Music Competition twice and was included in the National Concerts Selection for Young Artists.

He has performed in e.g. Great Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, Berlin Philharmonic, Norddeutscher Rundfunk in Hanover, Bulgaria Hall in Sofia, and at many festivals, e.g. Oberstdorf Music Summer, Summer Music Days Hitzacker and Franconian Music Days Alzenau. Asen played with the following orchestras: Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, FM Classic Symphony Orchestra in Sofia, Lüneburg Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta Darmstadt, Symphony Orchestra of the Central Music School in Moscow and Orquestra de Camarâ de Cascais e Oeiras.

Asen had scholarships of the German National Academic Foundation, the PE-Förderungen for music students e. V., Mannheim, and the Elfrun Gabriel Foundation, Leipzig.

Dainis Medjaniks

Dainis Medjaniks was born in Latvia. He received his first violin lessons at the age of 7 from his parents and at the music school in Jurmala. He studied with Krzysztof Wegrzyn in Hanover and with Silvia Marcovici in Graz. He received further musical inspiration from, among others, Pierre Amoyal, Felix Andrievsky, Mauricio Fuchs, Marina Kesselman, Vladimir Klochko, Petru Munteanu and Vivien Weilerstein.

Dainis Medjaniks is a prizewinner at the 54th International Violin Competition Premio Paganini in Genoa. He also won the 2nd prize at the 6th International August Dombrovski

Competition as well as the 3rd prize at the Latvian State Music Schools Competition in Riga in 2008.

He has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the Orchestra della Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, the Chamber Orchestra of the Lower Saxony State Orchestra in Hanover, the West Palatinate Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic Film Orchestra.

Dainis Medjaniks received scholarships from Live Music Now Yehudi Menuhin Hanover, the Lions Club and the Gundlach Music Prize, among others.

In 2017, he was invited to perform and teach at the Anchorage Chamber Music Festival, where he gave numerous concerts throughout Alaska. In the 2021/22 season he is an academist of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra Hamburg under Alan Gilbert.

Moritz Weigert

Moritz Weigert was born in Dessau and received his first cello lessons at the age of five. After finishing his bachelor’s degree in Frankfurt am Main with Michael Sanderling he then moved on to study with Peter Bruns in Leipzig. Since 2020 he additionally studies in Munich (together with the Soleri Trio) with Dirk Mommertz and Eberhard Feltz. Moritz received further musical inspiration from Wolfgang Böttcher, Ralph Kirshbaum, Gidon Kremer, Günther Pichler, Jean-Guihen Queyras, WolfgangEmanuel Schmidt, Troels Svane and Wen-Sinn Yang.

Moritz has played with many different orchestras including the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orkest Amsterdam and the Staatskapelle Dresden and was a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester.

In 2017, he was chosen for the academy of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and has already played under the baton of Herbert Blomstedt, Gustavo Dudamel, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniele Gatti, Daniel Harding, Mariss Jansons and Franz Welser-Möst.

Moritz is a scholarship holder of Villa Musica who generously loan him a very fine instrument by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, 1860.

Dainis Medjaniks plays a violin by Giuseppe Odoardi (Ascoli, 1763) on loan from Sinfonima Swiss.

PRIZES OVERVIEW

1 ST PRIZE

not awarded, as according to the regulations a division of the 1st prize is not possible

2 ND PRIZE (ex aequo) € 6,500 & career consultancy

The prize was endowed from the total subsidies of the cultural department of the city of Graz for this competition.

DUO ADAMOVA/SCHÄFER

Bella Adamova (Mezzo-Soprano, Czech Republic) / Malte Schäfer (Piano, Germany)

DUO BALEIRO/COSTA

André Baleiro (Baritone, Portugal) / Pedro Costa (Piano, Portugal)

3 RD PRIZE € 4,500

co-sponsored by BIG - Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft & SPECIAL PRIZE for the best interpretation of the commissioned work of Judith Weir: € 1,000,-

co-sponsored by Zonta Club Graz

DUO KAYAKI/EBINA

Sawako Kayaki (Soprano, Japan) / Haruka Ebina (Piano, Japan)

1 ST PRIZE € 13,500 & career consultancy

donated by the Province of Styria & SPECIAL PRIZE for the best interpretation of the prizewinning work of the International Piano Trio Composition Competition: € 2,000

TRIO ORELON

Marco Sanna (Piano, Italy) / Judith Stapf (Violin, Germany) / Arnau Rovira i Bascompte (Violoncello, Spain)

2 ND PRIZE € 9,750

donated by the Province of Styria

TRIO UNIO

Young Sun Choi (Piano, Republic of Korea) / Eunji Kim (Violin, Republic of Korea) / Ah-Yeon Nam (Violoncello, Republic of Korea)

3 RD PRIZE € 6,750

donated by the Province of Styria

SOLERI TRIO

Asen Tanchev (Piano, Bulgaria/Germany) / Dainis Medjaniks (Violin, Latvia/Germany) / Moritz Weigert (Violoncello, Germany)

In addition to the prize money, the prizewinners of both categories receive career consultancy and supervision

• Individual consultancy with each ensemble about the musical demands and career goals

• Evaluation of existing promotion materials

• Advice on artist agencies and managers

• Coordination of the concert invitations and bookings

• Assistance in evaluating and negotiating contracts

• Programming and selection of the repertoire

• Conflict management and communication strategies

• Long-term career planning

JURY

JURY DUO FOR VOICE AND PIANO (LIED)

Hans EIJSACKERS

The Netherlands

Lina Maria ÅKERLUND Switzerland

Bernarda FINK Slovenia

Joseph BREINL, chair Germany

Christine

Hanno MÜLLER-BRACHMANN Germany

Jury Lied Duo and the assistant to the jury Mumuth, July 21, 2022

JURY TRIO FOR PIANO, VIOLIN AND VIOLONCELLO

South Africa

Chia CHOU, chair Canada

Kirsten DAWES

Sølve SIGERLAND Norway

Stefan HEINEMEYER

Chloë HERTELEER Belgium

Hae-Sun KANG France

Catherine KLIPFEL

France

Amandine SAVARY France

Jury Piano Trio plus extended jury, head of artistic committee and the assistant to the jury park of Palais Meran, July 23, 2022

EXTENDED JURY

Annett BAUMEISTER

Germany

Heidelberger Frühling

Raz BINYAMINI

Israel

Chamber Music Center, Israel

Johanna HERBST

Austria

KünstlerSekretariat am Gasteig

Trio Orelon

January 18, 2023 Prizewinners´ Concert at Stefaniensaal, Graz

SEMIFINALISTS LIED DUO

DUO ADAMOVA/SCHÄFER

PRIZEWINNERS

Bella Adamova, Mezzo-Soprano | Czech Republic Malte Schäfer, Piano | Germany

DUO BALEIRO/COSTA

André Baleiro, Baritone | Portugal Pedro Costa, Piano | Portugal

PRIZEWINNERS

DUO COUTINHO/KURODA

Ana Carolina Coutinho, Soprano | Brazil

Megumi Kuroda, Piano | Japan

LIEDDUO IMMERZ

Theresa Immerz, Soprano | Germany

Anna Immerz, Piano | Germany

JUST ENSEMBLE

Elene Gvritishvili, Soprano | Russian Federation

Aleksandra Listova, Piano | Russian Federation

DUO KAYAKI/EBINA

Sawako Kayaki, Soprano | Japan

Haruka Ebina, Piano | Japan

PRIZEWINNERS

DUO KUSTERS/MEIJERING

Vincent Kusters, Baritone | The Netherlands

Charlie Bo Meijering, Piano | The Netherlands

DUO MARTINEZ/CHO

Alicia Gabriela Martínez, Soprano | Argentina

Alejandro Sung hyun Cho, Piano | Republic of Korea

FINALISTS

DUO MATSCHEKO/GILLESBERGER

Martha Matscheko, Soprano | Austria

Elias Gillesberger, Piano | Austria

NATALIE & ALBERT

Natalie Jurk, Mezzo-Soprano | Germany

Albert Mena Pérez, Piano | Spain

DUO TALERKO/MACIJAUSKAITE

Vera Talerko, Soprano | Latvia

Gintare Elena Macijauskaite, Piano | Lithuania

DUO WITTIG/PARK

Hyun-hwa Park, Piano | Republic of Korea Lisa Wittig, Soprano | Germany

SEMIFINALISTS PIANO TRIO

ALBÉNIZ TRIO

Javier Rameix, Piano | The Netherlands

Luis María Suárez Felipe, Violin | Spain

Paula Brizuela Carballo, Violoncello | Spain

TRIO BOHÉMO

Jan Vojtek, Piano | Czech Republic

Matouš Pěruška, Violin | Czech Republic

Kristina Vocetková, Violoncello | Czech Republic

FINALISTS

TRIO CREDO

Mihyeok Gwon, Piano | Republic of Korea

Yoerae Kim, Violin | Republic of Korea

Jeongheon Nam, Violoncello | Republic of Korea

TRIO INCENDIO

Karolína Františová, Piano | Czech Republic

Filip Zaykov, Violin | Czech Republic

Vilém Petras, Violoncello | Czech Republic

FINALISTS

JASPER TRIO

Jung Eun Séverine Kim, Piano | Republic of Korea

Yuliia Van, Violin | Ukraine

Damir Ochaev, Violoncello | Russian Federation

TRIO ORELON

Marco Sanna, Piano | Italy

Judith Stapf, Violin | Germany

Arnau Rovira i Bascompte, Violoncello | Spain

PRIZEWINNERS

TRIO RIGAMONTI

Miriam Rigamonti, Piano | Italy

Mariella Rigamonti, Violin | Italy

Emanuele Rigamonti, Violoncello | Italy

SOLERI TRIO

Asen Tanchev, Piano | Bulgaria/Germany

Dainis Medjaniks, Violin | Latvia/Germany

Moritz Weigert, Violoncello | Germany

PRIZEWINNERS

TRIO UNIO

Young Sun Choi, Piano | Republic of Korea

Eunji Kim, Violin | Republic of Korea

Ah-Yeon Nam, Violoncello | Republic of Korea

PRIZEWINNERS

PARTICIPANTS & NATIONS

Our 144 admitted contestants were from 33 nations.

In this competition edition the participants of the category Lied Duo had to rehearse a commissioned work by a renowned composer for the final round as well. This time it came from the well-known British composer Judith Weir in cooperation with Chester Music and was kept strictly under lock and key until it was handed over to all finalists at the Soirée on July 21, 2022. As part of the final round of the competition, on July 23, 2022, the world premiere of the work entitled “On White Meadows” could then be followed live, on site in Graz or via live streaming.

The objective of this idea was for the finalists to work on their interpretations independently and creatively, without being able to resort to recordings, compare with interpretations by other artists and without guidance by teachers. The limited period of time available for studying the piece required the finalists to focus on the essentials and, at the same time, was a challenge that they will have to face many times again in their future professional lives.

The four Lied Duos, Baleiro & Costa, Kayaki & Ebina, Martinez & Cho and Adamova & Schäfer, who had qualified for the finals, had less than 36 hours to study the commissioned work and to (premiere) perform it at the grand finale!

The key data for the composition “On White Meadows” (2020) by Judith Weir

“On White Meadows” is a commissioned composition for the 11th International Chamber Music

Competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.

Music: Judith Weir

Text / librettist: Wilhelm Müller

Publisher: Chester Music Ltd, 2020

Duration of performance: 3 minutes 30 seconds

NEW FORMATS

NEW FORMATS

Musicians of the 21st Century are constantly challenged to find new ways to

• foster relationships between “their” art and diverse persons

• give access or deepen experiences with music

The growing importance of this demand was the impulse to award a Special Prize covering this topic at the International Chamber Music Franz Schubert and Modern Music. This prize was awarded for the second time in 2022.

We were seeking formats, projects and activities that could open up to the audience new perspectives on the artistic content of the competition, namely chamber music, or make this music accessible to people who are not yet familiar with it.

The demand is for innovative concepts for a defined project planned in the future by any particular ensemble. These can be activities within the concert (explaining the programme, preparing the scene or arranged in an interdisciplinary manner with other artistic partners), or indeed activities just before or after the concert, whether within or outside the performance location.

JURY: Constanze WIMMER (chair), Annett BAUMEISTER, Dietrich HENSCHEL

PRIZEWINNER

PADDINGTON TRIO

The Trio that Built Us

Stephanie Tang Piano, USA

Tuulia Hero Violin, Finland

Patrick Moriarty Violoncello, Ireland

€ 2.000 donated by the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz

FINALISTS

Sawako Kayaki | Japan

Haruka Ebina | Japan

Light and shade – Fusion of Japanese and Western Culture

Alicia Gabriela Martinez | Argentina

Alejandro Sung Hyun Cho | Republic of Korea Cold Tales

Mara Maria Möritz | Germany

Philippe Gaspoz | Switzerland

S[ae]itenspiel – Wenn Jahre [k]eine Rolle spielen

Mosertrio | Austria

Van Beethoven bis Birdland

LIEDMOVIES

Pia Davila (FS&MM prizewinner 2015 in the category Lied) and her fellow artists created something quite exciting during the pandemic that we absolutely had to share with the public of Graz. LIEDMOVIES: A media gallery. Innovation for the art song (Lied). This installation could be experienced during the competition in the Proberaum at MUMUTH.

INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION COMPETITIONS

INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION COMPETITIONS

COMPOSITION FOR LIED DUO

€ 2.500

donated by the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz

awared ex aequo to

Luciano CORREA BARRAZA | Chile for ,,Vértigo”

Gianluca IADEMA | Italy for ,,Wirbel”

Jury: Joseph BREINL (Chair), Klaudia TANDL, Christian UTZ, Johanna DODERER, Holger FALK, Steffen SCHLEIERMACHER, Annette SCHLÜNZ

COMPOSITION FOR PIANO TRIO

€ 5.000,-

co-sponsored by GRAWEGrazer Wechselseitige Versicherung AG

awared ex aequo to

Javier QUISLANT GARCÍA | Spain for ,,… geadeltes Licht …”

Tomasz SZCZEPANIK | Poland for ,,Tessuto”

Jury: Chia CHOU (Chair), Clemens GADENSTÄTTER, Clemens NACHTMANN, Mark ANDRE, Lucas FELS, Hae-Sun KANG, Oxana OMELCHUK

#CAREER & FEEDBACK

#CAREER & FEEDBACK

On the last day of the competition, July 24, 2022, a career day (#Career) took place. On the one hand, the participants had the opportunity to speak to the jury and get valuable feedback, and on the other hand, the prizewinners had the chance to receive individual career advice with the career coaches Aimée Paret and Andreas Vierziger. In addition, Marc van der Heijde (Green Room Creatives) gave an interesting keynote speech on “Branding for Musicians: Introduction to the Topic of Public Profile Development”. Finally, the latter offered also individual public profile coaching.

COACHES

Aimée PARET | USA

https://aimeeparet.com

Marc

https://greenroomcreatives.nl

Andreas

COLLABORATION & SPECIAL AWARDS

As the organizer of the International Chamber Music Competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music , it is important to the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz to discover young talent and make it visible and audible – particularly by facilitating performances and concerts. In addition to numerous offers for career development, from which all participants can benefit directly on site in Graz (e.g. feedback, #career day, career advice, etc.), the FS&MM collaborates with numerous national and international concert promoters, in order to bring finalists and prizewinners in particular into contact with them.

We are pleased that the FS&MM competition is being followed by many renowned festivals, concert promoters, and educational institutions - on site or via live stream. In some cases, longterm partnerships are based on the high level of our prizewinners and the fascinating artistic achievements that can be experienced at the competition.

We would like to thank our partners for the performance opportunities for our prizewinners!

UNCSA Special Award for the most outstanding USA-based Piano Trio University of North Carolina School of the Arts,  USA

Schubertíada Special Award Scholarship for the Academia of the Schubertíada 2022 Associació Franz Schubert, Spain

Liszt Utrecht Special Award for a Performance Highlight International Franz Liszt  Piano Competition Utrecht, the Netherlands

Vocallis Special Award Scholarship for the Masterclass International Festival Vocallis 2022

Vocallis International Festival, Belgium

Neuberger Kulturtage Special Award for Concert series for selected FS&MM ensembles Verein Neuberger Kulturtage, Austria

ProQuartet-CEMC Stipendium for a Piano Trio to participate in one of the masterclasses European Center for Chamber  Music, France

ACM

Associazione Chamber Music

Trieste, Italy

Arsonore International Music Festival

Schloss Eggenberg Graz, Austria

Besançon

International Music Festival, France

DAVOS FESTIVAL

Young artists in concert, Switzerland

deSingel

deSingel Antwerp, Belgium

ECMA

European Chamber Music Academy, Austria

Festival Brikcius Chamber Music Concert

Series in Prague, Czech Republic

Fondazione Gioventù Musicale d’Italia

Fondazione Gioventù Musicale d’Italia, Italy

impuls – academy competition | festival, Austria

Heidelberger Frühling

International Song Centre

Heidelberger Frühling, Germany

Israeli Schubertiade

Israel

Jeunesse

Austrian Musical Youth, Austria

Krzyzowa Music

Chamber Music Festival, Poland

Kulturkreis

Deutschlandsberg

Austria

Kuhmo Festival

Kuhmo! Chamber Music Festival, Finland

LiedFest Berlin - Oxford Germany

Musikverein für Steiermark

Styrian Music Society, Austria

MuTh

Concert hall of the Vienna Boys Choir, Austria

Paloma O’Shea

International Piano

Competition Santander, Spain

Rhonefestival

Rhonefestival for Liedkunst, Switzerland

Schubertíada a Vilabertran Associació Franz Schubert, Spain

Schubertiade Atzenbrugg

Austria

Sommerliche Musiktage

Hitzacker

Hitzacker Summer Music Festival, Germany

Sonntagsmusik im Salon

Concert series Province of Upper Austria, Austria

Steirisches Kammermusikfestival

Styrian Chamber Music Festival, Austria

Verbier

Verbier Festival Academy, Switzerland

Wiener

Konzerthausgesellschaft

Austria

SUPPORTERS

SPONSORS

INTERVIEWS

INTERVIEWS

The events of the competition are reflected upon, to be read in the form of diverse interviews conducted with jurors and prizewinners by academic staff and professors of KUG. This kind of documentation serves as a kind of “work in progress” of the further develoment of the competition and to illuminate it in a comprehensive and critical manner.

Following the QR Code you will find more texts and interviews:

Andreas Dorschel: Interviews with the jury members Anthony SPIRI, Krešimir STRAŽANAC and Bernada FINK from the LIED category as well as

Kirsten DAWES, Amandine SAVARY and Catherine KLIPFEL from the Piano Trio category

Josef Pilaj: Prizewinners Lied Duo

Deniz Peters: Prizewinners Piano Trio

The Schubidu Quartet: Prizewinners Composition Competition Lied

Clemens Gadenstätter: Prizewinner Composition Competition Piano Trio

Christa Brüstle: Artistic talk with Judith WEIR, composer of the commissioned Lied “On White Meadows”

Text from poet Alessandra MOLINA who wrote the poem of the prizewinning piece in the Composition Competition Lied

Catherine Klipfel – Jury Piano Trio

“The competition has evolved into something truly magnificent,” says Catherine Klipfel, the pianist of the Morgenstern Trio founded in 2005, and – as of 2011 – a lecturer in piano performance at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. She has now experienced the ‘Franz Schubert and Modern Music’ competition from two sides: as a contestant and as a jury member. Klipfel and her trio won the competition in 2006. Her experiences were quite different: as a participant in 2006 she was in a state of high tension, whereas as a jury member in 2022 she is more relaxed, observing with pleasure how well the new generation of trio players is developing. The 2006 competition was arguably more formal and ceremonial than the 2022 competition. Feedback is more important now, and this in itself is a bridge between the people doing the judging and the performers. Incidentally, being more relaxed as a jury member does not mean there is no tension at all. There are of course always differences of opinion between jury members, and when people’s heart-felt beliefs clash, it can be quite upsetting, says Catherine Klipfel. It is impossible to change anyone’s mind, no matter how self- evident your believe own assessment is and want to convince the others to join. The key is to be able to defend your own views while respecting those of the other jury members. That was the consensus among the eleven members of the jury at the 2022 trio competition. She even feels a certain tension within herself in these situations, because she knows very well that her current mood is already influencing her judgement.

Even the sequence of the pieces – which work, which ensemble do you listen to after which? – already influences what you think is good or less good. And based on these doubts about herself alone, she believes that is appropriate – and acts accordingly –to start each feedback session by first congratulating each ensemble. Despite the differences of opinion among the jury members, they all agreed that the standard of this year’s entries was impressively high.

That is why she was pleased to see that this time, at least in the trio competition, all the possible prizes had been awarded. The fact that no first prize had been awarded for more than a decade seems rather bizarre

to Catherine Klipfel. She does however believe that the basic concept of the competition is sound. The assumption that Franz Schubert and modern music have very little to do with each other is, of course, not unreasonable. “It was a programme of contrasts for me, too, at first,” she says. But it was possible to create a connection during and for the performance. Playing contemporary music often involves taking risks, she says. In many cases, there are no recordings that can be used as a guide. You don’t always know whether the audience will follow along. Moreover, the musicians playing a contemporary piece are required to do a lot of things that they don’t learn in their classical music training. Such musically risky experiences might also usefully inform one’s own vision of Schubert, with whose seemingly familiar music one would otherwise presume to be on the safe side, and this is usually the case with the audience as well. “It creates a new perspective.” Even as a performer, she does not approach the world of contemporary music with the expectation that she will like everything. She sees the people playing and singing, including herself, primarily as being in the service of the musical works. Part of this humble attitude is to keep as open a mind as possible, and also to be prepared to be disconcerted by music that you don’t necessarily like at first. This is also how she felt about many of the new pieces in this competition. After all, we should not forget that 18th and 19th century audiences were also disconcerted by the music of the day – we later became accustomed to the compositions and are no longer puzzled by them. Incidentally, Klipfel believes that productive impulses can come not only from engaging with the present, but also with the past – in other words, with Schubert’s instrument, the fortepiano. This

doesn’t mean everyone should start playing historical instruments. But the peculiar aesthetics of the sound of the fortepiano from Schubert’s era can also be inspiring for playing on a modern grand piano – just like other kinds of historical context. One last digression at the end of our conversation: Morgenstern Trio? There is no explanation for the name on the website. The interviewer has ‘Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern’ with the very special BWV number 1 in mind; there is also a chorale prelude, BWV 739. But that’s what happens when you listen to too much Bach. The fact that both works are as far removed from the genre of the piano trio as is humanly possible already made this a dubious assumption. But even a false association can be beautiful, says Catherine Klipfel reassuringly. When they created the ensemble, however, its members were thinking of the 20th Century German poet of the same name, first name Christian, and his imaginative musical language. The idea could not have been less motivated by international marketing considerations – and yet it did not stand in the way of the success of the Morgenstern Trio, whose journey has already taken them to Carnegie Hall and the Berlin Philharmonic. If you want to create art, says Catherine Klipfel, you should do what you can identify with personally, not what you think will sell better.

ABOUT US

ORGANISATION

Britta REININGHAUS Head, General Secretary FS&MM Competition

Tobias HOFFMANN Production, International Collaborations, Social Media

Inga PIEBER Organisational Assistance, Website

Caius-Daniel HITICAS-MOLDOVAN Student assistant

Many thanks to Sabine Göritzer, Peter Fischer and his team, especially the audio engeneering department, Margit Mahmoudi and her team of the event department, Hermann Götz, Lisa Dreier, Anna Kleindinst, Marie-Therese Jakope and many student assistants a.o. Sztella Molnar and Ilma Valentić ... and all KUG employees without whom the realisation of the competition would not have been succesful.

MODERATION

Stefanie NÖST (currently on maternity leave)

A special thanks for her engagement and committment during the preparation of the competition and the video round.

Constanze WIMMER

Ulla PILZ

Honorary President

Otto KOLLERITSCH Rector emeritus

Jelena WIDMANN Assistant to the Jury LIED DUO

Irina VATERL Assistant to the Jury PIANO TRIO

PHOTO CREDITS

Thomas Raggam – The Schubidu Quartet: p.1 (cover), 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 31, 48, 49, 64 BM & BR, 65 TR, 78, 79, 81, 94, 107, 118 (back)

Alexander Wenzel, KUG: p. 6 T, 40, 41, 64 T & B L, 65 (except TR), 112 TL & BL, 113 TR, 114 T, 116, 117

Gerhard Breinl: p. 6 BL, 38 TL

Marija Kanizaj: p. 6 BR, 42 TL

Wolfgang Zajc: p. 8,

Barbara Majcan: p. 9

Christian Jungwirth: p. 10

Foto Fischer: p. 11

Lucija Novak: p. 30, 44, 45, 47

Clemens Nestroy: p. 32, 33, 34, 35, 101, 108, 109

Bernhard Salzmann: p. 38 TR

Marco Borggreve: p. 38 BL

Shirley Suarez: p. 38 BR, 114 BL

Privat: p. 39 TL, 43 TL, 57, 86 TL, 91. L

Monika Rittershaus: p. 39 TL

Dorothee Falke: p. 39 BL

Patrick Vogel : p. 39 BR

Peter Adamik: p. 42 TR

Bård Gundersen p. 42 BL

Franz Jerke: p. 42 BR

Franck Ferville: p. 43 TR

Irene Zandel: p. 43 BL, 105

Neda Navae: p. 43 BR

Studio visuell: p. 46 TL

Talia Rosin: p. 46 TR

Florian Schröter: p. 46 B

Johannes Worms: p. 52

Mara D’Eleán: p. 53

Naho Higuchi: p. 54

Johann Kalvelage: p. 55

Dmitry Kotov: p. 56

Jo Louppen, Mel Boas: p. 58

Ronald Knapp: p. 59, 86 TR

Reinhard Winkler: p. 60

Alina Jurk: p. 61

Talerko/Macijauskaite: p. 62

Valerie Pfannkuch: p. 63

Kirill Bashkirov: p. 68

Hugo Vitamvas: p. 69

Mike Abmaier: p. 70

Vojtěch Havlík : p. 71

Yulia Mustaeva: p. 72

Markus Bollen: p. 73

Annachiara Radice: p. 74

Vita Kan: p. 75

Hoon Min Jin: p. 76

Pietari Purovaara: p. 85

Melissa da Silva: p. 86 BL

H.C. Moser: p. 86 BR

Simon Janssen: p. 87

Fernanda González Herrada: p. 90 L

Isidoro Marco Iadema: p. 90 R

Weronika Klepaczka: p.91 R

Thomas Müller: p. 95 T

Petra Benovsky,: p. 95 BL

Bob Bruyn: p. 95 BR

Stephan Aschauer: p. 112 TR

Caius Hiticas: p. 112 BR

Reinhard Winkler: p. 113 BL

Mehmet Emir: p. 113 BR

Floris Fortin: p. 114 BR