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11 June 2023 – Hailed by critics as a “true poet of the piano”, Korean pianist William Youn certainly transported the audience to a sonic landscape filled with a mix of tranquility, longing, and perhaps a touch of trepidation at the uncertainties of life (but with the sense that everything will be alright in spite of that) with his performance of a specially curated selection of Franz Schubert’s masterpieces alongside a sprinkling from Maurice Ravel’s “Miroirs” piano suite.

The music of Franz Schubert holds a special place in William Youn’s heart. His evident devotion to Schubert’s music was palpable in his performance as he brought to life the stories hidden within the melodies. “What fascinates me most in Schubert’s music is its power. He composes in a very humble, natural, almost unforced way. When his music starts, it speaks to our soul immediately.” says Youn. He has also shared that in the face of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, it was Schubert’s music that consoled him the most, “It’s so personal and intimate. When you play his music, you don’t feel so lonely.”

As Music Press Asia’s editor-in-chief Monica Tong puts it, and we must say, this very precisely summarizes our experience at “Echoes of Silence”:

“William Youn’s interpretation of Schubert’s piano sonatas felt just like a sweet bedtime story. In all its clarity, he expresses the gentleness and deepest longings of Schubert’s and ultimately all of ours too.”

Paired with the sound of the Bechstein D282 Concert Grand Piano that evening, we were delighted to be able to hear every note of  William Youn’s playing.

The concert was attended by Mr Park Jinho and his wife. Mr Park is Deputy Head of Mission and Counselor General from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Singapore.

William Youn’s Debut Recital in Singapore has definitely caught our attention and touched our hearts & souls. We look forward to seeing him again in Singapore!

William Youn’s CD Albums “Schubert Piano Sonatas” Vol. II and Vol. III are available to purchase at Bechstein Music World at 7 Shenton Way #02-01 Singapore Conference Hall. For enquiries, call 6951 0638, or WhatsApp 8766 0638.

You can also find them on our Cristofori eShop! Get your copy via the links below:

William Youn – Schubert Piano Sonatas Vol. II

William Youn – Schubert Piano Sonatas Vol.III

Singapore, 6 June 2023 – At 10 years old, Singaporean piano prodigy Mikkel Myer Lee made history as the youngest pianist ever to perform both Chopin Piano Concerto No.1 and Chopin Piano Concerto No.2 at a public concert. His concert Mikkel Stars Chopin was held at the Esplanade Concert Hall on 6 June 2023. He was accompanied by The Asian Symphony Orchestra, and exhibited virtuosity and emotional maturity beyond his years, enthralling the audience with the brilliance of his musicality. The concert for the evening was conducted by Dr. Robert Casteels.

Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21 is a masterpiece that showcases Chopin’s unparalleled melodic gifts, and the brilliant technique of the soloist with dazzling passages. We were particularly struck by the exquisite expressiveness displayed in the Larghetto, evoking images of longing and devotion. Mikkel Myer Lee’s performance of this concerto was a thrilling experience, as he expertly navigated the complex harmonic landscape and brought Chopin’s music to life.

Following his performance of Piano Concerto No. 2, Mikkel took on Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11. This concerto is a beautiful work of music that was composed in 1830, and it is widely regarded as one of Chopin’s greatest achievements. Mikkel’s performance left the audience spellbound, as he brought his own unique interpretation to every movement of this masterpiece of Romantic era Music.

Mikkel Stars Chopin marked a momentous milestone for Mikkel as he pulled off performing two highly complex pieces that are uncommon for his age – indeed a marvelous and remarkable musical feat.

“We were awestruck by Mikkel’s rendition of Chopin’s Concerto No.2 Op.21 that he performed at the Victoria Concert Hall last year as this concerto from the Romantic era demands expertise and emotional maturity typical of older and more accomplished pianists” said Director of Business Development at Bechstein Music World, Koh Lee Ching. “With our support, we hope that Mikkel will be able to develop his phenomenal talent and achieve greater success in the years to come.”
Mikkel Myer Lee is a Singaporean piano prodigy who has been making waves in the classical music scene with his incredible talent and passion for music. He is also the youngest artiste to be sponsored by Bechstein Music World in the 21st century.

A pianist of incredible talent and skill — Born to parents who are not trained musically, Mikkel shocked his parents with his rare gift for music at the young age of six when he started playing piano pieces he heard over the internet. Endowed with perfect-pitch, Mikkel went on to clinch Gold in various international piano competitions. He represented Singapore and performed at Mozarteum in Salzburg (Austria) and Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (Netherlands). In 2022, Mikkel performed at two sold-out concerts at the Esplanade and the Victoria Concert Hall respectively.

After this leg of MIkkel’s journey, we are certainly looking forward to seeing where his immense talent takes him.

“Schubert’s music is for lonely souls. It moves and consoles its listeners, building them up again in their darkest moments and inviting them to dance and dream, to go for long walks and to hope.”

Programme:

F.SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata No.4 in A minor, D.537

F.SCHUBERT/F.LISZT: Ständchen, D 889

M.RAVEL: “Une barque sur l’ocean” and “Alborada del gracioso” from Miroirs, M.43

F.SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata No.20 in A Major, D.959

(Programme subject to change at the artist’s discretion)

25th March 2023 – We had a very special treat witnessing Japanese pianist Kotaro Fukuma make his Singapore Debut at the Victoria Concert Hall.

Renowned for his keen musicality, Fukuma brought out all the most wonderful nuances in his instrument for the night, a C. Bechstein D282 concert grand piano, generously provided by Bechstein Music World Singapore.

His debut recital in Singapore presented piano transcriptions and pieces from the Baroque period to the 20th century, from Bach, Mozart and Schumann to Debussy, Ravel and Saint Saens. The first half of the program featured a selection of composers from Germany and Austria

PAINTING WITH SOUND

Kotaro Fukuma demonstrated masterful use of textures, keeping the listener on their toes. Each piece in his carefully curated program was executed with brilliance and finesse, colour, shape, clarity and refinement.

His playing is interesting and playful with wonderfully executed contrasts & rhythmic articulation, and pure joy evidenced in his playing.  

His performance of Saint Saens’ Danse Macabre was commanding and captivating, even the youngest audience members stood intently watching Fukuma for every moment! He truly delivered on this performance – indeed a “mesmerising prince, touching our souls with his outstanding musicality, paired with the pure C. Bechstein sound.” Perfect combination.

Post-concert was no less exciting, with a long queue at the Meet-and-greet session, photos, enthusiastic discussions, and smiles all around.  

Kotaro Fukuma is definitely a must-see performer. He is a delight to watch, and we look forward to his next performance in Singapore!

• Set your practice routine and stick with it – Be sure to set aside time to practice all the different sections of the exam. Your Teacher will be able to help advise you on areas you need to focus on to improve your overall performance.
  • Practice your pieces, focusing on smoothing out the performances, working out your solos and fine tuning your techniques.
  • Make sure to work on your technical exercises ensuring that you are able to perform all the possible scales or rudiments in each group in time with the metronome click
  • Take time to work on the Unseen Tests too! Practice improvising over random backing tracks on the internet, or pick a random score to sight read. Maybe try to reproduce your favorite beats or melodies by ear to sharpen your aural skills, and don’t forget to brush up on a little music theory, and the fact files about your pieces in preparation for the General Musicianship Questions.

• Rehearse the Exam with your Teacher – This will help you get a feel for the exam and help you prepare for possible challenges you may encounter, such as General Musicianship questions using different terms (e.g. crotchet = quarter note, makes = brands, etc.), or things like making adjustments to your drum kit. You can even practice how to greet your examiner and ask questions.

• Make a List of things you will need to bring. You can find a full list of the things you need to bring on your exam day in the Rockschool Exam Day Checklist.

• Do your research and plan your route to the exam venue – RS Event Center’s Public Exam Venue is located on Level 2 at Block 51 Old Airport Road. Sound familiar?

Important reminder on Exam Venues!

• Always aim to arrive at least 15 minutes before your assigned exam slot. This gives you time to check in to the exam venue and prepare your instrument and other gear while waiting for your turn.

• Once at the Venue, a Steward will greet you and sign you in. You will need to present your Photo ID, Appointment Slip (pdf soft copy is accepted!), and Original Copy of your Exam Book for verification. Physical copy or digital version of the exam book is accepted. For digital versions, RSL will make note of the authorisation code found at the edge of the page, so make sure that it is visible.

• Once you’re signed in, the Steward will direct you to your designated waiting area.

• Drummers, just bring in your Exam Book, drum sticks and any other gear that you have informed the centre ahead of your exam day that you will be bringing.
• Guitar, Bass, and Ukulele players, make sure your instrument is out of the case, tuned and ready to go with any cables & adapters you may need. The idea is to take less time to set up and give you more time to focus on your exam.

Singapore is full of exciting events this quarter, and the upcoming performance by Japanese pianist Kotaro Fukuma is sure to be a great addition to the scene!

Born in Tokyo, Kotaro Fukuma has displayed limitless potential, clinching prestigious awards in international competitions. His career flourished after winning the First Prize and the Chopin Prize at the 15th Cleveland International Piano Competition at the age of 20.

Currently, he tours five continents, including Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America.

Since Kotaro studied music in France and has mentors like Mitsuko Uchida, Richard Goode, Maria Joao Pires, he presents highly refined music. Kotaro performs in major concert venues, and works with the world’s finest orchestras and conductors. Furthermore, he has released eighteen commercial CDs (several released by renowned labels like Naxos) and often appears in music magazines like Gramophone.  

Kotaro Fukuma’s debut recital presents piano transcriptions and pieces from the Baroque period to the 20th century. Join him in exploring your most beloved classical repertoire while savouring the refreshing melodies produced by the C.Bechstein piano. Then, delve deep into Kotaro’s world of impressionistic French music as he paints images through different colours and textures to give audiences a captivating listening experience.

Like a mesmerising prince, Kotaro will touch your soul with his outstanding musicality, paired with the pure C. Bechstein sound. Strap in for a splendid evening of serenade music that inspires and leaves an unforgettable impression, at least for some time.

Catch him LIVE at 8pm on 24th March for his Singapore Debut in partnership with Bechstein Music World Singapore at the prestigious Victoria Concert Hall for “夜の音楽 NACHTMUSIK: A Night of Serenade Music by KOTARO FUKUMA”

Get your tickets now! Readers of our Blog can get 15% of Category 1 & 2 Tickets.

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2022 marks the first year that Cristofori is able to finally host once again the GRAND Students Recital for our year-end Musicale concert. The annual Musicale Concert and Cristofori Star Student Awards has been a long standing tradition for Cristofori Music School as a way to show our appreciation for the efforts of our dear students.

Over the past 2 years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous restrictions to gatherings and performances, our previous Musicale celebrations were majorly scaled back and limited to a simple awarding ceremony. Now in 2022, we were finally able to return to our grand celebration with a BANG.

This year’s theme was “ Journey Through Time 穿越时空之旅 ” – calling to us to envision a journey from past to future, having stood together to emerge stronger after a Global Pandemic, we recall memories of playing music together, and appreciate the time we have together; we recall predecessors, and at the same time, look toward a future where we can return to a state of togetherness. 

COVID-19 had taken away opportunities to gather our students together, but this year, we take back our way of life and stand in hopefulness, to realize our vision to overcome this pandemic and stand together for a brighter future, to continue to build our heritage and legacy of music, passion, life and to bring music to every heart and home.

The Musicale Concert 2022 was held on Friday, the 2nd of December at the Festive Arts Theatre at Our Tampines Hub, a 400 seat theatre in the heart of Tampines. The program featured collaborative performances by our Cristofori Music School students and teachers, and the much anticipated Star Student Awards recognising the efforts and hard work of students as nominated by their teachers.

It was truly a special treat seeing some of the school’s best perform for a sold out audience, with pieces from beloved movies and series, as well as some well loved classical pieces.

We definitely felt a sense of community being with our students and families together in celebration again. 

Congratulations to all the performers for their amazing work, and thank you to the parents, staff and crew without whom this event would not be possible!

11th December 2022 – We had the honour of attending an intimate recital session by Song Ziliang, an International Pianist and Educator at the Bechstein Music World Recital Hall.

Song Ziliang was described in the Straits Times as ‘brimming with talent and conviction’ and ‘grandly good’ following sold-out concerts and recitals. Ziliang graduated from the Royal College of Music, London with a Masters of Music in Performance (Distinction) under the tutelage of Gordon Fergus-Thompson. He has also studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Mikhail Petukhov. His studies in Russia and the UK were sponsored by the Trailblazer Foundation.

Currently a music educator, Ziliang contributes to the development of the arts through annual performances and commissioning musical works based on Singaporean themes, such as the Laksa Cantata by Chen Zhangyi. 

With a hope to foster greater inclusivity within our communities, Ziliang continues to perform on the piano, curating programmes that explore parallels across different cultures.

In his recital program on the 11th of December, Ziliang chose a number of pieces from composers whose music is closely linked to the Bechstein piano. Incidentally, some of these pieces are also close to his heart

All in all, this was a beautifully curated program executed wonderfully on a beautiful instrument that brings past tradition into a bright future! We certainly look forward to Song Ziliang’s next recital.

Want to see what else we’re up to? Check out our Blog Page, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @rockschoolsingapore and @rs_event_center 

Following Yunchan Lim’s recent performances in Singapore (we’re still amazed, by the way!), we went down the rabbit-hole and found a special interview with the youngest ever winner of the Van Cliburn International Competition by EPTA UK Trustee Yulia Chaplina (herself an accomplished pianist, having won 7 international piano competitions including the Gold Medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians). We would love to share some of our favourite parts with you via some trivia about Yunchan Lim.

• Yunchan Lim almost couldn’t participate in the Van Cliburn Competition!

He said, “The most worrisome part was that I might not be able to participate in the competition due to Covid-19 before I went to the US, because three days before I left the country I was so sick that I couldn’t do anything because I suddenly had a cold. But it suddenly got better a day later, and the Covid test was negative, so I was able to participate in the end.”

What a lucky break!

• He has been working with his teacher Minsoo Sohn since he was 13 years old.

One of the most important things Yunchan Lim has learned from his teacher is that “Improvisation on stage is very important. You can change the music freely depending on your condition at that time, not as you practise. It is one of the basics every pianist should have and I think it is very important.”

Improvisation is a skill that is encouraged and features in the Rockschool Contemporary Piano, and the RSL Classical Piano syllabus too if you’d like to check it out. Visit us at any of our office locations for a closer look!

• Yunchan Lim has been learning the piano since he was 7 years old. 

Yunchan said it was not an easy journey. He had to travel far away to his piano lessons, and it involved a lot of time and practice. “There were many things that I could not handle at my age since i was young”

• He has dreamed of becoming a pianist since he was 8.

“I never thought I’d be a pianist. But I wanted to be a pianist, and I prayed every single day since I was 8 years old.”

• He plays a lot of scales

Yunchan says, “Unlike a genius pianist, I’m not born with anything. I practised scales without skipping a single day!”

• He practices 6 hours a day – at least!

And that’s after his studies with his teacher Minsoo Sohn. “I practise to bring the music out of my mind into reality”.

• His favourite part of practising is…

“When music finally recognises my heart and expresses it in real life as I want.” 

If that doesn’t endear this young pianist to the world, we don’t know what will. We will eagerly look forward to Yunchan Lim’s next endeavours in the Music World.

The full article was published in Piano Professional Issue 59 September 2022 and can be accessed here.

Want to see what else we’re up to? Check out our Blog Page, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @rockschoolsingapore and @rs_event_center