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PI Presents: World-Class Performances from 2014 Midwest International Piano Competition

In 2014, the inaugural Midwest International Piano Competition brought some of the world’s best young pianists to the Great Hall of UNI’s Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. As a prelude to the 2016 competition, Iowa Public Radio’s Performance Iowa will be airing selections performed by the three 2014 Senior Division finalists on Saturday, June 4 at 6 A.M. and 8 P.M., and again on Sunday, June 5 at 7 P.M.

24-year-old Israeli pianist Tomer Gewirtzman performed Bardanashvili’s Postlude as well as 8 of the 12 Liszt Etudes d'exécution transcendante, S. 139, and Debussy’s iconic Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque. Gewirtzman was the third prize winner of the competition. No stranger to international piano competitions, Tomer has taken first prizes in the U.S.A, Poland, Greece, and Israel. In the fall of 2014, he began his Master of Music degree in the Juilliard School as a proud recipient of the Kovner Fellowship with Maestro Sergei Babayan.

24-year-old Ukrainian-born pianist Elina Akselrud performed as one of her selections Prokofiev’s Sarcasms, Op. 17 and was the second prize winner of the competition. Akselrud made her first appearance with an orchestra at the age of eight. She has performed in Ukraine, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, and won prizes in international piano competitions in Greece, Ukraine, Poland, Italy, and the U.S.A. In 2014, she completed her Master of Music degree under the tutelage of Professor Alexander Kortsantia at the New England Conservatory in Boston.

As the first prize winner of the 2014 Midwest International Piano Competition, 27-year-old Ukrainian pianist Margaryta Golovko was awarded the opportunity to perform a concerto of her choice with the wcfsymphony. She selected Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15. You’ll hear Golovko’s performance with the wcfsymphony. Golovko started her piano studies in 1997 at the Kiev Special Music School. She completed her master diploma at the National Music Academy of Ukraine. She has won prizes in international piano competitions in Italy and Czech Republic, and has performed in Ukraine, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia. At the time of the competition, Golovko was studying at the International Piano Academy “Incontri col Maestri” in Italy with Professor Piero Rattalino.

Tune in on Saturday, June 4 at 6 A.M. and 8 P.M. and again on Sunday, June 5 at 7 P.M. for this Selections from the 2014 Midwest International Piano Competition, Senior Finals Category Performance Iowa broadcast!

PROGRAM SELECTIONS:

Tomer Gewirtzman

BARDANASHVILI – Postlude

LISZT – Etudes d'exécution transcendante, S. 139

                No. 1 in C Major

DEBUSSY – Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque

Elina Akselrud

PROKOFIEV – Sarcasms, Op. 17

Margaryta Golovko

BRAHMS – Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15 Nov. 1, 2014 performance with the wcfsymphony under Jason Weinberger

Jacqueline Halbloom is a Sr. Music Producer and Classical Music Host