Saturday late evening, the six laureates of the Queen Elisabeth Competition (KEW) Piano 2021 were announced. It is somewhat unusual, only six laureates presented to the press in an almost empty hall, with distance and face mask via the internet. Fortunately that exists, that worldwide web... And yes, it is unusual, but no less valuable, even if it is harder to listen to. After all, the coffee or whatever is right in front of your nose...
The names: Sergei Redkin, Tomoki Sakata, Keigo Mukawa, Jonathan Fournel, Dmitry Sin and Vitaly Starikov.
We have known Sergei Redkin at Klassiek Centraal for quite some time, five years to be precise. The Russian Federation had him perform at the 10 Years Klassiek Centraal celebration in the Arenbergschouwburg. There he played Tchaikovsky on a Fazioli. He did find it a rather light piano and it had to be positioned exactly as he demanded. Like this or 'I won't play'. Perhaps not an ordinary boy, but what a pianist! Through Alexander Razumov, the then director of the Russian Cultural and Scientific Center in Brussels, Redkin was offered to us at the recommendation of none other than the world-renowned conductor Valery (or Veleri) Gergiev in his capacity as director of the House of Music in Sint-Petersburg.
Does all this mean that Sergei Redkin must win for Klassiek Centraal? No, he may win, just like the other five may (and can) win. Moreover, it is ultimately not that first place that will determine your further life course. It can, but all competitions teach us that it is often a snapshot. With a solid reference, that is. You have to make your further musical career on many fronts yourself. A laureate title is a nice addition and certainly at the highest level as is always the case at the KEW.
Final week
Every evening one finalist performs with the Belgian National Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Wolff. They each play a concerto of their choice and the unpublished work written specifically for the piano competition by Bruno Mantovani: D'un jardin féérique (world premiere on Monday 24 May at 8 p.m.).
Via this link you can follow the final evenings and the final results. You can also replay the first round and the semi-final there.
Monday 24 May 2021 Studio 4 (Flagey) - 8 p.m.
Vitaly Starikov
(Russian Federation, °1995)
Programme
BRUNO MANTOVANI D'un jardin féérique
PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY Concerto no. 1 in B flat op. 23
Belgian National Orchestra, dir. Hugh Wolff
Tuesday 25 May 2021 Studio 4 (Flagey) - 8 p.m.
Tomoki Sakata
(Japan, °1993)
Programme
BRUNO MANTOVANI D'un jardin féérique
JOHANNES BRAHMS Concerto no. 2 in B flat op. 83
Belgian National Orchestra, dir. Hugh Wolff
Wednesday 26 May 2021 Studio 4 (Flagey) - 8 p.m.
Keigo Mukawa
(Japan, °1993)
Programme
BRUNO MANTOVANI D'un jardin féérique
SERGEY PROKOFIEV Concerto no. 2 in G minor op. 16
Belgian National Orchestra, dir. Hugh Wolff
Thursday 27 May 2021 Studio 4 (Flagey) - 8 p.m.
Sergei Redkin
(Russian Federation, °1991)
Programme
BRUNO MANTOVANI D'un jardin féérique
SERGEY RACHMANINOV Concerto no. 3 in D minor op. 30
Belgian National Orchestra, dir. Hugh Wolff
Friday 28 May 2021 Studio 4 (Flagey) - 8 p.m.
Dmitry Sin
(Russian Federation, °1994)
Programme
BRUNO MANTOVANI D'un jardin féérique
SERGEY RACHMANINOV Concerto no. 3 in D minor op. 30
Belgian National Orchestra, dir. Hugh Wolff
Saturday 29 May 2021 Studio 4 (Flagey) - 8 p.m.
Jonathan Fournel
(France, °1993)
Programme
BRUNO MANTOVANI D'un jardin féérique
JOHANNES BRAHMS Concerto no. 2 in B flat op. 83
Belgian National Orchestra, dir. Hugh Wolff
