Chopin Festival 2024
Summary
We had a wonderful event with 20 participants over two days, Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, 2024. We had 16 live and 4 remote performances followed by lectures and recitals by our two judges and 12 master classes.
We are grateful to our friends at Kawai Piano Gallery for their generous support in providing a beautiful venue with a magnificent concert Shigeru grand. We also thank ourOur judges for the event will be Sohyoung Park of Rice University and Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn from the Uniwersytet Muzyczny Fryderyka Chopina (UFMC) in Poland.
We had a wonderful event with 20 participants over two days, Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, 2024. We had 16 live and 4 remote performances followed by lectures and recitals by our two judges and 12 master classes.
We are grateful to our friends at Kawai Piano Gallery for their generous support in providing a beautiful venue with a magnificent concert Shigeru grand. We also thank ourOur judges for the event will be Sohyoung Park of Rice University and Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn from the Uniwersytet Muzyczny Fryderyka Chopina (UFMC) in Poland.
Here is a playlist of the two large videos from the Saturday and Sunday meetings. They play in sequence, but you can use the forward button to move to Sunday from Saturday. Enjoy!
Weekend Schedule
Saturday
Recital, 10:00am to 12:15pm
Live Performance
Lunch Break, 12:15pm - 1:15pm
The Society will provide lunch for all participants. Participants are encouraged to bring a beverage.
Lecture and Performance by Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn, 1:15pm to 1:45pm
The subjects will be "Mazurkas - Chopin’s favorite genre" and "Basic principles of interpreting Chopin’s music and scope of individual artistic freedom"
Master Classes, 2:00pm to 4:30pm
Master classes will be held, in parallel, in the Concert Hall with the concert grand and the Shigeru Room with smaller grand. Each judge will give a 45-minute master class to the participant. All others are encouraged to attend and listen in on these informative classes.
Concert Hall
Shigeru Room
Sunday
Recital, 10:00am to 12:15pm
Live Performance
Lunch Break, 12:15pm - 1:15pm
The Society will provide lunch for all participants. Participants are encouraged to bring a beverage.
Lecture and Performance by Sohyoung Park, 1:15pm to 1:45pm
The technical and interpretive challenges of Chopin's fourth ballade.
Master Classes, 2:00pm to 4:30pm
Master classes will be held, in parallel, in the Concert Hall with the concert grand and the Shigeru Room with smaller grand. Each judge will give a 45-minute master class to the participant. All others are encouraged to attend and listen in on these informative classes.
Concert Hall
Shigeru Room
Recital, 10:00am to 12:15pm
Live Performance
- Bertrand Moser, Ballade in A-flat Major, Op. 47, 10 minutes
- Michael Rydin, Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4, Waltz in B minor, Op. 69, No. 2, Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1, 13 minutes
- Bradford Sumner, Ballade in F minor, Op. 52, 15 minutes
- Terri Siegel, Waltz in A minor (Grande Valse Brillante), Op. 34, No. 2, Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1, 14 minutes
- Jennifer Watt, Waltz in F minor, Op. 70, No. 2, Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 28, No. 15, 11 minutes
- Grace Huang, Ballade in F minor, Op. 52, Etude in C Major, Op. 10, No. 1, 14 minutes
- Christopher "Matt" Manuel, Mazurka in A minor, Op. 59, No. 1, Impromptu in G-flat Major, Op. 51, Polonaise in B-flat Major, Op. 71, No. 2, 15 minutes
- Thang Dinh, Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2 Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. Posth., Etude in E Major, Op. 10, No. 3, 15 minutes
- Asako Tsumagari, Mazurka in B-flat minor, Op. 24, No. 4, 5 minutes
- Roni Binshtock, Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2, 11 minutes
Lunch Break, 12:15pm - 1:15pm
The Society will provide lunch for all participants. Participants are encouraged to bring a beverage.
Lecture and Performance by Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn, 1:15pm to 1:45pm
The subjects will be "Mazurkas - Chopin’s favorite genre" and "Basic principles of interpreting Chopin’s music and scope of individual artistic freedom"
- Two Mazurkas op.50: G major no 1, A flat major no 2
- Fantasie-Impromptu C sharp minor op.66
Master Classes, 2:00pm to 4:30pm
Master classes will be held, in parallel, in the Concert Hall with the concert grand and the Shigeru Room with smaller grand. Each judge will give a 45-minute master class to the participant. All others are encouraged to attend and listen in on these informative classes.
Concert Hall
- Michael Rydin, Live with Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn
- Grace Huang, Live with Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn
- Jennifer Watt, Live with Sohyoung Park
Shigeru Room
- Bradford Sumner, Live with Sohyoung Park
- Asako Tsumagari, Remote with Sohyoung Park
- Roni Binshtock , Remote with Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn
Sunday
Recital, 10:00am to 12:15pm
Live Performance
- Bill Garodnick, Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1, Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55, No. 1, 14 minutes
- James Willsey, Ballade in F Major, Op. 38, 8 minutes
- Jerry Jones, Ballade in F minor, Op. 52, 14 minutes
- Tony Tran, Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17, No. 4, Ballade in G minor, Op. 23, 15 minutes
- Philip Walker, Scherzo in B-flat minor, Op. 31, Nocturne in E minor, Op. 72, No. 1, 14 minutes
- June Kim, Ballade in A-flat Major, Op. 47, 8 minutes
- Eileen Gu, Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2, 6 minutes
- John Schlorff, Polonaise in C-sharp minor, Op. 26, No. 1, Polonaise in E-flat minor, Op. 26, No. 2, 14 minutes
- Emily Chen, Ballade in G minor, Op. 23 ,10 minutes
- John Slaby, Berceuse in D-flat Major, Op. 57, 6 minutes
Lunch Break, 12:15pm - 1:15pm
The Society will provide lunch for all participants. Participants are encouraged to bring a beverage.
Lecture and Performance by Sohyoung Park, 1:15pm to 1:45pm
The technical and interpretive challenges of Chopin's fourth ballade.
- Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op.52.
Master Classes, 2:00pm to 4:30pm
Master classes will be held, in parallel, in the Concert Hall with the concert grand and the Shigeru Room with smaller grand. Each judge will give a 45-minute master class to the participant. All others are encouraged to attend and listen in on these informative classes.
Concert Hall
- Bill Garodnick, Live with Sohyoung Park
- Philip Walker, Live with Sohyoung Park
- Jerry Jones, Live with Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn
Shigeru Room
- June Kim, Live with Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn
- Eileen Gu, LIve with Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn
- John Schlorff, Live with Sohyoung Park
We intend to offer participants to play either live or to record their performance. The entire event will be broadcast on Zoom (or equivalent). We expect to begin the event with the live performances followed by playing the submitted recordings. We hope each judge will say a few words about performing Chopin and play a short recital. This will be followed by the master classes: live and virtual.
The on-line application is available in our Store. Select one of the two products: "Recital Only" or "Recital and Master Class". Within each product you may select "Live" or "Recorded" performance. If you choose "Recorded", provide a link to the site where the video may be downloaded (the link does not have to be submitted with the application and may be sent later via email).
The deadline for the application is October 5, 2024.
Deadline for receipt of the recorded performances is Saturday, October 12. You may submit your application without the recorded performance link and email the Society with the download link before October 12.
If you choose to record your playing, please get the best results possible. A smartphone can make a reasonable recording (be advised that placing the phone on the keyblock is not recommended; the video should be taken from a distance of several feet at least). If you use a video camera it is a good idea to disable the automatic sound level adjustment, if possible, so that dynamic levels of your playing can be clearly heard.
The on-line application is available in our Store. Select one of the two products: "Recital Only" or "Recital and Master Class". Within each product you may select "Live" or "Recorded" performance. If you choose "Recorded", provide a link to the site where the video may be downloaded (the link does not have to be submitted with the application and may be sent later via email).
The deadline for the application is October 5, 2024.
Deadline for receipt of the recorded performances is Saturday, October 12. You may submit your application without the recorded performance link and email the Society with the download link before October 12.
If you choose to record your playing, please get the best results possible. A smartphone can make a reasonable recording (be advised that placing the phone on the keyblock is not recommended; the video should be taken from a distance of several feet at least). If you use a video camera it is a good idea to disable the automatic sound level adjustment, if possible, so that dynamic levels of your playing can be clearly heard.
Recital
Recital participants are invited to perform a selection of one longer or several shorter contrasting compositions of Chopin up to the time limit of 15 minutes. Participants are NOT required to perform works from memory and may use original sheet music. There is no repertoire requirement other than the work must be by Chopin. Please note only original versions will be accepted – no transcriptions, no arrangements!
Participants will receive written comments from the judges as well as a certificate signed by the judges.
Master Classes
Master classes will be offered. Participants must select a composition by Chopin for instruction, preferably a piece performed during the recital. Please indicate preferred Master Class Presenter on the application form. Preferences will be filled in order of receipt of the applications.
Judges
We have two judges who will provide written evaluations for the recital, teach the master classes and perhaps give a short performance and lecture. We are excited to have Sohyoung Park of Rice University and newest member of our Society. We will also have Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn from the Uniwersytet Muzyczny Fryderyka Chopina (UFMC) in Poland.
Recital participants are invited to perform a selection of one longer or several shorter contrasting compositions of Chopin up to the time limit of 15 minutes. Participants are NOT required to perform works from memory and may use original sheet music. There is no repertoire requirement other than the work must be by Chopin. Please note only original versions will be accepted – no transcriptions, no arrangements!
Participants will receive written comments from the judges as well as a certificate signed by the judges.
Master Classes
Master classes will be offered. Participants must select a composition by Chopin for instruction, preferably a piece performed during the recital. Please indicate preferred Master Class Presenter on the application form. Preferences will be filled in order of receipt of the applications.
Judges
We have two judges who will provide written evaluations for the recital, teach the master classes and perhaps give a short performance and lecture. We are excited to have Sohyoung Park of Rice University and newest member of our Society. We will also have Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn from the Uniwersytet Muzyczny Fryderyka Chopina (UFMC) in Poland.