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4th September 2022, Singapore – Sir Stephen Hough recently returned to Singapore for a solo recital, and a concerto performance with the professional chamber group reSound Collective.

Sir Stephen played Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto – a 4-movement work playing close to 50 minutes. 

A brief background on the piano concerto, Brahms began composing the piece in 1878 and completed it in 1881 while he was in Pressbaum near Vienna. It took him three years to work on this concerto. He wrote to Clara Schumann: “I want to tell you that I have written a very small piano concerto with a very small and pretty scherzo.” Ironically, he was describing a huge piece that is regarded as the longest, most complex piano concertos written to that date. The public premiere of the concerto was an immediate success in November 1881, with Brahms as soloist with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra.

Sir Stephen certainly lived up to the renown of this concerto’s premiere over 140 years ago, conceived like a symphony, it has been described as a “concerto against the piano”, putting a solo instrument – the Bechstein D282 Concert Grand Piano for this performance, whose resonant tone is perfect for any concert hall – up against the power of an orchestra.

There was certainly nothing to fear, as Sir Hough displayed a great sense of reassurance and expertly conquered every challenge the piece presented in his path with his finesse and masterful skill.

All through the concerto, the players of re:Sound supported Sir Stephen throughout the piece, and even presented their own impressive showcase in Bartok’s Divertimento For Strings, Led by violinist and former SSO concert master Igor Yuzefovich. Bartok ironically named his Divertimento, although named after the Classical divertimento form, it is not a light and entertaining work as the name suggests.

The Evening was truly a spectacular performance by both Hough and the reSound Collective, and further distinguishes Sir Stepen Hough as one of the most distinctive artists of this generation.

Photo Credits: Resound/ Joel Chew

The Cristofori team was treated to a delightful opportunity to witness the first live performance by Sir Stephen Hough in Singapore since his induction into knighthood by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his vast contributions in the field of Music.

Sir Stephen’s “Nightscapes” was held on 31st August 2022 at the Victoria Concert Hall and featured the following Programme:

Chopin: Two Nocturnes
Scriabin: Sonata no. 5
Debussy: Estampes
Hough: Partita (2019)
Liszt: Three Petrarch Sonnets
Liszt: Dante Sonata

The first half of the recital was played on a C. Bechstein D282 full concert grand piano, proudly sponsored by Bechstein Music World, that offered a full-bodied, sparkling and balanced flavour to the two Nocturnes by Chopin, and the Scriabin Sonata. 

The first half of the recital was played on a C. Bechstein D282 full concert grand piano – proudly sponsored by Bechstein Music World, a certified RSL supporter – that offered a full-bodied, sparkling and balanced flavour to the two Nocturnes by Chopin, and the Sonata by A. Scriabin, who himself wrote his music on a Bechstein piano. 

Top quality since 1853: the C. Bechstein name is synonymous with exquisite grand and upright pianos made in Germany. The C. Bechstein D 282 concert grand piano is a top-class instrument. Thanks to its stupendous and beautiful sound, it’s the ideal grand for large concert halls just like the Victoria Concert Hall.

The C. Bechstein engineers and master piano-makers developed the D 282 model after intensive discussions with international star pianists. This legendary instrument has set new standards with its transparent voice and unparalleled richness of tonal colors. The C. Bechstein D 282 concert grand piano embodies the synthesis of the brand’s legend and the demands of today’s pianists for power and dynamism.

International star pianists confirm the outstanding characteristics of the C. Bechstein D 282 concert grand piano: surprisingly powerful sound, elegant and high-precision action. 

Bechstein pianos have been favoured by some of the greatest concert pianists and recording artists, including Leonard Bernstein, Wilhelm Kempff, Dinu Lipatti, Shura Cherkassy, Sviatoslav Richter, Oscar Peterson and Tatiana Nikolayeva. Claude Debussy said “Piano music should only be written for the Bechstein”.

This illustrious history behind the C. Bechstein pianos was fully apparent in the D282 played by Sir Stephen at the “Nightscapes” recital, which astounded us with the striking clarity from the first notes of the Nocturnes, which carried through the entire tonal range of the instrument; the sparkling brilliance of each note drawing the ear’s interest and keeping our minds glued to Sir Stephen’s performance, and truly highlighting his brilliant playing and mastery of the piano. 

Named by The Economist as one of 20 Living Polymaths, British pianist Stephen Hough is a true renaissance man – a leading concert pianist, writer, composer and painter. He has won global acclaim for his outstanding interpretations of the piano repertoire. The Bechstein D282 is indeed a masterpiece of European piano standards!

Sir Stephen is an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he is a visiting Professor, a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he is the International Chair of piano studies, and an Honorary Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was given an honorary doctorate by the University of Liverpool in 2011.

2022 marks the first year that Cristofori is able to finally prepare something GRAND for our year-end Musicale concert. The annual Musicale Concert and Cristofori Start Students 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, emerging into a new state of normal, we are finally given the opportunity to slowly return to our grand celebration.

This year’s theme is “ 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 realise 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 will be held on Friday, the 2nd of December at the Festive Arts Theatre at Our Tampines Hub. The program highlights will feature collaborative performances by our Cristofori Music School students and teachers, and the much anticipated Start Student Awards recognising the efforts and hard work of students as nominated by their teachers.

About the venue

Our Tampines Hub (OTH) is Singapore’s largest integrated community and lifestyle hub, with 12 government stakeholders under one roof, providing a wide range of community, sports, cultural and lifestyle facilities, one of which is a state-of-the-art theatre and cinema – the Festive Arts Theatre.

With 400 seats, 4K digital technology and Dolby 7.1 Surround sound system, the Festive Arts Theatre @ Our Tampines Hub is an ideal for musical and theatrical performances, and even  town hall speeches and gatherings with the latest audio-visual equipment available. Many spellbinding performances have already been held here to great success, and this year’s Cristofori Musicale is sure to be one of them!

About the piano Cristofori CG275

As of March 2022, Cristofori has shown our full support for this community hub by supplying the Festive Arts Theatre with a Cristofori Full Concert Grand Piano CG275. 

This piano is Made in Korea by Young Chang – who are among the largest and most automated of the world’s piano manufacturers. The Cristofori CG275 features all top-quality materials and craftsmanship including solid spruce soundboards.

The CRISTOFORI C275 Full Concert Grand piano is worth SGD96,300.

The first classical pianist to inaugurate the CRISTOFORi Concert grand on the 25th June 2022  is Singaporean pianist Li Churen who presented the first ever in person musical event since the Pandemic to an overwhelming crowd. The event was also live streamed and is available to watch here: Classical Music Adventures: Encounters with Beethoven

Look out for these upcoming events by Li Churen at Festive Arts Theatre: 

​24 September 2022

Classical Music Adventures: Encounters with Chopin

Our Tampines Hub, Singapore

With art director Phoebe Zoe Ho

​

17 December 2022

Classical Music Adventures: Encounters with Schumann

Festived Arts Theatre, Our Tampines Hub, Singapore

25 March 2023

Classical Music Adventures: Encounters with Ravel

Festive Arts Theatre, Our Tampines Hub, Singapore

The design also features an evenness of tone throughout the entire range including the transition from bass to tenor sections. All grands have all maple action parts and double coated cold pressed hammer felt for superior tonal quality. This piano is sure to bring out the best in our Students’ and Teachers’ performances at the Musicale!

Auditions for the Musicale 2022 Performers are on via Video Submission until 11th September 2022.

The Asian Supreme Drum Competition 2022 kicked off after a 2-year hiatus, and the energy was absolutely uplifting! 

From morning till evening over the weekend of 13th-14th August, we had the privilege of sharing in the excitement felt by over 250 young drummers – many of whom are our very own Cristofori drum students, family and other supporters to finally be playing live again at the ASDC 2022 Live Qualifying Round. This experience also gave the sense that we are indeed closing in on getting back to some normalcy, and able to now be with our overseas community in-person. 

Apart from the many Singapore drummers, there were a number of participants flying in from overseas to play live for the audience and judges panel from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand too! This year, there are more than 500 participants joining from South East Asia and beyond. We have participants from countries including Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Philippines, USA, China, Korea, England, Myanmar, and Canada – If the Asian Supreme Drum Competition proves anything, it’s that the Groove Transcends All Borders. We certainly had a great time seeing our students and all the other competitors perform on stage.

The ASIAN SUPREME DRUM COMPETITION 2022 – organized by RS Event Center – is an annual event that aims to encourage a love of drumming and life-long musicianship. The competition is open to non-professional drummers and features 3 main categories (Junior, Intermediate and Open), as well as a Rockschool Category covering Debut to Grade 5 that will allow even more young drummers to have the live performing and competition experience, something we definitely want our young Cristofori Drummers to try! In fact, a good number of our Cristofori drum students were able to get the full competition performance experience by participating in the Rockschool category. We are thrilled that the Asian Supreme Drum Competition has opened opportunities for learners of all levels to participate.

Winners of the Grand Finals to be held on 8th October 2022 at the Singpost Auditorium in Singapore stand a chance to win from S$9000 in prizes!

Check out this year’s Jury Panel at the 2022 Asian Supreme Drum Competition. Truly an assembly of illustrious industry professionals! The panel includes Singapore’s Er Chow Kiat, Thailand’s Jirawat (a.k.a. Mr Print), Lee Jit Seng from Malysia, and Mr Carl Jenkins from USA to name a few.

We will definitely be looking forward to catch the Finals on 8th October 2022 at the Singpost Auditorium. 

Results for the Qualifying Round will be announced on 23rd August 2022 on the RS Event Center Facebook Page, Instagram, and right here on our website!

9th August 2022 marks Singapore’s 57th National Day, and also the launch of a new line of affordable, high-quality acoustic guitar – the Sevillana 2101!

RS Event Center was privileged with access to a sneak preview of the Sevillana 2101 at Bechstein Music World on the 4th of August, and here’s what we learned.

Acoustic guitars come in different body shapes and wood compositions – dreadnought, grand concert, jumbo, grand auditorium, parlour, and more plus solid vs laminate wood all contribute to overall qualities of the guitar’s sound and playability. Here’s a quick summary:

Dreadnought – this iconic shape with large shoulders and large lower-ends are your all-around strumming and picking machines.

Parlor – Small but bold, these designs are known for strong projection of mid-range tones.

Jumbo – This one looks like a dreadnought that put on a few pounds but uses that new space to bellow out still more bottom end and bigger sounds.

Grand Concert – This throwback to the mid-19th century is a mid-size body that champions EQ in the mid- and upper-ranges, making it ideal for cutting through any unplugged session.

Grand Auditorium – This design takes the best of the dreadnought but modernizes it by narrowing the waist of the guitar slightly 

Many acoustic guitar makers also enhance fretboard reach with a cutaway.

The Sevillana 2101 boasts an all-rounder performance and responsiveness with its Grand Auditorium shape, and full solid top, back and sides offering the best possible resonance and sustain. Playability benefits from this shape as well, with its narrower waist, this guitar is more comfortable to hold than a standard dreadnought, and the added reach with the cutaway is a definite plus too whilst giving it a very stylish profile.

This guitar features all solid sitka spruce top, and african mahogany back and sides, top grade 1:18 die-cast machine heads, and a Zero Fret that aids in consistency of tone between open and fretted notes.

We got a chance to try this guitar out ourselves and were surprised at how comfortable it was to hold and to play. We found a nice balance of frequencies as well that makes this guitar a great instrument to pair with the RSL Acoustic Guitar material. 

What amazed us the most was the price point of this instrument at SG$399.00. 

All things considered, you really don’t need to spend top dollar for a quality instrument, if you know what to look for!

You can learn more about the Sevillana 2101 and where to get it here.

Wonder what we think of the role of Live Performances in a learner’s journey? Click here to find out.

If you’re looking to improve your sight-reading, we have some tips to share with you.

See what else we have coming up with the Pearl River Digital Piano International Competition.

On 12th July 2022, Bechstein Music World had the honour of hosting the Singapore leg of the Piano Adventures Teacher’s Workshop Series with Dr Randall Faber. The session was conducted via Zoom Webinar and shared with hundreds of piano teachers across Singapore.

During the session, Dr Faber shared philosophies on teaching and the ethos behind the world-renowned Piano Adventures teaching method and series of books – that music instruction “develops the minds and hearts” of the learner. This holistic approach values music performance not only as personal and creative artistic expression, but also as a process of cognitive and emotional development, with the student as the main agent of their own active learning. 

The Piano Adventure series touches on the physiological and neurological aspects of the act of practicing and playing music, which Dr Faber explains, play a significant role in learning, in developing and maintaining brain health in children, and preventing cognitive decline in adults – aspects such as physical motion, “Discovery” tasks with each piece encouraging the Left Brain (analysis), and “Creative” tasks encouraging Right Brain (Creativity) activity by allowing a student to add a twist to the existing piece to create their own new interpretation (i.e. use the same notes to create your own ending for the piece). The progression from one level to the next also strongly reflects how well the Faber method takes into account the way the human brain works and utilizes it to optimize learning and exploration.

Dr Faber also shared a few tips on selecting the appropriate material for each student, as each series has been especially paced & designed with the development at each age group in mind, and a variety of supplementary repertoire and supporting resources for teachers available within the Piano Adventures range. The Piano Adventures Atlas resource was also introduced at the session. This resource features countless technique demonstration videos, teacher guides, references and audio backing tracks to help teachers enrich their teaching even further.

The Fabers’ teaching method features a unique combination of  Middle-C, intervallic, and multi-key approaches, beginning with off-staff reading, and playing across the entire keyboard on all black keys. As demonstrated by Dr Faber in the workshop session, This allows students, especially younger learners to build & develop the motor skills  and dexterity, whilst not overloading information in the initial stages, allowing children to stay motivated. Emphasis on rhythm as an initial connection to music also serves as an engaging starting point for learners of any age. Notes in the Middle-C position are introduced in groups, but the student plays in these positions on white keys across the keyboard. The complete method incorporates attention to intervals, five-finger positions, music theory, and creativity in an inter-organized progression, supported by corresponding books. The series includes music originally-composed by Nancy and Randall Faber. It also includes well-known folk, pop, and classical melodies.

As pianist and educator, Randall Faber has appeared as special guest and keynote speaker at universities throughout North America and Asia, including the Beijing Central Conservatory, the Shanghai Conservatory and the Royal Conservatory of Canada. He has been Convention Artist for the Music Teachers National Association Conference and master teacher for the World Conference on Piano Pedagogy, National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference and the USA National Piano Teachers Institute.

A Steinway Artist, Faber has given recitals throughout the United States, Canada and Asia. He has appeared on international television and on public radio in live recital broadcasts.

Dr. Faber holds three degrees from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Education and Human Development from Vanderbilt University. His research on motivation and talent development has been featured in journals and media in South Korea, China, Australia, and at the 9th International Conference on Motivation in Lisbon, Portugal.

Randall and his wife Nancy are well known as authors of the best-selling Piano Adventures(R)  teaching method. Translated to seven languages, their books have sold tens of millions of copies around the world.

The  Fabers are co-founders of the Faber Piano Institute located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

LA-born polymath Kit Armstrong proved a formidable force on the keys at his Debut Recital at the Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore on 3rd June 2022. The programme featured Bach’s 15 Sinfonias, BWV 787-801, and Liszt’s Transcendental Études, S. 139, said to be designed to be the peak of piano difficulty. 

The added personal touches to the program made the experience a very interesting and engaging one for us, as Armstrong opened the show with, and sprinkled throughout, food for thought with poignant discussion: “Why Classical Music?”, and the value it holds, or has the potential to hold, for modern audiences; How do we appreciate music? What is it that is universal about music?

The masterfully selected repertoire for the evening not only fully demonstrated Kit’s prowess on the instrument, they also allowed him to fully paint a picture on his thoughts and understanding of each movement, each variation and theme, giving the audience the means to ponder, and, in his words, go past the idea of venerating music as an artifact, to transcend, to move beyond and arrive in a mindset where we are actively engaging in finding answers to what it is in the music that speaks to us, that gives us the meaning and value we perceive. 

For example, Armstrong shared with the audience the origins of Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes, and Bach’s Sinfonias, and other compositions, and relates them to the meaning of the word “transcendental”, to go beyond the initial existence. What began as repetitive movements across the keys, over time are transformed, technical elements are taken and shaped and molded into expressions, embodiments of thought and emotion painted in sound. Music in essence is sound. It is meant to be experienced, to be felt as a physical phenomenon, to be appreciated by the senses.

Armstrong’s Singapore debut “Transcendental” inspired not only awe at his exceptional playing, musical maturity and youthful daring, and exquisite expressive ability, but ultimately a renewed appreciation for Music as a whole – as a window to the past, as a monument to culture and history, and as an inward message, one uniquely treasured in our own heart and soul. Kit Armstrong is an absolute must-see.

Emerging from the fog of uncertainty into a post-pandemic world, Dawn & Sublimation seeks to usher in a sense of hope, transformation and renewal.

In Dawn and Sublimation, Haiou Zhang presents the two most compelling Beethoven Piano Sonatas: “Waldstein”, also known as “L’Aurora” (The Dawn), and Piano Sonata 32, Opus 111, the last of his piano sonatas.   

These 2 pieces are the perfect catalysts to fully demonstrate the skills that Haiou Zhang is best known for –  his mastery of every nuance of classical piano, his joyful attitude of exploration and creativity that he brings to performances, and a total mastery of the art of performing and communicating through music.

After braving a 2-year global pandemic and embracing the future in the unknown world, “Dawn” & “Sublimation” are the themes depicted in the most profound moments in Beethoven’s Sonatas, in which the concept of transcendence, of entry into a paradisial realm above language, occurs. Apart from the Beethoven selections are Bach’s two transcriptions of the most beautiful melodies – a path into a realm of serenity.

Based in Hannover, Germany Haiou Zhang’s musical career as an international concert pianist has been characterised by his unique gift of artistic and communicative skill. Haiou Zhang is also an influential ambassador for the arts, bridging Eastern and Western culture with his extensive body of work. 

He co-founded the International Music Festival, Buxtehude, Altes Land, Hamburg which has become one of the most successful classical music institutions in the Hamburg metropolitan area. From January 2020 Haiou Zhang is appointed as the new Music Director of Öschberghof Klassik in Donaueschingen, and is Artistic Director of international concert series CONCERTS GRAND SALON in Zurich, Switzerland since Spring 2021.

Programme

WANG JIAN ZHONG- LIUYANG RIVER 浏阳河

BACH (arr. Feinberg) – LARGO FROM TRIO SONATA NO.5 IN C MAJOR, BWV 529

BACH (arr. Lipatti)- HUNT CANTATA, BWV 208, SHEEP MAY SAFELY GRAZE

BEETHOVEN- PIANO SONATA NO. 21 IN C MAJOR OP. 53 ‘WALDSTEIN’

BEETHOVEN- PIANO SONATA NO. 32 IN C MINOR OP. 111

Find out more about Haiou Zhang’s exciting World Tour stop in Singapore here.

Get your tickets priced at $28, $38 and $58 on Eventbrite.com

For more reads, check out our Blog Archive where we share the lowdown on events, RSL Exams in Singapore and even tips from our community of Educators.

On 12-April 2022, the guitar instructors of Cristofori gathered at the Bechstein Music World Event Hall for a glimpse at the new Guitar Secrets method book by our long-time colleague, educator, international artiste and session musician Hiroaki Maekawa, better known to Cristoforians as Hiro.

Hiro has written this book to share with everyone his tips and secrets to teaching guitar aimed towards more contemporary music styles and exams like Rockschool Acoustic and Electric Guitar. In his teaching career, there has always been an abundance of resources for Classical Guitar teaching, including Cristofori’s own classical guitar method which thoroughly and systematically covers all the skills required for playing classical styles.

At the session, Hiro gave a chapter-by-chapter look at his new book’s current draft, and also facilitated jamming and demo sessions by our teachers to give a better idea of the flow of lessons outlined.

Guitar Secrets features a series of topics covering guitar basics such as notes on each of the guitar’s strings, basic chords, fretting hand techniques like bends, hammer-ons and pull-offs, an approach to scales that breaks out of just playing them for exams (and forgetting them the next day), and introducing students to blues style jams and some introduction to chord extensions, all elements found in contemporary music!

These additions were written in by Hiro to ease students into skills like creativity, improvisation, and maybe even eventually writing their own music. Hiro also included some ear training examples and activities, as well as video lessons for students to refer to if they forget how to do a particular task or exercise that are accessible via QR Code. The book also features specially composed pieces specifically designed to incorporate each topic and skill.

Another unique element that he has included is the use of half-chords to ease students into, and encourage them to continue playing barre chords until they develop enough strength to play the full chord later on in their journey.

Closing out the session, Hiro approached each of the guitar instructors for their thoughts, feedback, and input on what could be added or modified to further improve the book for final publication.

As is customary, the session was closed out with a group photo with our guitar instructors looking especially happy to be able to gather together again after over 2 years, serving as a mini-reunion and catch up for everyone who attended.

Many thanks to our instructors who attended and shared their time, skills and input! It was certainly refreshing and wonderful to be able to gather with our colleagues again.

Hiro’s “Guitar Secrets” is currently under revisions and will hopefully be ready to release in the 3rd or 4th quarter of this year.