William Kapell International Piano Competition
The William Kapell International Piano Competition has been held since 1970, initially as a piano competition at the University of Maryland , and from 1986 as the William Kapell International Piano Competition in memory of the American pianist William Kapell . The competition was initially held annually and later in a four-year cycle. In 1980 this competition joined the World Federation of International Music Competitions in Geneva. In 2013 the piano competition was discontinued. The William Knabe Piano Institute with the participation of the William Knabe Piano Works , Baltimore, and other partners realigned the competition in 2016 and continued it under the name Knabe Young Artist Piano Competition .
history
prehistory
The William Kapell International Piano Competition began with the Matthay Festivals , held each summer between 1965 and 1970 in College Park on the University of Maryland campus . These festivals realized the idea of the English teacher Tobias Matthay to offer workshops, lectures and recitals for young, unknown pianists by respected piano teachers.
Early years, 1971 to 1978
In 1970, Stewart Gordon , the then head of the piano department of the university's music department, proposed that the Matthay Festival be expanded to include an international piano competition. Such a competition would establish the university as an international center for the performing arts and draw leading pianists from around the world to the College Park campus. In 1971 the University of Maryland International Piano Festival and International Piano Competition were launched. This expanded format offered evening concerts and master classes by internationally known artists and a series of lectures from the university's piano faculty.
The first competition, endowed with prize money of $ 4,000, had only a weak response. The jury of five US judges identified some notable pianistic talents. Mark Westcott was awarded the first prize and Diane Walsh the second prize. You also identified a highly gifted young talent in Emanuel Ax . The festival and piano competition were able to establish themselves in the cultural life of the greater Washington-Baltimore region. Acknowledging articles about the competition and the festival were published in leading piano magazines. From 1974 onwards, National Public Radio recorded many of the festival's events, and Voice of America began broadcasting the competition finals. From 1976 the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was involved in the events. After the 1978 festival, Stewart Gordon stepped down from his management position. The festival and piano competition entered a second phase of their development.
Years of growth, 1979 to 1985
After Stewart Gordon's retirement, Fernando Laires , then professor of piano at the Peabody Institute , took over the management of the festival. To celebrate the growing popularity of the competition and the festival , a new work for piano was commissioned from Lawrence Moss , the composer in residence at the university. This work had to be performed by all semi-finalists in the competition. This established the practice, which continued until 1988, of commissioning a new musical work for the respective competition. The commissioned composers of those years included Henri Dutilleux , George Perle , Vincent Persichetti , Ned Rorem and John Cage , who composed the piece ASLSP for the 1985 festival and competition . In 1980, the international importance of the competition was recognized by joining the World Federation of International Music Competitions . Three years after the Van Cliburn Competition , the William Kapell Piano Competition became the second US piano competition to join this Geneva Federation of Leading Piano Competitions. Stewart Gordon took over the direction of the festival and competition again in 1982. The prize money climbed to the top of the international competitions. The number and quality of applicants continued to grow. At the end of the festival in 1985, Stewart Gordon announced his retirement from his university duties. He was followed by Eugene Istomin , who was appointed artistic director of the festival and competition in the fall of 1985.
Istomin / Lipkin years, 1986 to 1992
After his appointment, Istomin proposed a name change to the competition in honor of the American pianist William Kapell , who died in a plane crash in 1953 at the age of 31. The renaming of the competition to William Kapell International Piano Competition was completed. After the 1987 festival and competition, Eugene Istomin resigned as artistic director. Seymour Lipkin was a newcomer to this position and held it until 1992. Under his direction, the festival and competition continued to be the annual cultural highlight of university life. The competition was recognized as a major international event, raising over $ 50,000 in prize money, attracting the best young pianists from around the world.
Clarice Smith Center years, 2003 through 2012
In 1998, under the direction of George Moquin , the Kapell Competition introduced a four-year competition rhythm similar to the rhythm of other major international piano competitions. Moquin retired after a single competitive event. The competition was now organized and directed by the University's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center , which first presented it in 2003. Jarl Hulbert , initially assistant to the coordinator for the competition in 2003 and himself coordinator of the competition in 2007 and 2012, introduced a number of innovations, including a chamber concert round in the semifinals and the establishment of a youth competition in 2012.
The Kapell piano competition is canceled
To the disappointment of many supporters of the Kapell Competition, the Clarice Smith Center closed the Kapell Piano Competition in 2013. The suspension of this historic and world renowned music event halted an important part of the advancement of piano culture in the Washington-Baltimore area.
William Knabe Piano Institute, new competition
With the support of the Knabe Piano Company, the ARTIST Music Center and other partners, the former Kapell competition coordinator Jarl Hulbert took the initiative and founded a piano institute to take over and continue the Kapell competition. The William Knabe Piano Institute builds on the tradition of the piano factory Wm. Knabe & Co. in downtown Baltimore. A new annual competition of the Knabe Institute began under the name Knabe Young Artist Piano Competition 2016 with regional young pianists.
Award winners
literature
- William Knabe Piano Institute: The History of the William Kapell Competition. Accessed July 21, 2018 (English).
Individual evidence
- ↑ ASLSP. In: johncage.org.
- ↑ a b About the Knabe Institute