The Bechstein-Bruckner-Competition came into being through a cooperation between C. Bechstein Pianoforte AG and the Brucknerhaus Linz. Seven Austrian conservatories and music universities that offer a ‘paino solo’ degree has each nominated a student for the Competition this year.
The mandatory piece of the first round, which was brought out on 5 June 2023 in the Brucknerhaus Linz, was the Character Piece ‘Erinnerung’ WAB 117 by the namesake Anton Bruckner. The Prize of the best interpretation of the piece went to Seika Ishida, student of The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
Five participants were selected for the second round on 6 June by the top-class jury – consists of pianist Abdel Rahman El Bacha (head juror), Prof. Lucy Parham from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and Prof. Markus Groh from the University of Art Berlin. The second round consists of a 50-minute-long programme, in which the Sonata in c minor op. 13 (‘Pathétique’) by Ludwig van Beethoven is included. The Prize for the best interpretation of this piece went to Jiwon Kim, who studies at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz.
The Lebanese pianist Abdel Rhaman El Bacha summed up the verdict of the jury: ‘We appreciate this Competition, because we have the opportunity here to experience how the young pianists elicit various sounds from a C. Bechstein concert grand piano. All participants are serious pianists, but we are particularly fortunate to have chosen Seika Ishida as a very intelligent and inspiring First Prize Winner.’ The youngest parcipant, Caitlan Rinaldy, student from the Mozarteum University Salzburg, received the Second Prize.
Seika Ishida will make her concert debut at the prizewinner concert on 16 November 2023 at 7:30 p.m. in the middle hall of Brucknerhaus Linz. The 4th Bechstein-Bruckner-Competition Austria will take place on 10 and 11 June 2024 in Brucknerhaus Linz.
Each of the institutions had the right in advance to nominate a participant for the Bechstein Bruckner Competition Austria. The participating pianists, conservatories and universities were:
• The University of Music and Performing Arts Graz
Rebecca Leung from Great Britain, studies with Prof. Markus Schirmer
• Gustav Mahler Private University of Music in Klagenfurt
Ekaterina Baranovskaia from Russia, studies with Prof. Ekaterina Rumyantseva
• Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz
Jiwon Kim for South Korea, studies with Prof. Saskia Giorgini
• Mozarteum University Salzburg
Caitlan Rinaldy from Australia, studies with Prof. Andreas Weber
• Stella Vorarlberg Private University of Music
Florian Altwegg from Switzerland, studies with Prof. Gerhard Vielhaber
• Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna
Anastasia Krastanova from Bulgaria, studies with Prof. Jura Margulis
• University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
Seika Ishida from Japan, studies with Prof. Anna Malikova
The official auditions were held on 5 and 6 June 2023 in Brucknerhaus Linz with free admission.
Photos: © Reinhard Winkler und Geord Wiesinger
