“The Concert of a Lifetime,” A Milestone for Three Pianists,” June 1

The wait is finally over. Three remarkable pianists, ages 19 to 23, selected more than two years ago to advance in the preliminary round of the PianoArts North American Competition, will perform in the Competition’s final concerto round at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, June 1, with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra under the baton of MSO Resident Conductor Yaniv Dinur. The concert, open to the public, will be held at the Bradley Symphony Center, 212 West Wisconsin Avenue.

Performing simultaneously for an audience of music-lovers gathered at the Symphony Center and three internationally acclaimed jurors: Pavlina Dokovska, Alan Chow, and Boris Slutsky, the pianists will compete for cash prizes, and other awards, totaling more than $20,000.

The finalists are: Godwin Friesen, age 23, from Toronto, Ontario, performing Dmitri Shostakovich‘s Concerto No. 2; Solomon Ge, age 19, from San Jose, California, performing Ludwig van Beethoven‘s Concerto No. 1; and Ailun Zheng, age 23, from Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, performing Robert Schumann‘s Piano Concerto in A minor.

The finalists earned this performance opportunity during two virtual rounds of competition which began in March 2020. Now, after navigating shifting dates, studying and performing virtually from their homes, aging beyond the 2018 PianoArts rules of age limits, and even graduating from high school or college, the three finally get to take the stage with the MSO.

“It’s been a long wait, due to COVID, said Ailun Zheng, but through the past two years, I’ve grown so much as an artist. While I was in Shanghai, I couldn’t play for audiences. I’m very excited that I am finally able to come to Milwaukee and PianoArts and to perform Schumann’s Concerto with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.”

Because of the two-year delay in scheduling the final concerto round, they will have the unanticipated benefit of playing in the MSO’s new home, the visually stunning and acoustically superior Allen-Bradley Hall in the Bradley Symphony Center.

“The PianoArts competition is unique because of the extremely high-quality opportunities it provides to its participants,” raved finalist Godwin Friesen who recently attended an MSO concert. “It is hard to believe that I will be playing with the MSO in such a gorgeous space. At this point in my career, it is the highest-level performance opportunity I have had.”

PianoArts, founded in 1995, was one of the first competitions to offer career-bound pianists the opportunity to perform with a major orchestra, providing the competitors a closer view into the professional world,

Concertgoers can meet the finalists on June 1, at 6:30 pm, during Concert Conversations hosted by PianoArtist Aleksandra Kasman. Following the concert and awards ceremony, members of the audience are invited to join the artists for a celebratory toast. Tickets for the evening ($25 and $15 student) are on sale through June 1 at the MSO Box Office: 414-291-7605.

“It’s a joy to meet these artists as they begin their classical careers,” exclaimed Martha Brown, PianoArts Board Chair, family host, and companion to the artists. “We’re excited to share their talents and passion with the entire Milwaukee community.”

Other Festival Events

Duo Recital with MSO Musicians

On May 31, at 7:30 pm, the pianists will also perform in the Collaborative Duo Recital with MSO musicians at the United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay, 218 East Silver Spring Drive. Tickets are $15 and available at the door, or in advance at www.PianoArts.org.

Godwin Friesen will perform, with violinist Dylana Leung, Robert Schumann’s Piano/Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor. Solomon Ge, also performing with Ms. Leung, will play Johannes Brahms’s Piano/Violin Sonata in A major, Opus 100. And Ailun Zheng will perform Dmitri Shostakovich‘s Piano/Violin Sonata in D minor, Opus 40, with cellist Scott Tisdel.

Piano Promenades – 2018 Competition Winners Join the Festival Celebration

On Sunday, May 29, at 7:30 pm, Derek Hartman, Tianyuan Liu, and Muzi Zhao will present a Piano Promenades Recital at the Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 North Prospect Avenue. Inspired by the museum’s rich and diverse art collection, the pianists will perform solo and duet masterpieces by Franz Schubert, Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Zhang Zhao.

Concertgoers are invited to visit an exhibit of award-winning costumes from Downton Abbey, “Dressing the Abbey,” with reduced tickets reserved at info@vtcamuseums.org, and attend an artist reception following the recital. Parking is available at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Tickets are $15 and will be available at the door or in advance at www.PianoArts.org

Information:

Contact Sue Medford at 414-962-3055 or Info@PianoArts.org.

The complete schedule of competition and music festival events will be updated on a regular basis and are posted on Facebook and the PianoArts Web site: www.PianoArts.org  

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.