Piano finalists chosen

Press, 17 December 1980, Page 6

Piano finalists chosen

Byi'HILIP NORMAN TJiefthree finalists j in.’the Christchurch Civic Music Council’s. 1980-81 national piano’* concerto competition were announced last evening.". They- are Robert Logan, of Auckland,’ who played Chopin’s Concerto;:?No< 1- m E Minor (first movement); Paul ’ .Maskill, of - Christchurch, ’with Khachaturians Concerto in D-flat (first movement); and Sharon Joy v °3Ui,Vof Southland; who played. Chopin’s, Concerto No. hi F minor (first and second movements). The three were selected by the judge. Miss Jean Anderson of the Royal Academy of Music, London. Twentyeight xiitered; the ; preliminary ;?cornpetition, held on Monday and.’,-.last James. Hay Theatre. i Six pianists were recalled

I for the semi-final sessions ■last evening. These included, ■ as. well as’ the three finalists, I Ann . Wallis,, of' Auckland, ■playing. Beethoven’s Concerto No?-. 4 in C Major, (first movement and part of the second and . third movements);.,. John • Williams, of Christchurch,. with - Bartok’s Concerto No. 3 (first and second movements and part of the third movement); and Kaye Godfrey, of Christchurch, playing Beethoven’s Concerto No. 3 in C Minor (first and second movemehts). ? ' Beethoven’s Concerto No; 3 (performed by five coin : petitor?),, and Schumann’s Concerto in A Minor (performed by four competitors) were? " the\< most. -. popular choices of works this year. < Miss Anderson, emphasised the importance of deportment on the concert* platform; Sh« ; briefly isdmmai rised her criteria for judging ■as: looking - for a. : sense'of

■ communication through the imusic; looking, for style; [looking for sound (or tone); land looking for technical se- ! curity. “When one is performing.” she recalled an old adage, “one needs a heart of fire and a brain of ice.” Credit must be given to the ’ pianists who supplied the? “orchestral .accom-i paniment” throughout the competition. In particular, compliments to lola. Shelley for sustaining her' sympa-thy-tic accompaniment through 16 concern performances in the two days. ■ The three finalists- .will present' their concertos, in their entirety,' in the Christchurch .Town Hall on Saturday, February 14 with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra; under the baton of Peter Zwartz, The judge for : this-will be .Mr Gordon Watson, of < the . New. Wales Conservatorium T'pf Music, Sydney.