Chopin International Piano Competition is one of the world's famous piano competitions. It is held every five years and attracts worldwide attention every time. Xiao Sai judges represent authority and make people feel mysterious. Now, three Xiaosai judges have come to Shanghai.
From October 27th to 31st, the 2024 First Chopin International Piano Art Week was held in Shanghai, including concerts, master classes, and forums. The three judges of the 19th International Chopin Piano Competition in 2025: Katarina Chidron Popova, Kevin Kenner, and Wojciech Sveta talked about Chopin with the Shanghai audience. Enter the musical world of Chopin.
Chopin International Piano Art Week Organizing Committee and three Chopin Competition judges
Katarina Kidron Popova performed at the opening concert
Face-to-face communication with Chopin Competition judges
On October 27, at Chopin At the opening concert of Piano Art Week, two pianists and educators—Kevin Kenner and Wojciech Sveta—joined forces to present a pure Chopin piano concert.
Kenner is from the United States. He was the winner of the highest prize in the 12th (1990) Shaw Competition (the first place was vacant). His playing style is elegant and subtle, rich in British aristocratic style. Sveta is from Poland and is the winner of the 12th (1990) Polonaise Best Performance Award. Her playing style is simple and fresh, with a strong Polish national charm.
The concert repertoire includes Chopin's works in various genres, including mazurkas, polonaises, waltzes, nocturnes, scherzos, barcarolles, etc., as well as "sostenuto' in E flat major", "sostenuto' in B flat major" Variations, based on Mozart's "Don Giovanni" opera theme "Let's Go Together" Opus 2 and other relatively unknown pieces.
The two pianists divided the first and second halves, using two different styles of solos to interpret their ideal Chopin music. The diverse interpretations gave the audience a refreshing experience. The concert was almost full, and the audience listened attentively and feasted their ears. Infected by the warm atmosphere at the scene, the two performed two more songs respectively.
“Sveta’s performance is as gentle as jade, and her concise and elegant timbre processing brings out the deep national temperament in Chopin’s music; Kenner’s performance is more like the misty and rolling mist on the sea, slender and surging coexisting, Showing Chopin’s emotional world,” one audience member commented. Another audience member believed that the two are the supreme embodiment of the academic school, with extremely excellent skills and deep Chopin core. "When the notes come out, you can feel that a lot of research has been done, a typical scholar's playing line."
October 28 On the same day, Popova held an open master class at the Shanghai Children's Palace, instructing several international competition award-winning students from Shangyin High School and outstanding students from the Shanghai Children's Palace, and interacted with the audience. Popova participated in the piano competition in 1975 and won the highest honor award. She also served as the chairman of the jury for two consecutive terms. She was hailed as a "mythical piano educator" by the music and education circles in Poland and even the world. She has a great reputation in the music world. An unshakable position of authority.
On October 29, the three Chopin competition judges will also visit Shangyin High School to hold a Chopin academic forum, focusing on topics such as the performance, interpretation, style, version, and Chopin competition preparation of Chopin's music, and discuss with experts, scholars, and professors Academic seminar. In the master class that day, the three of them will also give one-on-one, step-by-step guidance to 6 students from Shangyin High School who are preparing to participate in the Xiao Competition next year.
"There are 6 rounds before and after the competition, and there are 4 levels in the main competition, which are extremely difficult. Such a master class is so precious." Tang Jin, artistic director of Chopin Piano Art Week and professor of Shangyin High School, said that Chinese piano children have been playing the piano since childhood. Chopin's works were the most popular. In order to prepare for the Chopin competition, the students studied and studied Chopin's works extensively, which helped improve their performance level. "But they should not be too eager for quick success. After all, they are too young and their understanding is not in place. Their life experience Not enough either.”
Kevin Kenner played at the opening concert
Wojciech Sveta played at the opening concert
How to unlock the code of Chopin’s music
The Chopin held every five years attracts young pianists from all over the world How to interpret Chopin and unlock the secret of Chopin's music?
"The preferences and standards of the judges of the Chopin competition have changed with the times. change. "Popova said that there are a total of 17 judges in the competition. Each judge has his own personality and preferences, which is difficult to unify. Therefore, the winners selected each time have different styles.
"We have also been improving the scoring system. standard. "The era when Popova participated in the Chopin competition was more academic. Nowadays, more emphasis is placed on the individual imagination, understanding and interpretation of the players. "But you can't go too far and express your own opinions on the basis of respecting Chopin's music. That kind of completely self-expression and too personal expression is difficult to be recognized. There must be a balance. ”
“When a contestant’s music is very powerful, the judges are very tolerant. Even if you have different ideas, you can use your music and your voice to persuade and conquer the judges. "Kenner participated in the Chopin Competition for the first time at the age of 17 and is still working hard on Chopin's music on black and white keys. "Compared to other composers, it is more difficult to discover the essence of Chopin's music. I've spent a lifetime trying to solve this mystery and I can't say I've found the key. It's been a lifelong process. "
For example, how to use rubato (free speed)? "Chopin doesn't like to do too many exaggerated rubato, he is very restrained, just like a lit candle, sometimes it will shake a little, but if there is too much movement, the candle will go out. Therefore, if there is too much rubato, the music will easily break and the sentences will not be complete. "Kenna said.
"Chopin is a musical wizard and cannot be copied. None of us have ever seen Chopin. Chopin is a process of inheritance. Generations of players use their understanding and interpretation to promote the continuation of Chopin. "Sveta said that Xiao Sai is not looking for a 100-point correct answer. The first prize winner of each session is the person closest to the correct answer in the past five years. "There is never a correct answer, only the closest one. people. "
From Fu Cong to Li Yundi, Chen Sa, , many Chinese pianists knocked on the door of the international music scene after participating in the Xiao Competition. Today, there are still a large number of Chinese students fighting for the Xiao Competition.
"Chinese children are very skilled. Some are excellent, and some can play difficult pieces at the age of eleven or twelve. Sometimes the teacher can't help but let them play some difficult pieces. This is dangerous. These pieces require richer experience and more mature thinking, which they obviously do not have at this age. "
Popova observed that Chinese children pursue technology too much and move too fast. "They may pay more attention to the results of the competition, but the competition is not just the result, it is a process and a path to help them understand and express music. "She believes that if the digestion is not in place, participating in too many master classes is not helpful, because each teacher has a different understanding of the same piece of music, and more accumulation is needed. Students need to settle, and parents also need to settle.
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