Born in Campina, Romania, in 1981, Diana began studying as a child prodigy, aged 7, with Professor Sanda Bobescu at the National Academy of Bucharest. From 1992 and 1999 she went on to study with Olga Szell at the George Enescu Institute, then entered Bucharest National Music University, from which she graduated in 2003 with the highest possible grades. She is continuing her studies under Professor Ronan O'Hora at London's Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Diana is a prize winner of renown, with first prizes at the International Brasov Piano Competition 1996 and George Enescu International Piano Competition in 2001. Others include Wallfisch International Piano Competition, The Missouri Southern International Piano Competition and The Alexis Weissenberg Prize in Switzerland. She has been invited to play in many important Music Festivals throughout the world, including Verbier Festival, Progetto Martha Argerich, The Enescu Festival, The International Kyoto Music Festival and in the UK, The Stratford upon Avon and Beethoven Festivals.
Diana's dazzling playing has been greatly influenced by the wonderful International Concert Pianist Martha Argerich, who continues to actively support Diana's own blossoming international career. Diana has given concerts in many prestigious venues in European Capitals,including Vienna, Brussels and London's the Barbican, St Martins-in-the-Fields, Wigmore Hall, Covent Garden. She has recorded for Radio Bucharest, Radio France, Russian Radio and has appeared on Romanian television to great acclaim. Diana played works by Schumann, Scarlatti, Schubert and Debussy
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Ivan Kiwuwa - Piano
Ivan Kiwuwa is a prodigious talent - and not just at the piano. Born in Uganda he started his musical career as the lead chorister at Kampala Cathedral. He commenced piano studies at the age of 13 with Fiona Carr MBE and one year later also began violin lessons with Isobel Turner. After only 14 months studying the violin, his talent was spotted at a masterclass by Maxim Vengerov and Ivan made his concert debut with this great maestro, performing Bach's Double Violin concerto with the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany. However, it is his mastery of the piano keyboard, that his reputation has now become established as an artist destined for stardom. He is currently continuing his studies in London at The Guildhall school of Music and Drama under Professor Ronan O'Hora, where in 2003, he was awarded a full scholarship. Ivan has won numerous prizes for his memorable performances and has given recitals at The Purcell Room on London's South Bank, Leighton House, National Theatre Nairobi as soloist in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.
Ivan Kiwuwa played:
Handel: Air with 5 variations (Harmonious Blacksmith)
Mozart: Piano Sonata in G major K283
Schubert: Piano Sonata in B flat major D960
"The New Masters Series at the Court Theatre Tring has earned a reputation within a comparatively short time for presenting outstanding young artists" Robert Matthew-Walker MUSICAL OPINION South Korean born Young-Choon Park has enthralled audiences and critics the world over for the refinement and sensitivity of her playing. A child prodigy, she played the Beethoven Piano Concerto No 1 with the Seoul Symphony Orchestra at the age of nine and went on to study at the Juilliard School in New York and later gained the highest Masters Degree at the Hochschule in Munich. She has performed at major concert venues and music festivals in thirty-two countries performing both solo recitals and concertos with many of the world's leading orchestras. She has broadcast on radio and television and is currently recording the complete Mozart Piano Concertos for Duchesne World Records, Belgium. The Sunday Times describe her playing as "Individually refreshing and demonstrating real passion and style as well as outstanding technical mastery" "Seductive clarity …power, fire and passion" Suddeutsche Zeitung "Dazzling Technique" La Libre Belgique. "A name to remember" Arnhemse Courant
Haydn Sonata in B minor Hob.XV1:32
Beethoven Sonata in A flat major opus 110
Chopin Scherzo in B flat minor opun 31
Beethoven Sonata No.8 in C minor op.13 "Pathetique"
Sonata in F minor op.57 "Appassionata"
Domenico Scarlatti:
Sonata in C minor K84/L10
Sonata in F minor K239/L281
SUNDAY TIMES (Southbank Messiaen Festival)
"Witty, intelligent, sparkling with personal interpretation that is seductive and charming"
LE LIBRE BELGIQUE
"The power of Vacatello is staggering, her musicality is at a high level and many critics publicly declared that a new Martha Argerich has arrived"
JURRIAN MEYER, UTRECHT
"The prodigious playing of an outstanding youthful master of the keyboard"
ANNE BENDER, JOHANNESBURG
BEETHOVEN Sonata Op. 109
CHOPIN Scherzo No 4
Rondo Op. 16
Etudes from Op. 10 and 25
BUSONI 10 Variations on a prelude by Chopin
Friday 26th September
Dimitris Dekavallas Guitar
"a very exciting performer"
JULIAN BREAM
"The New Masters Series at the Court Theatre Tring has earned a reputation within a comparatively short time for presenting outstanding young artists"
Robert Matthew-Walker MUSICAL OPINION
Dimitris Dekavallas is considered by critics to be "One of the most talented guitarists of the age" and another "Dimitris filled the hall with the huge volume of sound he produced…..stunning performance"
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The CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY described Dimitris recital on a guitar once owned by John Williams as "A masterly performance. The sound crystal clear with wonderful variation of tone…like hearing the piece for the first time"
Dimitris is a renowned International Prize Winner, including: National Guitar Competition (Ode to Guitar); Veria National Guitar Competition; Volos International Guitar Competition, Ivor Mairants Guitar Award and a host of others, including "Special Audience Prize" in Bucharest this year.
Dimitris gave his first public performance aged nine at the National Concert Hall in Athens, and went on to study at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens from which he graduated in 2002 with First Prize achieving the highest possible mark in the process. In 2005 he commenced his postgraduate degree at the Royal Academy in London, winning the Tebbutt Exhibition Scholarship. He received his Diploma of Postgraduate Performance with Distinction and his L.R.A.M Teaching Diploma, again with distinction in 2007 and the additional the 'Blyth Watson Award. Since Graduating, his extraordinary prowess has led to concert tours throughout Greece and Internationally. Recent appearances in the UK include St. Martin's in the Field, St Pauls, Sheffield Cathedral and masterclasses with John Williams and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.
DEMITRIS DEKAVALLAS played popular works for the classical guitar including BACH, ALBENIZ, RODRIGO, GIULIANI, LAURO and MOREL
"Bing Bing Li held the relatively large audience spellbound by he virtuosity, the quality of her playing and commitment to the music… remarkable recital" Musical Opinion
"Immensely delicate playing showing off the grandeur of the soloist's seemingly effortless display" Bristol News Today
"Bing Bing performed with vigour and authority… a refreshing contrast and torrent of inventiveness" The Times and Sunday Times (Southbank)
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Bing Bing Li is a dazzling talent at the piano, considered by all who have had the privilege to witness this young talent, as destined for international renown.
As a child prodigy aged just 7, Bing Bing received the title 'Star of the Future' from the Government of Jilin Province, China. At the age of 10, she was declared by Karl-Heinz Kaemmerling "A hugely gifted young pianist" and went on to win China's National Piano Competition, also making her recording debut performing Bach's Two and Three Part Inventions, released on the Universal Label and broadcast throughout China, where she is indeed already famous. Shortly after moving to the UK in 2001, Bing Bing won the UK Benslow Young Pianist of the Year Award and was the winner at the Marlow International Music Festival. She is currently studying under Sir Christopher Elton, Head of Keyboard at the Royal Academy of Music, where she received the Liversedge Award, the Hilda Day Award and the Krein Scholarship. Bing Bing's prodigious talents have taken her to the USA, France, Italy and Holland, all to critical acclaim. Engagements in USA include New York's Mannes College, New England Conservatory and the Boston Conservatory. She is also now a frequent performer at London's Wigmore Hall.
Sasha Grynyuk is undoubtedly one of the finest and most exciting new generation of concert pianists to emerge today. Referred to by Charles Rosen as "Remarkable unfailing musicality"; "Beautiful cantabile sound"; Splendid technique and electrifying performance" are all typical reviews for Sasha's performances. Winner of numerous competitions and international prizes, not least the prestigious 'Gold Medal' awarded this year to Sasha, by the Guildhall for "His outstanding performance in the Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor Op 15" Judged, amongst others, by Sir Andrew Davis and reviewed by Max Harrison:
"Indeed a magnificent interpretation fully matching the score's power"
Sasha was born in Kiev, in the Ukraine and at the tender age of 11 received the "Future of Ukraine" Presidential Award as Musician of the Year and went
on to win the Horowitz and Gilels International competitions. Sasha made his recital debut at London's South Bank 2004 and has subsequently
performed as soloist. in chamber ensemble and concerti throughout Europe, Japan and the USA, including appearances at the Wigmore Hall, Queen
Elizabeth Hall, Barbican Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham and New York's Carnegie Hall. Sasha recently won first prize and high acclaim in the
Hamamatsu Piano Academy Competition, also winner at the Haverill International Music and Tunbridge Wells Young Concert Artists competition. He has performed in a series of Masterclasses under Murray Perahia, Stephen Kovacevich, Stephen Hough, Richard Good, Emmanual Ax and Boris Berman.
His recent memorable performance concluded the 2008 Bledington Music Festival in the Cotswolds, receiving a prolonged standing ovation.
Sasha Grynyuk played
SCHUBERT Sonata in A major D. 664
DUBUSSY "Pour Le Piano"
BACH Italian Concerto
HAYDN Sonata in B Minor Hob. 16/32
CHOPIN Scherzo No 4
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