FORT WORTH, Texas, February 19, 2015—Cliburn President and CEO Jacques Marquis announces today that 2013 Finalist Tomoki Sakata will now be added to the line-up of the 2015 Cliburn Festival: the works of Chopin held March 5–8, 2015 at the Kimbell Art Museum’s Piano Pavilion. Mr. Sakata will perform Friday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. in replacement of Davide Cabassi, who cancelled his appearance for personal reasons.
The Cliburn Festival is a new annual initiative designed to examine different perspectives in music—such as the work of a singular composer, the music of a particular moment in history, or a significant stylistic movement. This inaugural year will focus on the works of Chopin and be comprised of five concerts. General admission tickets for individual performances are $35. Festival subscription packages are $150 for general admission tickets to all performances. Festival circle subscriptions are also available at $300 and include reserved seating and other amenities. Individual tickets and subscriptions are on sale now online at Cliburn.org,by calling 817.212.4280,or in person at the Bass Hall Box Office (525 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, TX).
2015 CLIBURN FESTIVAL: the works of Chopin
Thursday, March 5 – 7:30 p.m.
Mariangela Vacatello, piano
with Allan Steele, cello
Program: Four Ballades; Selected nocturnes and etudes; Cello Sonata in G Minor, op. 65
Friday, March 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Tomoki Sakata, piano
Program: Nocturne in G major, op. 37, no. 2; Polonaise No. 1 in C-sharp minor, op. 26, no. 1; Valse No. 5 in A-flat major, op. 42; Ballade No. 1 in G minor, op. 23; Etudes, op. 10, nos. 3, 4, 6, & 11;?Sonata No. 3 in B minor, op. 58
Saturday, March 7 – 2 p.m.
Fei-Fei Dong, pian
with Michael Shih, violin and Allan Steele, cello
Program: Nocturne in D-flat Major, op. 27, no. 2; Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, op. 54; Three Mazurkas, op. 50; Grande valse in A-flat Major, op. 42; Polonaise No. 6 in A-flat Major, op. 53 (“Heroic”); Trio for Piano, Violin, and Cello in G Minor, op. 8
Saturday, March 7 – 7:30 p.m.
Di Wu, piano
with Amphion String Quartet and Brian Perry, bass
Program: 24 Preludes, op. 28; Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11
Sunday, March 8 – 2 p.m.
Adam Golka, piano
with Amphion String Quartet and Brian Perry, bass
Program: Selected nocturnes; Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, op. 47; Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, op. 21
All artists and programs are subject to change.
“Chopin is one of the great contributors of all time to the piano literature,” said Marquis. “We asked five amazing pianists to take a fresh look at his vast repertoire and mold programs that showcase his genius perhaps in a different light than what we normally may see. The result will be five compelling concerts of solo pieces, as well as his lesser-known chamber works and the two concertos in piano quintet form.”
The inaugural festival will be dedicated to the memory of Nancy Lee Bass, who gave of her time and resources to the Cliburn so generously since its inception. The Collection of Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass, a selection of paintings and sculptures amassed by the two pillars of Texas philanthropy and business, will be on exhibit in the Kimbell’s Piano Pavilion galleries from March 1 through May 24, 2015. Important works by Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, Pissaro, Renoir, Matisse, Rothko, and many other major artists will be on view—most of which have never been seen in a public forum.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
JUST ADDED
Tomoki Sakata, piano
Japanese pianist Tomoki Sakata “demonstrated virtuosity, considerable color and expressivity” (Dallas Morning News) during the 2013 Cliburn Competition, earning him a place among the top six finalists. The youngest competitor, he received attention for his “youthful overabundance of talent” that created “its own visceral excitement” (Theater Jones). And the Cincinnati Enquirer called him “a 19-year-old who plays beyond his years,” adding that “he played impeccably, with a pristine touch and elegant phrasing.” In the 2014–15 season, Mr. Sakata embarks on tours in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He has previously appeared in concert in Osaka, Tokyo, and Yokohama, as well as in Geneva, Lugano, Paris, Prague, Utrecht, and Moscow for the twelfth International Festival “Musical Kremlin” at the invitation of Nikolai Petrov. He has also performed as soloist with the Fort Worth Symphony, Hamamatsu Symphony, Lublin Philharmonic, and Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestras.
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
Fei-Fei Dong, piano
Praised for her “natural musicality and beauty of tone” (Cincinnati Enquirer) during the 2013 Cliburn Competition, Chinese pianist Fei-Fei Dong landed among the top six finalists. She continues to build a reputation for her poetic interpretations, charming audiences with her “passion, piquancy and tenderness” and “winning stage presence” (Dallas Morning News). Recent highlights of her career include her solo recital debut at Alice Tully Hall in May 2014 as winner of Juilliard’s 33rd Annual William Petscheck Recital Award, and her trio debut at the Kennedy Center in February 2014, as part of its Conservatory Project. The Times Herald-Record proclaimed her to be “one of the most engaging and promising rising stars in the musical firmament” after her May 2014 performance with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Orchestra. She has appeared with the Aspen Music Festival, Corpus Christi Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Hong Kong, Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Juilliard, Shanxi, Shenzhen Symphony, and Youngstown Symphony Orchestras, and in recital at the Kravis Center, Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall, and the Louvre Auditorium.
Adam Golka, piano
Born and raised in Texas to a family of musicians from Poland, 26-year-old pianist Adam Golka has won widespread critical and popular acclaim with his “brilliant technique and real emotional depth” (The Washington Post). He has garnered international prizes including the 2008 Gilmore Young Artist Award, first prize in the 2003 China Shanghai International Piano Competition, and the 2009 Max I. Allen Classical Fellowship Award of the American Pianists Association. With his extensive concerto repertoire, Mr. Golka has appeared as a soloist with the Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, San Diego, and Fort Worth Symphonies, and with the Grand Teton and Colorado Music Festival Orchestras. Internationally, he has appeared with the BBC Scottish Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic, and the Warsaw Philharmonic. Mr. Golka made his Isaac Stern Auditorium debut at Carnegie Hall in 2010, and has since performed at Concertgebouw’s Kleine Zaal and Musashino Civic Cultural Hall in Tokyo, and at festivals such as the Gilmore Keyboard Festival, Ravinia, Music@Menlo, and the New York City International Keyboard at Mannes. He has also premiered solo works written for him by Richard Danielpour and Michael Brown, and is an avid chamber musician and lieder partner.
Mariangela Vacatello, piano
Mariangela Vacatello is the winner of numerous international prizes and awards, including the Audience Award at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, first prize at the Top of the World International Piano Competition 2009, the Laureate Prize at the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in 2007, second prize at the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition in 2005, and second prize at the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition in 1999 at the age of 17. Since her official debut at the age of 14, performing Liszt's First Piano Concerto with the Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra in Milan, she has appeared as a soloist in the most prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including the Berlin Konzerthaus, Wigmore Hall in London, Salle Cortot in Paris, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, and Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles; and with prominent orchestras, such as the Teatro alla Scala Philharmonic, Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, and Stuttgarter Philharmonic. Her performances have been regularly broadcasted by prestigious radio stations such as Radio France Musique, Musiq3 Belgique, Radio Svizzera Italiana, Radio 3 Italia, Radio Vaticana, Radio Pretoria, and ABC Australia, as well as in America, and she records for the Dutch international label Brilliant Classics.
Di Wu, piano
Praised in the Wall Street Journal as "a most mature and sensitive pianist" and named one of the "up-and-coming talents" in classical music by Musical America, Chinese-American Di Wu continues to enhance her reputation as an elegant and powerful musician. Her concerts have taken her across the globe, charming audiences from East to West with her "charisma, steely technique, and keen musical intelligence" (Philadelphia Inquirer) and her "fire and authority" (Washington Post). Ms. Wu made her professional debut at the age of 14 with the Beijing Philharmonic, and has since appeared with such orchestras as Cincinnati, Fort Worth, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and National Symphony Orchestra in the United States, and abroad with Hamburg Philharmoniker, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and Singapore Symphony Orchestra, to name a few. In New York, she made debuts at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and has appeared at the Gilmore, Ravinia, and the Portland Piano Festivals. She is also a frequent performer in Europe and in major venues throughout Asia. Her most recent appearance in Tokyo, at an arena concert recorded and released by Sony-Epic Records in Japan, took place before an audience of over 11,000. Ms. Wu is the winner of multiple awards including placing as a finalist at the 2009 Cliburn Competition; The Juilliard School’s Petschek Award; The Virtuosi Prize at Lisbon's prestigious Vendome Competition; and Astral Artists' 2007 National Auditions.
Amphion String Quartet
Hailed for its “gripping intensity” and “suspenseful and virtuoso playing” (San Francisco Classical Voice), the Amphion String Quartet is a winner of the 2011 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and joined the roster of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s CMS Two Program in fall 2013. Through LCCMS, the ensemble made its Alice Tully Hall debut in March 2014, about which the New York Times praised “the focused, forceful young Amphion String Quartet” for its “sharply detailed performances.” Recent tour highlights include performances at the Library of Congress and the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.; Brooklyn’s Bargemusic and its Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall; and at festivals such as the La Jolla Society’s Summerfest and the Caramoor Music Festival. The ASQ has collaborated with such eminent artists as the Tokyo String Quartet, Ani Kavafian, David Shifrin, Carter Brey, and Edgar Meyer, and its first CD was just released by the United Kingdom-based label Nimbus. Violinists Katie Hyun and David Southorn, violist Wei-Yang Andy Lin, and cellist Mihai Marica first joined together for a performance at Sprague Hall at the Yale School of Music in February 2009.
Brian Perry, bass
Brian Perry joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra double bass section in September 2013. He was previously a member of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra for nine seasons, and has also performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood. An active collaborator, he is frequently featured on the Cliburn’s Musical Awakenings® education program and performs locally on both the Spectrum and Avant Chamber Ballet chamber music series. Mr. Perry earned his music degrees from Boston University and the University of North Texas. His principal teachers include Larry Moore, Jeff Bradetich, and Edwin Barker. Committed to education, Brian is a board member of the Bradetich Foundation, has served on the faculty of the University of North Texas, and since 2010 has been the double bass instructor at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute. Mr. Perry was recently appointed to the faculty of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Michael Shih, violin
Violinist Michael Shih, concertmaster of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) since 2001, has performed throughout the United States and his native Taiwan, as well as on tours of Canada, France, Germany, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru, China, Japan, and Korea. A United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts, he was a winner in the Naumburg International Violin Competition and Artists International's Auditions, which led to his New York recital debut at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall in 1992. He has soloed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Little Orchestra Society at Avery Fisher Hall, the Taipei Symphony at Taiwan's National Concert Hall, and with the symphony orchestras of Dallas, Fort Worth, Hartford, and New Amsterdam. He has also appeared at the prestigious Chiehshou Hall Concert at the Office of the President of Taiwan, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and at the Aspen, La Jolla, Lincoln Center, and Ravinia festivals. An avid performer of chamber music, he has collaborated with such artists as Leon Fleisher, Sharon Isbin, Jaime Laredo, Cho-Liang Lin, and Yo-Yo Ma. Mr. Shih, who holds degrees from The Juilliard School, plays a 1710 Antonio Stradivari violin, generously on loan to the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association by Mr. and Mrs. William S. Davis of Fort Worth.
Allan Steele, cello
Allan Steele, principal cellist with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, is a recent graduate of the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. Steele maintains an active solo career and has appeared with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Symphony Orchestra, and Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra. He has premiered several works in chamber and orchestral settings, including pieces by Mark Antony Turnage and Stephen Cohn. He placed first in several competitions, including the Society of American Musicians, Midwest Young Artists, St. Paul String Quartet Competition, and Fischoff Competition. Mr. Steele is a founding member of the classical music group “MC2,” and regularly performs in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas.
ABOUT THE CLIBURN
The Cliburn advances classical piano music throughout the world. Its international competitions, education programs, and concert series embody an enduring commitment to artistic excellence and the discovery of new artists. Established in 1962, the quadrennial Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is widely-recognized as “one of the world’s highest-visibility classical-music contests” and remains committed to its original ideals of supporting and launching the careers of young pianists, age 18 to 30. It shares the transformative powers of music with a wide global audience, through a fully-produced webcast and by providing commission-free, comprehensive career management and concert bookings to its winners. Rounding out its mission, the Cliburn also produces the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs™ for non-professional pianists 35 and older, and will hold its inaugural Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival in June 2015, for exceptional 13 to 17-year-old pianists.
Over a four-year cycle, the Cliburn contributes to North Texas’ cultural landscape with over 170 classical music performances for 150,000 attendees, through competitions, free community concerts, and its signature Cliburn Concerts series at Bass Performance Hall, the Kimbell Art Museum’s Piano Pavilion, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. It presents 1,000 in-school, interactive music education programs for 200,000 area elementary students. During the same time period, it garners the world’s attention with over one million visits from 155 nations for live concert and competition webcasts; 300 concerts worldwide booked for competition winners; more than 5,000 news articles about the Cliburn and its winners; regular national radio broadcasts to 245 public radio stations; and a PBS documentary airing in a potential 105 million households.
Detailed information about the Cliburn and its programs is available at Cliburn.org.
Official Sponsors of the Cliburn are:
Amon G. Carter Foundation
Ann L. & Carol Green Rhodes Charitable Trust, Bank of America, Trustee
Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County
BNSF Railway Foundation
Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust
Edith Winther Grace Charitable Trust, J.P. Morgan, Trustee
ExxonMobil / XTO Energy
Jane and John Justin Foundation
Mercedes T. Bass Charitable Corporation
Sid W. Richardson Foundation
Steinway & Sons – North Texas / Houston
The Burnett Foundation
Exclusive Print Media Sponsor:
Star-Telegram
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