Marcin Koziak competing at the 2014 piano concerto competition (photo: John Cole).

Piano delight

The 2014 Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition was of such a high standard that the first three finalists all have the potential to make glittering careers for themselves, writes HOT’s Chris Cormack. This Saturday  you have the opportunity to take in a recital given by finalist Marcin Koziak from Poland and warm yourself with some mulled wine in the refined surroundings of the Recital Room at Fairlight Hall.  

This recital is a foretaste of the 2015 competition which starts as early as 28 February.  In stage one at the White Rock Theatre, contestants will play their chosen concerto from the 2015 list. Tickets at £5 per session and day tickets at £12 will be available soon. There will be a special opportunity for under 16s to enjoy the first and second stages with a free ticket offered to any child under 16 who is accompanied by a paying adult on Saturday 28 February, Sunday 1st, Monday 2nd and Wednesday 4 March.

On 27  and 28 February and 1 March, members of the public are invited to the Priory Meadow shopping centre in Hastings to perform on a grand piano set up in the main concourse for this purpose. School groups and solo children may perform or watch – last year it proved to be an inspiring occasion for all concerned.

Marcin Koziak was born in 1989 in Cracow. At the age of 10, he won his first all-Poland competition, and a year later made his debut with the Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra.

Marcin Koziak.

He has won numerous prizes in Polish and international competitions, including first prize in the 2nd International Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in Budapest (2006), second prize and three special prizes in the 7th ‘Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam’ International Competition for Young Pianists in Bydgoszcz (2007) and third prize in the 10th Hastings International Piano Competition (2014). He also reached the semi-final of the 16th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw (2010) and the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Tel Aviv (2014).

Koziak has appeared in many important festivals and concert cycles: La Roque d’Anthéron International Piano Festival (2010), Rubinstein Piano Festival (Łódź, 2011), La Folle Journée au Japon (Tokyo, 2010), La Folle Journée au Varsovie (2010), ASEM Culture and Arts Festival (Beijing, 2009), International Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój (2011), Kiev Summer Music Evenings (2007) and many others.  He was trained by Stefan Wojtas for more than a decade, until completing his master’s studies at Cracow Academy of Music. He is currently in the piano class of Tamás Ungár at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth (USA), where he now resides.

The programme includes works of the greatest exponents of music for the piano from Central Europe and Russia, not least the 20th century Polish master, Karol Szymanowski who was influenced by the music of Wagner, Richard Strauss,  Scriabin, the impressionism of Debussy and Ravel and of course his fellow countryman Frédéric Chopin and Polish folk music. Like Chopin he wrote a number of mazurkas for piano. The mazurka (in Polish, mazurek) is a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with accent on the second or third beat. Clearly the Polish nation has a magnificent tradition for piano music.

The recital is sponsored by the Fairlight Arts Trust.

Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition Prizewinners’ Recital Series – Winter Recital, with 2014 finalist Marcin Koziak (Poland). A morning recital at 11.30am 24 January 2015, in the Recital Room of Fairlight Hall, Martineau Lane, Fairlight TN35 5DR. £15 including mulled wine. Tickets online, at Hastings Tourist Information Centreor by telephone on 01424 451111.

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