First semi-final day – evening
Lionel Martin (°2003 - Germany)
programme
Leopold Hofmann (1738 – 1793) – Concerto in D Badley D3
Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, dir. Vahan Mardirossian
By fully immersing himself in the compositions, he manages to achieve a certain mastery in which the sense of rapture is not lacking. He played with serenity and stability in the coherence and structure of the pieces. Excellent string technique and fluidity in the high positions, a rich and warm sound that is well distributed across the entire range, and an alternation between abstraction and communicative accessibility.
Yo Kitamura (°2004 - Japan)
programme
Anton Kraft (1749-1820) – Concerto in C op. 4
Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, dir. Vahan Mardirossian
In his case we see a fragmentation of musical art, whereby he questions and examines the relationship between composing and performing a composition. By distancing himself from the repertoire, he gets the chance to continuously develop and perfect his technical skills. During the competition, he played with great calm and confidence, demonstrating his profound, specialized study. He stimulates reflection on the future of musical performance art.
Léo Ispir (°2002 - France)
programme
Harold Noben (°1978) – Caffeine
Franz Schubert - Sonata in a D 821
Gabriel Fauré - Elegy op. 24
Dana Protopopescu, piano accompaniment
The selected pieces complement each other and cover a broad spectrum. With his gift for melody, he combines strength and finesse in maintaining the rhythm and flawlessly executing technically demanding passages, thus drawing the audience's attention. Crystal-clear articulation. In harmony with his exceptional, high-quality cello, he conveys the emotions of the Elegy with great sensitivity. Distinctive phrasing and intonation in Schubert, mastery of his stage presence...
Jiaxun Yao (°2002 - China)
programme
Harold Noben (°1978) – Caffeine
Igor Stravinsky - Italian Suite
Elliott Carter - Figment I
Joseph Dall'Abaco - Caprice no. 6 in e
Gaspar Cassado - Requiebros
Dana Protopopescu, piano accompaniment
A perfect sonority, achieved through extraordinary effort that has completely transformed her, albeit at the cost of some inaccuracies in her string technique – where the bow occasionally did not strike the strings at the correct angle – and in the position of her left hand on the bow. Balance, excellent projection, complete perfection of sound, a truly impressive repertoire and performance.