Antonio Pompa-Baldi Masterclass

yes, it just so happens that the 2nd place winner of one of the most prestigous piano competitions, the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, conducted a masterclass today at the yonsei music building. thankfully for me the Italian, ignorant of any korean, delivered his thoughts in perfect english (with a translator at his side for the crowd). his comments were always clear and his demonstrations to the students droped my jaw to the floor. he spoke of a schubert sonata being very introspective and voiced his music like an orchestra. he emphasized that the bach bussoni chaccone, although busoni's arrangement, needs to be played in bach's style (because it's his piece). lastly, he likes to imagine a late scriabin sonata in terms of lighting effects: dark at times, then transparent, or playfully shimmering.

there are many students that are good pianists here. all that ive seen have been technically proficient. it's slightly daunting, but by now im fairly used to it since i went to brevard last summer.

you can now post comments! my apologies for unknowingly restricting them earlier.