Programa 7 diciembre 2024

 

Shunta Morimoto at the Denia International Piano Festival in Bach, Chopin and Liszt

 

I don’t normally write detailed reviews of chamber music concerts. It’s not because they often aren’t memorable, it’s just that I tend to go to so many of them, it’s often hard to keep up with the writing! This lack of motivation to put pen paper is especially marked when the repertoire on offer is very much standard, comprising often performed works that frankly I have heard many times. It’s not that familiarity breeds contempt. It’s just that what does one say about another fairly standard performance of a standard work, albeit that both the work and the performance are superb? Nearly all the performances I have heard over the years are wholly competent, with one or two exceptions, but it becomes hard to say anything new about them. So what is it about a concert that featured J. S. Bach’s French Suite No. 6 BWV 817, Chopin’s Opus 28 Preludes and Liszt’s Dante Sonata that has provoked me to write? Answer: the performer and the performance. Both were outstanding.

Shunta Morimoto is a young Japanese pianist. He was 19 when he won the Concurso de Piano Gonzalo Soriano in Alicante in April 2024. The competition is organized by Ars Alta Cultural in conjunction with Conservatorio Profesional de Música, Guitarrista José Tomás and this year there were over 100 entrants, with half of them competing in level D, the section for adults, whose age rage was from 18 to 32. Shunta Morimoto, therefore, was at the younger end of the range, and he was the youngest of the finalists. I have been listening to music intently for about 60 years. But I knew from the moment Shunta Morimoto depressed a key in that room in April that he would win the competition and, furthermore, that I was about to witness something wholly special. Put simply, Shunta Morimoto is a genius.

Part of the prize for winning the Gonzalo Soriano competition was to appear in the Ars Alta Cultural concert series in Denia at the end of 2024 and that concert, part of the Denia International Piano Festival, was last night. Shunta Morimoto offered the program mentioned above and, for perhaps the first time in thousands of concerts and recitals that I have attended, I can report that not one of the 110 or so people in the audience made a single sound, apart from applause, of course, throughout the one and a half hours of music. There was no interval, but amongst the audience, silence ruled, so utterly wrapt was everyone in what they heard.

It is hard to describe in words what is so compelling about this young man’s playing. The moment you hear the music, it is obvious, but written words have to be read, not heard. Many pianists use bravura, strength and volume to impress. Many play as fast as possible. Shunta Morimoto can offer bravura, the spectacular and the speedy. But above all what he can do is communicate via the music and it is this speaking, apparently directly to an audience without the need of words that is utterly captivating, even arresting.

Every phrase of every piece he played last night was shaped, thought through to make musical sense. At times, he played so softly the music was barely audible, but every note was there, every gesture was clear, every phrase fit perfectly with the musical argument he presented. Even the silences he interspersed for effect were listened to intently by a thoroughly captivated audience.

Chopin’s Opus 28 Preludes, perhaps, was never intended to be played as a single work. But in the right hands, even a composer’s lack of vision can be straightened. I am reminded of a performance about 30 years ago when Murray McLachlan played all the Etudes of Chopin end to end, Opus 25 followed by Opus 10. He was clear that it would not the other way round. I have never forgotten that performance on a baby grand Kawai in a Brunei Hotel. Last night, Shunta Morimoto knew that the Opus 28 Preludes could be played as a single work, and he was right. He succeeded completely.

The Liszt that followed, of course, was breathtaking. In any hands, this Dante Sonata is a real monster, requiring all the skills that a pianist can possibly muster to bring it off. Not only did Shunta Morimoto succeed, but he appeared to bring a new dimension to the work by shaping the quieter sections so finely and so eloquently. Earlier in the day, I had listened to two other performances, by Paul Lewis and Alfred Brendel, so the work was already in my head. Shunta Morimoto’s rendition made me feel like I was hearing it for the first time, so surprising did I find his nuances of interpretation. It was totally recognisable, but totally new at the same time. What a performance!

After a wholly spontaneous standing ovation, he offered the Chopin Barcarole as a substantial encore. Shunta Morimoto, for sure, is a unique talent. He surely has a stellar career ahead of him, and richly deserved. Special.

Programa 13 de diciembre Festival de Piano de Denia - Tsisana Kikabidze tocará Beethoven, Liszt, Bartok y Rachmaninov

 

Programa 29 de noviembre Festival de Piano de Denia - Mihaela Manea tocará Scarlatti, Brahms, Enescu y Liszt

 

Denia International Piano Festival, 4 Oct 2023

István I. Székely

István is a concert pianist and internationally recognised teacher. He is Professor at the Conservatorio Superior Katarina Gurska in Madrid and professor at Franz Liszt Center for special talents.  He has been invited to give Master Classes in many countries and he is a frequent jury member in international competitions such as the Franz Liszt International Competition in Rome (Italy), the Takács Competition in Oberschützen (Austria). He is founder, president and artistic director or Ars Alta Cultural and via this group staged the first Gonzalo Soriano Piano competition in Alicante earlier this year. He is the winner of several awards in national and international competitions. Since the age of 15 he has given recitals in Europe, the United States, South America and Asia, such as Alexandria and New Harmony (Indianapolis, USA), the International Piano Festival in Bucaramanga, International Piano Festival in Barrancabermeja, the cycle "International Season in Manizales" (Colombia), and many more. He has performed in many notable venues such as the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid, Palau de la Música in Valencia, Teatro Principal de Alcoy, congress center "Victor Villegas" in Murcia, in the "Adoc", in the University of Burgos, in the International Chamber Music Festival in Calpe, in "Dénia Classics", Aula de la Cam in Alicante, Teulada Auditorium, La Beneficencia in Valencia, in the Auditorio de la Diputación, "ADDA" in Alicante, Auditorium Mediterrania in La Nucia among others. He has performed in private concert for the Princess of Thailand S.A.R. Chulabhorn Mahidol. 

István es concertista de piano y profesor reconocido internacionalmente. Es Profesor en el Conservatorio Superior Katarina Gurska en Madrid y en el Centro Franz Liszt para talentos. Ha sido invitado a impartir Master Classes en muchos países y es miembro frecuente del jurado en concursos internacionales como el Concurso Internacional Franz Liszt en Roma (Italia), el Concurso Takács en Oberschützen (Austria). Es fundador, presidente y director artístico de Ars Alta Cultural y a través de este grupo organizó el primer concurso de piano Gonzalo Soriano en Alicante a principios de este año. Es ganador de varios premios en concursos nacionales e internacionales. Desde los 15 años ha dado recitales en Europa, Estados Unidos, Sudamérica y Asia, como Alexandria y New Harmony (Indianápolis, EE.UU.), el Festival Internacional de Piano de Bucaramanga, Festival Internacional de Piano de Barrancabermeja, el ciclo "Internacional Temporada en anizales” (Colombia), y muchos más. Ha actuado en numerosos espacios destacados como el Palacio de Cibeles de Madrid, Palau de la Música de Valencia, Teatro Principal de Alcoy, centro de congresos "Victor Villegas" de Murcia, en el "Adoc", en la Universidad de Burgos, en el Festival Internacional de Música de Cámara de Calpe, en “Dénia Classics”, Aula de la Cam de Alicante, Auditorio de Teulada, La Beneficencia de Valencia, en el Auditorio de la Diputación, “ADDA” de Alicante, Auditorio Mediterrania de La Nucia entre otros. Ha actuado en concierto privado para la Princesa de Tailandia S.A.R. Chulabhorn Mahidol.

Yaron Traub

Yaron Traub, a native of Israel, is one of the most recognized conductors in Spain, was Principal and Artistic Director of the Valencia Orchestra from 2005 to 2017. Since winning the Prize at the IV International Kondrashin Conducting Competition in Amsterdam in 1998, Yaron Traub has had a very interesting international career conducting some of the most prestigious symphonic ensembles in the world. During his twelve years of leadership of the Valencia Orchestra, he contributed decisively to the recognition of the Valencia Orchestra as a high-level ensemble and consolidated the regular presence of great international soloists alongside the Valencian ensemble.

Committed to education through music, Yaron Traub has strongly promoted pedagogical activities in the orchestra. As an exemplary extension of his commitment to education, Traub, together with his wife Anja, founded a bilingual international secondary school in 2012 with a strong focus on music, art and drama education.

Yaron Traub, natural de Israel, es uno de los directores más reconocidos de España, fue Director Titular y Artístico de la Orquesta de Valencia de 2005 a 2017. Desde que ganó el Premio en el IV Concurso Internacional de Dirección Kondrashin en Ámsterdam en 1998, Yaron Traub ha tenido una carrera internacional muy interesante dirigiendo algunos de los conjuntos sinfónicos más prestigiosos del mundo. Durante sus doce años al frente de la Orquesta de Valencia contribuyó decisivamente al reconocimiento de la Orquesta de Valencia como formación de alto nivel y consolidó la presencia habitual de grandes solistas internacionales junto a la formación valenciana.

Comprometido con la educación a través de la música, Yaron Traub ha impulsado fuertemente las actividades pedagógicas en la orquesta. Como una extensión ejemplar de su compromiso con la educación, Traub, junto con su esposa Anja, fundó una escuela secundaria internacional bilingüe en 2012 con un fuerte enfoque en la educación musical, artística y dramática.

Ars Alta Cultural, www.arsaltacultural.com

Presidente y Director Artístico - István I. Székely

 

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