The international jury take a break to tour the new John Bratby retrospective at the #Jerwood Gallery. Seen here with Bratby’s portrait of the Australian concert pianist, Eileen Joyce.

A chance to see the judges in action

For once, the judges of the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition come under the spotlight as they participate in the masterclass for the semi-final contestants at Fairlight Hall this Thursday. What better opportunity could there be for piano teachers, prospective entrants and others generally interested in such competitions to appreciate what goes on in a judge’s mind, writes HOT’s Chris Cormack?

Professor Frank Wibaut

The 2016 Jury includes artistic director and chairman Frank Wibaut (UK), Robert Palmer (USA), Akiko Ebi (Japan), Helen Krizos (UK), Mikhail Kazakevich (UK), Siegfried Mauser (Austria), Andrew Keener (UK), Brian Wright (UK), Bernd Goetzke (Germany) and Aquiles Delle Vigne (Argentina).

Professor of Piano at both the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, Frank Wibaut is now a Senior Piano Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music and a Visiting Professor in several countries. During the summer, he is a Professor and performer at the Mozarteum Summer Academy (Salzburg) and the Nice Summer Academy and gives masterclasses throughout the world. The Royal Academy of Music have awarded him their highest honour for his outstanding service to Music.

Akiko Ebi

Akiko Ebi launched her international career as the winner of the second Grand Prix and 4 special prizes given by A.Rubinstein in the Long/Thibaud Competition in Paris and she was a finalist in the 10th International Fryderyk Chopin Competition in Warsaw, earning the recognition of Martha Argerich, her future mentor. For her services to French music, Ebi was named a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 1993, and in 2002 she received Japan’s prestigious ExxonMobile Music Prize. She is invited to give master-classes in many countries and is jury member to major international piano competitions.

Robert Palmer

Following his critically-acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut in 1979, Robert Palmer embarked upon a performing career spanning three continents, with solo, orchestral and chamber music appearances throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He enjoys a highly successful teaching career and his students are prize-winners in national and international competitions. Palmer has appeared at many summer music festivals and served on the jury of numerous international/national piano competitions. He is the Mauzy-Porter Distinguished Professor of Piano at Ball State University, United States.

Siegfried Mauser

Siegfried Mauser was appointed professor at the University of Wurzburg as early as 1982 and then became professor at the Mozarteum Salzburg, where he founded the “Forschungsinstitut für musikalische Hermeneutik” (Research Institute for Musical Hermeneutics). After 15 years, he returned to the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts, where he has been president from 2003 until 2014. At present he is Chancellor of the Mozarteum University Salzburg and a renowned lecturer of international master classes in piano, song interpretation and chamber music.

Brian Wright

Brian Wright has conducted all the major UK orchestras, toured in Europe with the BBCSO, in Europe and China with the RPO and has been a guest conductor in nearly twenty countries. An Assistant to André Previn and the LSO, he also spent ten years as Associate Conductor with the BBC and won acclaim for performances at the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Brian enjoys a close relationship with the RPO and regularly conducts in their London International Series. He conducts the RPO for the finalists’ piano concertos.

Andrew Keener is an independent recording producer and worked in the studio with some of the world’s most distinguished musicians, including Daniel Barenboim, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Stephen Hough, Steven Osborne and the Takacs String Quartet.

Helen Krizos

Helen Krizos, currently Deputy Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, performed in a piano duo with Peter Noke which  made regular broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, appeared on BBC television and performed with many of the leading orchestras. Her  students have achieved top prizes in national and international competitions and gone on to successful careers in Spain, Italy, Germany and the USA, performing in venues including, Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Bridgewater Hall and Carnegie Hall. Helen has given master classes in UK, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Norway, Germany, Austria and the Far East and adjudicated extensively in the UK and abroad.

Bernd Goetzke

Bernd Goetzke is one of Germany’s leading teachers and musicians – a prizewinner in international competitions in Paris, Milan, Epinal, Athens and Brussels. A professor at the Hanover University of Music and Drama, he founded the Institute for Gifted Children, affiliated to the university and was Director between 2000 and 2012. His students regularly gain international awards and many establish successful performing careers. He holds master classes internationally and regularly serves on Juries of international competitions.

Aquiles Delle Vignei

Born in Argentina, Aquiles Delle Vigne from Argentina won at age seventeen the Grand Prix Albert Williams, the top competition in South America. This led to a career with major conductors, at festivals, concert venues and the leading conservatoires throughout the world, including the Salzburg Mozarteum Summer Academy. He also serves/Chairs on Juries of the world’s major piano competitions.

Mikhail. Kazakevich

After great success at the International Schubert Competition in Dortmund in 1992, Mikhail Kazakevich from Nizhny Novgorod (Russia) was invited to play a number of concerts in Europe and settled in London playing solo and with orchestras at prestigious venues and festivals in the UK, Austria, Germany, France, Russia, Switzerland, Denmark, South Korea and the Middle East. Mikhail is combining his concert activities with teaching. Currently he is a Professor of Piano at Trinity College of Music (London) and frequently gives master classes and adjudicates in the UK and abroad.

2016 Masterclass, 3 March 6pm t0 9pm at Fairlight Hall, Martineau Lane Fairlight, East Sussex TN35 5DR. Taken by Members of the International Jury with the 2016 semi finalists. Tickets £20 include wine and canapes – also available at Hastings Tourist Information Centre, Aquila House. 01424 451111 

Also in: Piano Concerto Competition diary