Dina Joffe

Dina Yoffe (born in Riga, December 18, 1952) is a Latvian pianist, She was awarded the IX Fryderyk Chopin and the VI Robert Schumann competitions' 2nd prizes before graduating from the Moscow Conservatory in 1976. She remains internationally active as a pedagogue and a concert pianist.

"A sovereign master of her art.

"...Dina Joffe dringt immer bis zum inneren einer Komposition vor,nie wirkt etwas unnaturlich.

Eroica-Variation erschien in einem neuen Licht mit unvergleichlicher Tonschöncheit und fantastischem Farbenreichtum vorangesponnen...
                                                                                    (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

"...Her playing flowed beautifully, and avoided even the slightest hint of sentimentality.Hers was a strongly felt authentic Chopin.

  Maestro Zubin Mehta collaborated marvellously as a perfect accompanist."...         (The Jerusalem Post)

"...it is not only finished skill of master that characterizes her rendition but first of all the striking poetry of her soul that is in full swing. (..)At desert of modern art her playing resembles a life -giving spring which restores the lost harmony of our world.”

                                                   (Ongaku no Tomo, Tokyo Simbun, Japan)                           

"...Every moment of her performance, her gentleness and the warmth generated for both the music and the audience penetrated into the listener’s heart. There was the light and the shadow of intellect. D.Yoffe is performer who translates the language of living..." (Asahi News, Japan)

"...the first sound performed by Dina Yoffe make us believe her...the Pianist strives to express her poetical ideal, her playing is full of truth...”

"She captivated her audience with her virtuosic and masterfully confidant manner of expression."

„..Ihre Karriere verlief dort, wo es wichtig ist, und dennoch fernab von Glamour und vordergründigem Marketing.. Wer einmal eine der großen Pianistinnen und Pädagoginnen erleben will, die wahre Kunst eher im Hintergrund betreiben, sollte diese Konzerte nicht verpassen. (Piano News Magazine ,Düsseldorf)

“…her touch at the Chopin’s Scherzos is very firm, and also filled with lots of delicate colours, which sublimates this performance into the stage of perfection. All the necessary elements for scherzos, intense dramas and lyrical songs, are fully expressed here. I am happy to hear that Dina Yoffe has proved herself again as one of the best Chopin performers in existence. Her Schumann’s sonata is also an exquisite work. It starts with very emotional introduction, and then each parts and theme is handled with her sensible insights and flows into the whole piece comfortably. Yoffe’s lyrical Aria at the second movement is also beautiful as can be. The balance is marvellous between her impulse forward and reasonable composure. This recording makes me realize again that Yoffe is certainly an accomplished artist. I already cannot wait her next performance in Japan . (Jiro Hamada, Record Geijutu) Yoffe’s four scherzos amazed me! It is not just extremely fine touches from her perfect skills or that her resolute voices are well heard in the inner parts, which make the four scherzos at this record in Yoffe transcends all those basic musical elements, and just knows right way to embody music.Her exceptional talent to express Schumann’s lyricism is just admirable. (Ongaku Gendai)

"...Dina Yoffe war Solistin beim 4.Klavierkonzert von Beethoven. Konzert in Goldenes Saal des Musikvereins. sie verstand es ,diesem von Robert Schumann als Beethovens "villeicht grosstes Klavierkonzer"bezeichneten Werk von Anfanag ihren Stempel aufzudruecken.Sehr intensiv,aber auch gefuehlvoll-vertraemt ,jedoch nie kaprizioesinterpretierte die im Auftreten eher diskrete,wenngleich zu den groessten Klaviervirtuosinen unserer Zeit gehoertende Dina Yoffe die von zarter und lyrischer Schoenheit gepraegte Komposition...

Joseph Lorent, Vienna LW

Top price-winner at the Schumann international competition in Germany and prestigious Chopin Competition in Warsaw, Poland. Participant at international music festivals in Europe, Japan, U.S.A. Honorary member of Japan Piano Teachers Association Artistic Director of Festival and Master Classes “Musical Summer” in Malaga (Spain)

Originally from Riga (Latvia),Dina Yoffe started her musical education at the distinguished Emil Darzin’s Special School of Music in her home town and continued at the Central Music School in Moscow. Graduated from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music in Moscow under the tutelage of Professor Vera Gornostaeva,one of the most important proponents of the legendary Heinrich Neuhaus school.

The concert activities of Dina Yoffe are well known throughout many countries in Europa and also in Russia,Israel,Japan,USA. Among the high points of her international career - concerts with outstanding orchestras, such as the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, NHK under Neville Marriner, the Moscow Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev and Dmitri Kitayenko, Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra under James De Priest,Orchestra "Kremerata Baltica” under Gidon Kremer,"Moscow Soloist" under Yuri Bashmet,Orchestra Sinfonia Varsovia under Jerzy Kaspszyk.

Also recitals in famous events,such as Festival “Chopin and his Europe“ in Warsaw, Chopin Festival in Duszniki, Music Festival in Bayreuth,Germany, Elba Music Festival (Italy), Summit Music Festival (USA),as well as concerts in the Barbican Centre in London,Suntory Hall in Tokyo,”Serate Musicale” Sala Verdi in Milano,Musikverein und Konzerthaus in Vienna, Great Hall of Moscow Consevatory,Salle Playel in Paris,etc. Concert at the Royal Palace in the Hague for her Majesty Queen Beatrice.

Together with the wide solo and orchestral career, Dina Yoffe is also an active participant in Chamber Music Festivals, where she played together with many internationally renowned musicians, such as G.Kremer,Y. Bashmet,V.Tretiakov,V.Repin, M.Vaiman, M.Brunello and others.

Dina Yoffe gave piano recitals with all F.Chopin works in Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama. The concerts series was filmed and broadcasted by Japanese National Television NHK.

She is giving numerous Master Classes in France, Germany,Spain,at the Royal Academy of Music in London,Mozarteum Summer Academy in Salzburg. Guest Professor at the Yamaha Master Classes in Paris, New York, Hamburg and Tokyo. 1989-1996- Professor at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel-Aviv University (Israel.) 1995-2000 -Visiting Professor at Aichi University of Arts, Japan. Jury member of international piano competitions-Cleveland (USA),Hamamatsu (Japan), Chopin (Warsaw),Maria Canals (Barcelona),Liszt Competition (Weimar) among others.

Her students are winners of national and international piano competitions. Many of them are teaching in Music Academy's in USA, Japan, and Europe. Currently, she is Professor at the Musikhochschule Hamburg, (Germany).

Dina Yoffe has numerous Radio, TV and commercial recordings. Among her record releases are Chopin's 24 Preludes (VD-VDC-1334), The Fantasy in f-minor and 19 Waltzes (CD-VICC-63), Schumann- Symphony Etudes opus.13 and Kreisleriana Opus 16 (AGPL-003). CD’s "Real Chopin "NIFC 012, on Pleyel (Paris, 1848). CD “Real Chopin” for two pianos and four hands with Daniel Vaiman, NIFC 024, CD with Schumann Sonata in f sharp minor, op.11, Chopin Four Scherzo's (PAMP-1036/2009), Chopin Sonata in b minor, op.58, Four Impromptus (PAMP-1040/2010) DVD live recordings with works of A. Scriabin, S. Rachmaninof, as well as works by Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, S. Prokofiev, etc. Chamber music of Schubert (XCP-5026), Franck, Schumann, S. Prokofiev (AGPL-001)

www.dinayoffe.com www.musicalsummer.com

References

• Narodowy Instytut Fryderyka Chopina
• "Dina Joffe" inaugurates Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój" Terra Networks - August 2013.
• 1st Thailand International Piano Competition

External links

• Video on YouTube - Piano Concerto No. 1 by Chopin performance highlights