Italian Orazio Sciortino (*Syracuse, 1984) has been chosen by the jury of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) for their annual Composer Award. He is a musician with a wide-ranging catalog and an intense dedication to the interpretation of the classical repertoire as a pianist. Ismael G. Cabral from the Spanish ICMA Jury member Scherzo made the following interview.
Orazio Sciortino
©Marco Perulli
At what point in your career does this ICMA award come to you?
It’s not easy to have a perception of yourself, of the road you have traveled. I think I might be able to answer that question in 20 years, or maybe more. I will be 40 years old, and that is a round and relevant number at which it might make sense to take stock. Read More →
Turkish pianists Güher and Süher Pekinel have been awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award of ICMA. This award is highly justified for the almost fifty years that Pekinels have graced the international stage, starting from the 1980’s when only a handful of Turkish musicians could find their way into the classical music scene. Their unique musicality, stage presence and deep artistic knowledge have paved the way to this very important award.The Pekinels have devoted most of their time, in recent years, to educational projects and preparing talented young musicians from all over Turkey to the concert stage and are therefore one of the most hard-working musical ambassadors present. They have been interviewed by Feyzi Ercin, from the Turkish Jury member Andante.
The Pekinels
(c) Tanja Niemann
You are a duo with countless achievements and numerous awards. What does an award signify to an artist, and what does this one specifically mean to you?
The ICMA Award has once again proven to be a significant source of motivation for us. Foremost among its merits is the recognition of our endeavors by fellow musicians, serving as an indicator of our resonance within the artistic realm. Read More →
Romanian soprano Aida Pascu was named Young Artist of the Year 2024 of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA). The 24-year-old singer answers the questions of Irina Vasilescu, a Senior Producer of ICMA Jury member Radio Romania Muzical.
Aida Pascu
(c) Radio Romania Muzical
Aida Pascu was born and raised in a musical family, both her parents being opera singers. She was part of the Children’s Choir of the National Bucharest Opera and she studied classical singing at the Bucharest Music University with tenor Ionel Voineag. The soprano also participated in masterclasses given by renowned artists, such as Nelly Miricioiu and Raina Kabaivanska. Aida Pascu has a special relationship with the famous Bulgarian soprano, who has become her mentor. Read More →
Am heutigen Tag feiert Klaus Mertens seinen 75. Geburtstag und die Musikwelt – vor allem die Freunde der Alten Musik – feiert gerne mit, ist doch der Träger der Bach-Medaille und des Telemann-Preises aus der Szene kaum wegzudenken. Jan-Geert Wolff gratuliert.
Klaus Mertens
Im Frühling feiert die Musikwelt die Geburtstage großer Barockmusiker: Georg Friedrich Händels Wiegenfest am 5., Georg Philipp Telemanns am 14. und Johann Sebastian Bachs am 21. Doch was wären die Heroen ohne ihre Interpreten, die ihre Musik ins Heute ziehen und sie damit pflegen wie bewahren? Einer dieser Künstler ist der am 25. März 1949 in Kleve geborene Sänger Klaus Mertens, der heute seinen 75. Geburtstag feiert. Read More →
Peter Eötvös (1944-2024) und bereits mit 14 Jahren von Zoltán Kodály an der Budapester Musikakademie aufgenommen. 1966 führte ihn ein Stipendium zum Dirigierstudium an die Musikhochschule in Köln. Zwischen 1968 und 1976 spielte er regelmäßig mit dem Stockhausen Ensemble und arbeitete am Elektronischen Studio des WDR Köln (1971-1979). Auf Einladung von Pierre Boulez leitete er 1978 in Paris das Konzert zur Eröffnung der IRCAM. Daraufhin wurde ihm die musikalische Leitung des 'Ensemble Intercontemporain' übertragen, das ihm bis 1991 unterstand. Peter Eötvös hat mit seinen Kompositionen große internationale Erfolge erzielt. Remy Franck hat sich mit dem Komponisten unterhalten. Das Interview stammt aus dem Jahre 2007 und legt den Schwerpunkt auf das Unterrichten.
Peter Eötvös
(c) Istvan Huszti
Sie engagieren sich ja sehr mit Unterrichten, mit Meisterkursen und mit Ihrer eigenen Akademie. Was beflügelt Sie, das zu tun?
Es ist eine Familientradition! Mein Großvater war Lehrer, meine Mutter war Lehrerin, und als ich noch Kind war, hat mir meine Mutter schon das Unterrichten beigebracht. Ich war immer dabei, wenn sie unterrichtete. Einmal sagte sie: « Mach du mal weiter! », und dann arbeitete ich mit den Schülern oder Studenten – meistens waren sie älter als ich – und leitete die Stunde. Und irgendwie wusste ich, instinktiv und aus einem inneren Bedürfnis heraus, was gut ist und nicht, So konnte sich das weiter entwickeln und es kam mir eigentlich schon damals völlig selbstverständlich vor. Read More →
Conductor Markus Poschner is the mastermind behind a project to record the complete Bruckner symphonies with the Bruckner Orchestra Linz and the ORF Vienna Symphony Radio Orchestra. The Capriccio label is releasing all versions of the symphonies on 18 albums. This edition has won a Special Achievement Awards at this year's ICMA. Pierre-Jean-Tribot from Jury member Crescendo made the following interview with the conductor.
Markus Poschner (c) Foto Kerschi
What does Bruckner mean to you? What is his place in the history of music?
Bruckner is undoubtedly one of the most important geniuses of the 19th century, if not of all time. He pushed all musical parameters to their limits and far beyond, especially the function of time in music. Throughout his life, he searched for the perfect symphony, the archetype and musical image of a universal world order. Bruckner created symphonies to express the unimaginable. He was the ideal mediator between tradition and the avant-garde, and he was far ahead of his time. Read More →
French tenor Cyrille Dubois won at this year's ICMA with his album 'Jouissons de nos beaux ans'. Jury member Luc Boentges (Radio 100,7, Luxembourg) made the following interview with the singer.
Cyrille Dubois
(c) Philippe Delval
Cyrille Dubois, what does it mean to you to have won the ICMA prize in the ‘Baroque Vocal’ category?
It was a great surprise to receive this award. I’ve already made a number of recordings and to see this one awarded by this great international competition makes me feel very proud. Above all, it’s the result of the collaboration with the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles (CMBV) and its artistic director Benoît Dratwicki, the Orfeo Orchestra and the Purcell Choir conducted by György Vashegyi. Read More →
BR Klassik releases the live recording of Shostakovich's Eight Symphony. At this occasion, Remy Franck made the following interview with his wife, Patricia Haitink-Bloomfield.
Maestro Haitink had an exceptionally broad repertoire. But Bruckner and Mahler had a very special positon within this repertoire. And so did Shostakovich. Do you know where this attraction to Shostakovich’s music came from?
In the 1970s it was still quite unusual for “Western” conductors to conduct Shostakovich, and he was not familiar with all of the symphonies, although he already knew the 8th and some others. But he began a cycle with the London Philharmonic, and gradually recorded all of them for Decca, with both the LPO and the Concertgebouw Orchestra. I think he was fascinated by the mixture of darkness and sometimes quasi-military “triumphalism”, a lot of which was ironic, of course. Read More →
Over the course of February 2024, city of Dubai has resounded with piano talents from all over the world taking part in the Third Edition of the Classic Piano International Competition. Classic Piano saw each participant presenting a variety of works from across the spectrum of classical music, including a contemporary composition from Composer-in-Residence Alexey Shor and Mikhail Pletnev. Josie Campbell had the opportunity to talk to Mr Shor, and gain his insight into his collaboration with Classic Piano, the background behind the piece he has contributed to the competition’s repertoire – From my Bookshelf – and his views on Dubai, amongst other topics.
Alexei Shor
There are many piano competitions being held every year nowadays. What attracted you to the Classic Piano International Competition, and what do you feel this event is able to contribute to the world of music?
The competition is very special in terms of the selection criteria. It’s not done by the usual method of video submissions, which is an extremely closed process. This one has a very transparent selection approach. There are fourteen competitions around the world, and the top ranking pianists are then invited to come to Dubai to take part in Classic Piano. Read More →
Seit 2010 reist der Organist James D. Hicks durch ganz Nordeuropa, um die Orgelmusik der Komponisten Skandinaviens, Finnlands, der baltischen Staaten und sogar Grönlands und Islands aufzunehmen. Seit 2024 sind die daraus resultierenden Aufnahmen des kleinen US-Labels Pro Organo endlich auch im deutschen Sprachraum erhältlich. Was treibt diesen Organisten an, was ist seine Motivation und wo soll dieses Projekt noch hinführen? Für Pizzicato stand James D. Hicks im Gespräch mit René Brinkmann Rede und Antwort und warf einige interessante Schlaglichter auf eine Musikszene, die hierzulande kaum bekannt ist und doch dringend bekannter werden sollte: Die Orgelmusik der nordeuropäischen Länder.
Organist James D. Hicks
Sie sind ein Organist aus den USA. Wie sind Sie auf die Idee gekommen, eine Reihe mit Orgelmusik aus nordeuropäischen Ländern zu starten? Hat das etwas mit Ihrer Biografie zu tun?
Da ich in den USA geboren bin, habe ich mein Leben in einem Land verbracht, das von Wasser und allgemein von einem Umfeld umgeben ist, das nur wenig Ähnlichkeit mit der Kultur der nordeuropäischen Länder hat. Musik ist jedoch eine fluide Kunst, und wenn man ein gewisses Maß an Neugier und Leidenschaft mitbringt, ist es möglich, über Ton-Aufnahmen, das Internet und Bücher tief in das nordische Musikleben einzutauchen und Beziehungen zu Musikern aus diesen Ländern zu entwickeln. Read More →
