Composers: Frédéric Chopin

Xiaoxuan Li – Cliburn Junior 2019 Preliminary Round Recital

Xiaoxuan Li
China | Age 17

Preliminary Round Recital – Friday, May 31, 2019 – 7:52 p.m.
Caruth Auditorium, SMU I Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
BACH Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, BWV 861
LISZT Transcendental Etude No. 10 in F Minor
CHOPIN Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, op. 60

Since appearing as the youngest competitor in the first edition of the Cliburn Junior Competition in 2015, Xiaoxuan Li—the only returning competitor—moved from Shanghai to Philadelphia, where he studies with Gary Graffman and Robert McDonald at the Curtis Institute of Music. He is a laureate of several international young artist competitions, including Cleveland (senior division, first prize, 2018); Zhuhai Mozart (first prize, 2015); Hilton Head (second prize, 2015); and Ettlingen (2012). He began piano at the age of 4 and has performed extensively throughout China, with other notable concerts including Salzburg Chamber Soloists and the orchestras of Canton, Hilton Head, Ashdod, and Macao.

“I would gladly spend the rest of my life studying the beauty and nuances of every composer, every piece, every iteration. Piano is the media of my emotion. It drives me, shapes me, and propels me to a higher place.”

Hao Rao – Cliburn Junior 2019 Preliminary Round Recital

Hao Rao
China | Age 15

Preliminary Round Recital – Friday, May 31, 2019 – 4:16 p.m.
Caruth Auditorium, SMU I Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
MENDELSSOHN Songs without Words, op. 67, nos. 1 & 5
BACH Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 870
CHOPIN Etude in G-sharp Minor, op. 25, no. 6
LISZT Valse de l’opéra Faust (after Gounod)

Hao Rao grew up in the mountainside town of Jishou, China. Every week, his mother would take him on a 16-hour train ride to his piano lesson; he never tired of the trip and instead saw it as “departing for a great music journey with unknown surprises.” He now attends the Middle School of Xinghai Conservatory of Music in the sprawling city of Guangzhou, but still studies with his teacher of almost seven years, Vivian Li (Suirong). He has won three major national competitions in China, received prizes at the 2018 Ettlingen Competition and the 2019 Aarhus Competition, and—at the age of 13—presented the complete Chopin etudes in recital. He listens to opera and enjoys reading fiction, playing sports, and sampling desserts.

“I’ve been to several competitions or festivals abroad, and every time it was a life-changing inspiration with unforgettable memories, but the Cliburn Fort Worth… that’s almost like the Vatican for pianists. For me, it almost seems like a fairy tale, and I will treasure every moment of this journey.”

Shunta Morimoto – Cliburn Junior 2019 Preliminary Round Recital

Shunta Morimoto
Japan | Age 14

Preliminary Round Recital – Friday, May 31, 2019 – 3:14 p.m.

Program:
BACH Prelude and Fugue in E Major, BWV 854
CHOPIN Etude in C-sharp Minor, op. 10, no. 4
SCRIABIN Etude in A-flat Major, op. 42, no. 3
SCRIABIN Waltz in A-flat Major, op. 38
SCHUBERT-LISZT Der Erlkönig, S. 558, no. 4

Shunta Morimoto has won first in his category three times in the Piano Teachers’ National Association of Japan Piano Competition, as well as other competitions in his home country, which has led to multiple performances in Tokyo, Yokohama, and his home town of Kyoto. He also placed first in the 2018 Aloha International Piano Competition and subsequently gave concerts in Hawaii, including with the Hawaii Youth Symphony. He says that experience helped him believe in the “magical power of music,” because he could use it to communicate easily where a language barrier may have prohibited him. A student at Momoyama Junior High School, Shunta currently studies with Shohei Sekimoto.

“Music has the power to bring people together, no matter race, gender, sex, or religion, and it creates emotions unable to be felt in everyday life. It is important to me because it gives my life a new flavor, a new color, and a new spectrum.”

Kasey Shao- Cliburn Junior 2019 Preliminary Round Recital

Kasey Shao
United States | Age 15

Preliminary Round Recital – Friday, May 31, 2019 – 2:52 p.m.

Program:

BACH Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 884
CHOPIN Etude in F Major, op. 10, no. 8
RACHMANINOV Prelude in D Major, op. 23, no. 4
ALBÉNIZ “Triana” from Iberia, Book II
SHOSTAKOVICH Prelude and Fugue in D-flat Major, op. 87, no. 15

A Louisville native who now lives in Cincinnati, Kasey Shao made her concerto debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center when she was 12 years old. She has 13 first-place finishes to her name at junior competitions across the Eastern United States and made her Carnegie Hall (Weill Hall) debut in 2013. A student of Ran Dank, she attends Walnut Hills High School, where she is a member of the Model UN Club, Science Olympiad team, French Club, and Student Congress. She has accompanied school choir, band, orchestra, and chamber groups since she was in third grade, and is interested in conducting and collaborations with other pianists.

“Music has the power to bring people together, no matter race, gender, sex, or religion, and it creates emotions unable to be felt in everyday life. It is important to me because it gives my life a new flavor, a new color, and a new spectrum.”

Sara Daneshpour- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital I

SARA DANESHPOUR
United States I Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Variations on the Name “Abegg,” op. 1
CHOPIN Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, op. 54
RACHMANINOV Étude-tableau in C Minor, op. 39, no. 1
Étude-tableau in A Minor, op. 39, no. 2
Étude-tableau in F-sharp Minor, op. 39, no. 3
Étude-tableau in E-flat Minor, op. 33, no. 6
Étude-tableau in A Minor, op. 39, no. 6

Since her debut in 2002 at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., Sara Daneshpour has performed on the stages of the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Salle Cortot in Paris, and the Great Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. She has appeared as soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain, among others. Ms. Daneshpour has also been featured on 160 public radio stations nationwide. Competition credits include first prize at the XII Concours International de Musique du Maroc in 2012, second prize at the 2007 William Kapell International Piano Competition, and first prize and gold medal at the 2007 International Russian Music Piano Competition. She is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at The Juilliard School.

Gustavo Miranda-Bernales – Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital II

GUSTAVO MIRANDA-BERNALES
Chile | Age 22

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

CHOPIN Mazurka in G Major, op. 50, no. 1
FAURE Valse caprice No. 2 in D-flat Major, op. 38 S
SCHUMANN Fantasy in C Major, op. 17

Born in Santiago, Gustavo Miranda-Bernales began studying piano at the age of nine. He has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra, Orquesta de Cámara del Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile. Competition credits include first prize at the Juilliard Concerto Competition, and first prizes in 2001, 2003, and 2005, at the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition in Quilpué, Chile. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and is currently pursuing his master’s degree there.

François Dumont- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital II

FRANÇOIS DUMONT
France | Age 27

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
DEBUSSY Estampes
CHOPIN Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, op. 58

Born in Lyon, François Dumont entered the Paris Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique when he was fourteen years old, and later studied at the International Piano Academy Lake Como in Italy. He has performed in many of the major venues in France, and has been invited to perform as soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Lausanne, the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Poland with Antoni Wit, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has taken the stage in Belgium, China, France, Germany, Latvia, Poland, and the United States. Mr. Dumont’s recording of the complete Mozart sonatas for Anima Records received the Maestro Award from Pianiste magazine. Other solo recordings include works by Chopin and the complete piano works of Ravel. Mr. Dumont currently resides in Brussels, Belgium.

Alex McDonald- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital II

ALEX MCDONALD
United States | Age 30

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
RAVEL From Miroirs, Osieaux tristes, Alborada del gracioso
LISZT Les jeux d’eaux a la Villa d’Este
CHOPIN Nocturne in C Minor, op. 48, no. 1
STRAVINSKY Trois Mouvements de Petrouchka

Alex McDonald gave his orchestral debut at the age of eleven, and has since taken the stage as soloist with the Louisiana Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México in Toluca, the Utah Symphony, and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras, among others. He has performed across the United States, as well as in Canada, Israel, South Korea, and in Japan, where he also organized relief concerts for displaced survivors of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Additionally, he has been featured on NPR, PBS, WQXR, and WRR. He received his doctoral and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School and earned his bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. His doctoral document, a source study on manuscripts and editions for Liszt’s Sonata in B Minor, has been cited in the most recent edition of the sonata by Alfred Publishers, edited by Nancy Bricard. Dr. McDonald currently resides in Dallas, Texas.

Jie Yuan- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital II

JIE YUAN
China| Age 27

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
LIGETI Musica ricercata Nos. 3, 6, and 10
CHOPIN Twenty-four Preludes, op. 28

Born in Changchun, Jie Yuan received major prizes at both the 2009 Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition and the 2007 Shanghai International Piano Competition. He maintains an active performance schedule and has appeared with the China Philharmonic, Haydn Festival, Morocco Royal Philharmonic, Shenzhen Symphony, and Tulsa Symphony Orchestras. Mr. Yuan earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Christian University. He currently resides in New York City, where he studies at The Juilliard School.

Ruoyu Huang- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital

RUOYU HUANG
China| Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
HAYDN Sonata in E Major, Hob. XVI: 31
CHOPIN Etude in E Minor, op. 28
CHOPIN Twenty-four Preludes, op. 28

Ruoyu Huang was born in Chengdu and began learning piano at four years of age. He made his debut recital at the age of fourteen, and has since performed with the Chengdu, China, Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras. Competition credits include major prizes at the Asian Chopin International Concerto Competition, China International Piano Competition, and Oberlin International Piano Competition. Mr. Huang moved to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2002. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at The Juilliard School.

Steven Lin- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

STEVEN LIN
United States| Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
HAYDN Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:50
CHOPIN Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat Major, op. 29 I Impromptu No. 2 in F-sharp Major, op. 36 I Impromptu No. 3 in G-flat Major, op. 51
LISZT Reminiscences de Don Juan (after Mozart)

Steven Lin made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in Avery Fisher Hall at the age of thirteen. Additional concerto appearances include those with the Baltimore Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Orlando Philharmonic, Sendai Symphony, and Tulsa Symphony Orchestras. He has made recital, chamber, and concerto appearances around the world at major venues, including the Louvre and Salle Cortot in France, National Dublin Hall in Ireland, Seoul Arts Center in South Korea, and Sendai Cultural Center in Japan, as well as at New York’s Avery Fisher Hall. At the age of ten, he entered the pre-college division of The Juilliard School, where he continues his studies today.

Lindsay Garritson- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

LINDSAY GARRITSON
United States | Age 25

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
MOZART Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 333
LISZT Les jeux d’eaux a la Villa d’este I Transcendental Etude No. 8: Wilde Jagd
CHOPIN Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52

Second-prize winner at the 2011 Montreal International Musical Competition and winner of the 2011 Yale School of Music Woolsey Concerto Competition, Lindsay Garritson has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and at Steinway Hall in New York. She has taken the stage as soloist with the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, the European Philharmonic Orchestra in France, the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal, the Orquestra Sinfónica Barra Mansa in Brazil, the St. Louis Youth Orchestra, and the Yale Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. Ms. Garritson holds a Bachelor of Arts in music from Principia College and a Master of Music and artist diploma from the Yale School of Music.

Nikolay Khozyainov- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

NIKOLAY KHOZYAINOV
Russia | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
CHOPIN
Barcarolle in F-fharp Major, op. 60
Etude in A Minor, op. 10, no. 2
Berceuse in D-flat Major, op. 57

LISZT
Sonata in B Minor

Nikolay Khozyainov made his debut at age seven in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He has since garnered numerous prizes, including top prizes at the Dublin and Sydney International Piano Competitions and the Moscow International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition for Young Pianists. Additionally, he was the youngest finalist competing in the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2010. He has appeared with the Sydney Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras, among others. Mr. Khozyainov released his first CD, featuring works by Chopin and Liszt, on the Accord label in 2010. He followed this in 2012 with an all-Chopin disc released by the Chopin Institute in Warsaw and another recording on the JVC Victor label in Japan. He is currently enrolled at the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Nikolay Khozyainov- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

NIKOLAY KHOZYAINOV
Russia | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
HAYDN Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:33
CHOPIN Étude in C Major, op. 10, no. 1
LISZT Transcendental Étude No. 5: Feux follets
SCRIABIN Étude in C-sharp Minor, op. 42, no. 5
RAVEL Gaspard de la nuit

Nikolay Khozyainov made his debut at age seven in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He has since garnered numerous prizes, including top prizes at the Dublin and Sydney International Piano Competitions and the Moscow International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition for Young Pianists. Additionally, he was the youngest finalist competing in the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2010. He has appeared with the Sydney Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras, among others. Mr. Khozyainov released his first CD, featuring works by Chopin and Liszt, on the Accord label in 2010. He followed this in 2012 with an all-Chopin disc released by the Chopin Institute in Warsaw and another recording on the JVC Victor label in Japan. He is currently enrolled at the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Marcin Koziak- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

MARCIN KOZIAK
Poland | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

CHOPIN
Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 31
Nocturne in F-sharp Major, op. 15, no. 2

SZYMANOWSKI
Mazurkas, op. 50, nos. 1-4

RACHMANINOV
Sonta No. 2 in B-flat, Minor, op. 36 (1931)

Marcin Koziak was born into a musical family in Krakow, and made his debut at the age of eleven with the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra. He has performed with the Beethoven Academy, China National Symphony, Lodz Philharmonic, Poznan Philharmonic, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras, and was invited to make appearances at the International Chopin (Duszniki-Zdroj), La Folle Jornée au Japon, La Roque d’Anthéron, and Rubinstein Festivals. He has performed extensively throughout Europe, Japan, and the United States as well. In 2011, he was privileged to give a recital in Warsaw for Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and the first lady of the Republic of Poland, Anna Komorowska; two months later he took part in a grand concert in Rome organized for the occasion of the beginning of the Polish presidency in the European Union. Mr. Koziak currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas, where he studies at Texas Christian University

Gustavo Miranda-Bernales- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

GUSTAVO MIRANDA-BERNALES
Chile | Age 22

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCHUBERT  Four Impromptus, D. 935, op. 142
CHOPIN  Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, op. 60

Born in Santiago, Gustavo Miranda-Bernales began studying piano at the age of nine. He has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra, Orquesta de Cámara del Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile. Competition credits include first prize at the Juilliard Concerto Competition, and first prizes in 2001, 2003, and 2005, at the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition in Quilpué, Chile. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and is currently pursuing his master’s degree there.

Eric Zuber- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

ERIC ZUBER
United States | Age 28

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
MOZART Rondo in A Minor, K. 511
CHOPIN Twelve Etudes, op. 10

After making his orchestral debut at the age of twelve with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Eric Zuber went on to perform with the Calgary Philharmonic, Cleveland, Israel Philharmonic, and Minnesota Orchestras, in addition to various others. He has also given solo recitals at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, Dublin National Theatre, the Kennedy Center, the Great Hall at the University of Leeds, and the Seoul Arts Center. He has been finalist and prizewinner at nine international piano competitions, including the Arthur Rubinstein, Bösendorfer, Cleveland, Dublin, and Honens. Mr. Zuber holds a bachelor’s degree and an artist diploma from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, as well as an artist diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, and a master’s degree from The Juilliard School. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the Peabody Institute.

Jayson Gillham- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Recital

JAYSON GILLHAM
Australia-United Kingdom | Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
THEOFANIDIS Birichino
CHOPIN Rondo in E-flat Major, op. 16
DEBUSSY From Études, Book II
No. 7: Pour les degrés chromatiques
No. 11: Pour les arpegés composes
No. 12: Pour les accords
BRAHMS Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, op. 24

Jayson Gillham has performed with the United Kingdom’s Hallé Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, China’s Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra, and in major venues throughout Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He plays regularly in Australia, returning each year for recital, concerto, chamber music, and festival appearances. Mr. Gillham was named Commonwealth Musician of the Year in 2012, upon winning the Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition, and received a gold medal from HRH Princess Alexandra. A graduate of Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, he relocated to London in 2007 to pursue a master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music. Mr. Gillham is also a cultural ambassador for the Hearts for Africa (Amani) Foundation.

Nikita Mndoyants- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

NIKITA MNDOYANTS
Russia | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, op. 11
CHOPIN Polonaise-fantaise in A-flat Major, op. 61
PROKOFIEV Scherzo, op. 12, no. 10

Born into a family of professional musicians, Nikita Mndoyants began to play piano and compose music at an early age. He gave his first public recital when he was ten, and one year later released his first recording of a live performance at the Sibelius Academy Concert Hall in Helsinki. Since then, Mr. Mndoyants has toured throughout China, Estonia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. He has been invited to perform in several festivals, including the Chopin Festival in Duszniki-Zdroj, the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York, and a festival dedicated to the World Economic Forum in Davos. His compositions are featured on two recordings released by Classical Records in 2007. Mr. Mndoyants is currently pursuing postgraduate studies at the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he also received a degree in piano and composition.

François Dumont- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

FRANÇOIS DUMONT
France | Age 27

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
MOZART Sonata in A Minor, K. 310
RAVEL Gaspard de la nuit
CHOPIN Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, op. 39

Born in Lyon, François Dumont entered the Paris Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique when he was fourteen years old, and later studied at the International Piano Academy Lake Como in Italy. He has performed in many of the major venues in France, and has been invited to perform as soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Lausanne, the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Poland with Antoni Wit, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has taken the stage in Belgium, China, France, Germany, Latvia, Poland, and the United States. Mr. Dumont’s recording of the complete Mozart sonatas for Anima Records received the Maestro Award from Pianiste magazine. Other solo recordings include works by Chopin and the complete piano works of Ravel. Mr. Dumont currently resides in Brussels, Belgium.

Fei-Fei Dong- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Round Recital

FEI-FEI DONG
China | Age 22

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
MOZART Sonata in D Major, K. 576
THEOFANIDIS Birichino
CHOPIN Twenty-four Preludes, op. 28

Born in Shenzhen, Fei-Fei Dong gave her first recital at age ten; this was followed three years later by her orchestral debut with the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has since made debuts in Alice Tully Hall and the Louvre Auditorium, and with the Aspen Music Festival, Hong Kong, Juilliard, Shanxi, and Shenzhen Symphony Orchestras. Ms. Dong is a first-prize winner of several competitions in China, including the Schumann International Piano Competition for Young Musicians, the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Piano Competition, and the 65th Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition. Ms. Dong currently lives in New York, where she is pursuing her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School.

Alessandro Deljavan- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

ALESSANDRO DELJAVAN
Italy | Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
BACH Partita No. 5 in G Major, BWV 829
CHOPIN Twelve Études, op. 25

Alessandro Deljavan began studying piano before he was two years old, and went on to win top prizes at national and international competitions as a child and teenager. He has since performed in the major cities of Italy, as well as in Argentina, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and the United States, and with the Haydn Orchester, as well as the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra. He has recorded the works of Alkan, Brahms, Busoni, Cramer, Rubinstein, Satie, Schubert, and Schumann for the Naxos, Brilliant, OnClassical, Piano Classics, and Stradivarius labels. He will also be featured alongside Evgeny Kissin, Antonio Pappano, and Charles Rosen in a film about Liszt, produced and broadcast by Italian RAI TV. An avid chamber musician, he has performed with the Sine Nomine Quartet, the Takács Quartet, and the Orchestra Sinfonica Verdi, with which he also conducted. He plays regularly with his violinist partner Daniela Cammarano as well. Mr. Deljavan makes his home in Pescara, Italy, and is currently a Theo Lieven Scholar at the Conservatory of Lugano.

Beatrice Rana- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Recital

BEATRICE RANA
2013 Silver Medalist
Italy | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Recital
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCRIABIN Sonata No. 2 in G-sharp Minor, op. 19 (“Sonata-Fantasy”)
THEOFANIDIS Birichino
CHOPIN Twenty-four Preludes, op. 28

Born into a family of musicians, Beatrice Rana began musical studies at the age of four and made her concerto debut when she was nine. She has been invited to perform at the Busoni, La Folle Journée, La Roque d’Antherón, Lanaudière, and Radio-France Festivals, and as soloist with the Aarhus Symfoniorkester, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Kuala Lumpur Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. First prize winner of the 2011 Montreal International Musical Competition, Ms. Rana also took first prize at the Muzio Clementi and Bang & Olufsen Piano Competitions. She released her first CD in 2012 of works by Scriabin and Chopin on ATMA Classique. She currently studies at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, having previously graduated from the Nino Rota Conservatory of Music.

Sean Chen- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

SEAN CHEN
2013 Bronze Medalist
United States | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
BACH French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816
BARTOK Three Etudes, op. 18
CHOPIN Three Mazurkas, op. 59
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 5, op. 53

Second-prize winner at the 2011 Seoul International Music Competition and Christel DeHaan Classical Fellow of the American Pianists Association, Sean Chen has performed with several orchestras, including the Indianapolis Chamber, Juilliard, New West Symphony, and Suwon Philharmonic. He has presented solo recitals in Albuquerque, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Taipei, among other cities. Additional awards include top prize at the 2010 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition at Juilliard, the 2010 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship, Best Performance of an American Work at the 2009 Cleveland International Piano Competition, Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Award, and an NFAA ARTS week award. Born in Florida, Mr. Chen grew up in Oak Park, California, and now resides in New Haven, Connecticut, where he is pursuing his artist diploma at the Yale School of Music. When not at the piano, he enjoys tinkering with computers and composing.

Fei-Fei Dong- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

FEI-FEI DONG
China | Age 22

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
CLEMENTI Sonata in F Sharp Minor, op. 25, no.5
SCHUMANN Novelette in F-Sharp Minor, op. 21, no.8
CHOPIN Rondo in E-flat Major, op. 16
LIEBERMANN Gargoyes, op. 29

Born in Shenzhen, Fei-Fei Dong gave her first recital at age ten; this was followed three years later by her orchestral debut with the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has since made debuts in Alice Tully Hall and the Louvre Auditorium, and with the Aspen Music Festival, Hong Kong, Juilliard, Shanxi, and Shenzhen Symphony Orchestras. Ms. Dong is a first-prize winner of several competitions in China, including the Schumann International Piano Competition for Young Musicians, the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Piano Competition, and the 65th Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition. Ms. Dong currently lives in New York, where she is pursuing her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School.

Giuseppe Greco -Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

GIUSEPPE GRECO
Italy | Age 23

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
CHOPIN Polonaise-fantaisie in A-flat Major, op. 61
PROKOFIEV Sonata No.8 in B-flat Major, op. 84

Giuseppe Greco began studying piano at the age of ten, and just five years later graduated with highest marks. He has performed at the Tuscia Opera festival with the Viterbo Orchestra and in major venues throughout Italy. He was first-prize winner at the 2009 Arcangelo Speranza International Piano Competition in Taranto, Italy, and in 2011, was awarded the Yamaha Scholarship, offered to the top Italian pianist by the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe. In 2010, he received a medal from the president of Italy. Mr. Greco recently graduated from the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome.

EunAe Lee – Cliburn 2017 Preliminary Recital

EUNAE LEE
South Korea | Age 29

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital – Saturday, May 27, 2017 – 8:20 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

HAYDN Sonata in B-flat Major, Hob. XVI:41
DEBUSSY Étude pour les arpèges composés
CHOPIN Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, op. 58
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”

EunAe Lee, born in Seoul, made her solo debut at age 14, performing the Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra under Bong Kim. She won a full scholarship to The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division and completed the five-year accelerated bachelor’s and master’s degree program. She earned a professional studies diploma at the Mannes School of Music, studying with Richard Goode, and is now at Northwestern University with James Giles. Ms. Lee won second prize and the Yehuda Meir memorial award for outstanding performance of a Chopin etude at the 2015 Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Competition. She also won prizes at the 2014 Hilton Head International Piano Competition and the 2011 ARD International Music Competition in Munich, where she performed the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performance highlights include solo and chamber appearances at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, Merkin Hall, and the Mannes Concert Hall, among others. Away from the piano, Ms. Lee enjoys swimming, watching soccer games, and reading plays.

Yutong Sun – Cliburn 2017 Quarterfinal Recital

YUTONG SUN
China | Age 21

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round Recital – Monday, May 29, 2017 – 8:20 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

CHOPIN Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat Major, op. 29
CHOPIN Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, op. 23
BACH Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Minor, BWV 853
LIGETI Etude No. 13 “L’escalier du diable”
BARTÓK Sonata (1926)

Yutong Sun studies with Alexander Korsantia at the New England Conservatory. He has won awards at a number of competitions, including third prize at the 2016 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona, first prize at the 2012 Jaén Award International Piano Competition (Spain), and second prize at the 2011 New Orleans International Piano Competition for Young Artists. He made his recital debut at age 10 in Beijing and his orchestra debut with the Orchestra of Granada in Spain at age 16. Mr. Sun has performed with orchestras and in recital in China, France, Spain, and the United States. In 2013, he released a recording of a recital performance as part of the Laureate Series on the Naxos label. When not playing music, he likes to watch movies and sports.

Luigi Carroccia – Cliburn 2017 Quarterfinal Recital

LUIGI CARROCCIA
Italy | Age 25

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round Recital – Monday, May 29, 2017 – 9:25 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

CHOPIN Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, op. 60
CHOPIN Two Nocturnes, op. 62
CZERNY Variations from a Theme by Rode in E-flat Major, op. 33
KABALEVSKY Rondo in A Minor, op. 59

Luigi Carroccia was born into a musical family, and his first piano teachers were his father and grandfather. He continued studies at the Claudio Monteverdi Conservatory in Bolzano, where he earned undergraduate and master’s degrees with honors. He has won prizes in many competitions, such as the Maria Herrero International Competition in Granada and the Premio Abbado, organized by the Italian Ministry of Culture in memory of Claudio Abbado.  He also was a finalist at the 2015 Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition and a semifinalist at the 2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Competition. Mr. Carroccia has given numerous recitals in Naples, Rome, and elsewhere in Italy, as well as in Poland, the United States, Great Britain, Bulgaria, and Germany. Besides music, his passions include cooking.

Dasol Kim – Cliburn 2017 Quarterfinal Recital

DASOL KIM
South Korea | Age 28

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round Recital – Monday, May 29, 2017 – 2:30 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCRIABIN Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, op. 30
CHOPIN 24 Preludes, op. 28

Dasol Kim has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and many more, and with notable conductors including Alan Gilbert, Marin Alsop, and David Zinman. He was a first-prize winner of the 2015 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, 2010 Young Concert Artists European Auditions, and 2011 Epinal International Piano Competition. Mr. Kim has appeared at festivals including La Roque-d’Anthéron in France, the Kissinger Sommer in Germany, and the PyeongChang Music Festival in Korea. His chamber-music collaborators include cellists Gautier Capuçon and Myung-wha Chung, violinist Svetlin Roussev, and violist Maxim Rysanov, among others. His debut CD, Dasol Kim Plays Schumann, was released on Deutsche Grammophon in 2015. He currently studies at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover with Arie Vardi. Away from the piano, Mr. Kim loves literature, movies, and running, as well as restaurants and wine.

Honggi Kim – Cliburn 2017 Preliminary Recital

HONGGI KIM
South Korea | Age 25

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital – Sunday, May 28, 2017 – 2:30 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
CHOPIN Rondo in E-flat Major, op. 16
RAVEL Gaspard de la nuit
LISZT-VOLODOS Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 in A Minor

Honggi Kim won the Isang Yun International Music Competition in Korea and also has earned top prizes at the Geneva International Music Competition and China International Piano Competition. He was born in Seoul and pursued music at the Seoul Arts High School and Korea National University of Arts. He is a graduate of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München and is now studying at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt with Arnulf von Arnim. Mr. Kim has given recitals in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, China, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, and performed with orchestras including Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Macau Orchestra, Changwon Symphony Orchestra, Wonju Symphony Orchestra, and Korean Symphony Orchestra. Away from the piano, Mr. Kim enjoys jogging and cooking.

Nikolay Khozyainov – Cliburn 2017 Preliminary Recital

NIKOLAY KHOZYAINOV
Russia| Age 24

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital – Saturday, May 27, 2017 – 10:50 a.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

HAYDN Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:33
CHOPIN Etude in C Major, op. 10, no. 1
RACHMANINOFF Étude-Tableau in C Minor, op. 39, no. 1
LISZT Après un lecture de Dante (Fantasia quasi sonata)
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”

Nikolay Khozyainov was born in Blagoveshchensk in far eastern Russia and made his debut at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory at age 7 in a Handel piano concerto. He won first prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition, second prize at the Sydney International Piano Competition, and was a finalist at the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Mr. Khozyainov has performed at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall in London, and Lincoln Center in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington, the Théâtre de Champs-Élysées and the Louvre in Paris, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, and Suntory Hall in Tokyo. He has recorded several CDs and has performed concertos with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, and many others. Mr. Khozyainov is now pursuing an advanced degree at the Hochschule für Musik Theater und Medien Hannover, where he studies with Arie Vardi. When he’s not playing piano, he likes listening to opera and often visits opera theaters.

Luigi Carroccia – Cliburn 2017 Preliminary Recital

LUIGI CARROCCIA
Italy | Age 25

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital – Saturday, May 27, 2017 – 10:00 a.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

GLUCK-SGAMBATI “Mélodie” from Orfeo ed Euridice
CHOPIN Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat Major, op. 61
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp Minor, op. 23
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”

Luigi Carroccia was born into a musical family, and his first piano teachers were his father and grandfather. He continued studies at the Claudio Monteverdi Conservatory in Bolzano, where he earned undergraduate and master’s degrees with honors. He has won prizes in many competitions, such as the Maria Herrero International Competition in Granada and the Premio Abbado, organized by the Italian Ministry of Culture in memory of Claudio Abbado.  He also was a finalist at the 2015 Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition and a semifinalist at the 2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Competition. Mr. Carroccia has given numerous recitals in Naples, Rome, and elsewhere in Italy, as well as in Poland, the United States, Great Britain, Bulgaria, and Germany. Besides music, his passions include cooking.

Yutong Sun – Cliburn 2017 Preliminary Recital

YUTONG SUN
China | Age 21

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital – Friday, May 26, 2017 – 9:25 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
SHOSTAKOVICH Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, op. 87, no. 24
CHOPIN Nocturne in C Minor, op. 48, no. 1
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, op. 83

Yutong Sun studies with Alexander Korsantia at the New England Conservatory. He has won awards at a number of competitions, including third prize at the 2016 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona, first prize at the 2012 Jaén Award International Piano Competition (Spain), and second prize at the 2011 New Orleans International Piano Competition for Young Artists. He made his recital debut at age 10 in Beijing and his orchestra debut with the Orchestra of Granada in Spain at age 16. Mr. Sun has performed with orchestras and in recital in China, France, Spain, and the United States. In 2013, he released a recording of a recital performance as part of the Laureate Series on the Naxos label. When not playing music, he likes to watch movies and sports.

Madoka Fukami – Cliburn 2017 Preliminary Recital

MADOKA FUKAMI
Japan | Age 28

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital – Thursday, May 25, 2017 – 3:20 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

GINASTERA Sonata No. 1, op. 22
BEETHOVEN Rondo in G Major, op. 51, no. 2
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
RAVEL “Ondine” from Gaspard de la nuit
CHOPIN Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat Major, op. 61

Madoka Fukami studied at the Tokyo National University of the Arts, then earned two master’s degrees at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris, and a concert artist diploma at the Ecole normale de musique de Paris. She has been artist in residence at Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium under the direction of Maria João Pires. Ms. Fukami has won prizes at more than 10 international competitions and has performed with the NHK Orchestra, Porto National Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, and the Chamber Orchestra of Paris. Her recent recital and concerto appearances include the Théâtre des Champs Élysées in Paris and the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, among others. She has a particular passion for French music. She won the Maurice Ravel Foundation prize for her Ravel performances at the Long-Thibaud-Crespin competition, and her recital of Debussy’s complete etudes was broadcast by Radio France’s France Musique. She loves cooking, fitness, musical theater, and visiting art galleries.

Leonardo Pierdomenico – Cliburn 2017 Semifinal Recital

LEONARDO PIERDOMENICO
Italy | Age 24

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital – Monday, June 5, 2017 – 2:30 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, op. 7
CHOPIN Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, op. 23
CHOPIN Ballade No. 2 in F Major, op. 38
CHOPIN Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, op. 47
CHOPIN Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52

Leonardo Pierdomenico is studying for his master’s degree under Benedetto Lupo at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Born in Pescara, he graduated from the Luisa D’Annunzio conservatory there, then studied at the Fiesole School of Music. Mr. Pierdomenico won the 2011 Premio Venezia piano competition in Venice and was a semifinalist at the 2016 Queen Elisabeth Competition, where his Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G Minor was included on the best-of-competition CD, released by harmonia mundi. Mr. Pierdomenico was named a fellow of the 2016 Music Academy of the West Festival in Santa Barbara, where he worked with artists such as Jeremy Denk, Jerome Lowenthal, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Julian Martin, and Leon Fleisher. He also has played solo recitals in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, and in the major venues of Italy, and his performances have been featured on the radio in Belgium, Italy, and Santa Barbara, California. In 2011, he was awarded a medal for his artistic achievements by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. When not at the piano, Mr. Pierdomenico especially enjoys painting and soccer.

Tony Yike Yang – Cliburn 2017 Semifinal Recital

TONY YIKE YANG
Canada | Age 18

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital – Saturday, June 3, 2017 – 2:30 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCARLATTI Sonata in A Major, K. 212
SCARLATTI Sonata in D Minor, K. 9
CHOPIN Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 35
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition

Tony Yike Yang is enrolled at Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studies with Wha Kyung Byun. He previously studied in the Pre-College Division at The Juilliard School and at the Taylor Academy of the Royal Conservatory in Toronto. Mr. Yang won fifth prize at the 2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition as well as the Ewa & Włodzimierz Kamirski Award for the Youngest Finalist, and earned a Jury Discretionary Award at the First Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition in 2015. He also has won top prizes at Thomas & Evon Cooper, Hilton Head, Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Junior, and Gina Bachauer International Junior piano competitions. He has appeared with The Cleveland Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, Montreal’s Orchestre Metropolitain, and Toronto Sinfonietta. When he’s not playing piano, Mr. Yang loves badminton, ping-pong, video games, swimming, movies, and spicy food.

Kenny Broberg – Cliburn 2017 Quarterfinal Recital

KENNY BROBERG
2017 CLIBURN SILVER MEDALIST
United States | Age 23

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round Recital – Tuesday, May 30, 2017 – 10:50 a.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, op. 30
CHOPIN Three Mazurkas, op. 59
CHOPIN Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52
LISZT Après une lecture de Dante (Fantasia quasi sonata)

A native of Minneapolis, Kenneth Broberg studied piano from age 6 through high school under Dr. Joseph Zins. He continued his studies with Nancy Weems at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree. He is now a graduate student working with 2001 Cliburn gold medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch at Park University in Parkville, Missouri. Mr. Broberg has won first prizes at the Hastings and Dallas international piano competitions, in addition to medals at the Sydney, Seattle, New Orleans, and Wideman (Shreveport) competitions. Several of his performances at last year’s Sydney International Piano Competition were released on CD on the Universal Music label. He has performed as soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Dallas Chamber Symphony, and the Louisiana Philharmonic, among others. Mr. Broberg has had solo, chamber, and concerto performances broadcast on NPR and ABC (Australia) radio. His passions include hockey, baseball, books, and movies.