YOUNG PIANISTS PLAY OUT FOR TOP PRIZE

Issued: 18 June 2009

FINALS – ROBERT WILLIAM & FLORENCE AMY BRANT INTERNATIONAL PIANOFORTE COMPETITION 2009

SATURDAY 27 JUNE 2009, 7PM

TOWN HALL, BIRMINGHAM

STOP PRESS Finalists announced: Tatiana Dardykina, Alexei Petrov and Alexander Karpeyev.

With a first prize of £3000 at stake, three young pianists will battle it out in the final stage of the Robert William & Florence Amy Brant International Pianoforte Competition at Town Hall Birmingham on Saturday 27 June (7pm). From an initial 24 entrants, just three finalists will be selected to perform a 40-minute recital of their own choice of works by three different composers.

One of the region’s most prestigious music competitions, the Robert William & Florence Amy Brant International Pianoforte Competition is now in its 30th year and has produced former winners including renowned pianists Mark Bebbington and Roger Owens. The winner of the 2007 competition, Chinese pianist Di Xiao, was subsequently nominated as the UK’s representative for the European Concert Hall Organisation’s Rising Stars series and recently completed a major European recital tour. Last year’s winner was Edward Pick (24) who impressed the judges with his performance of Haydn, Debussy and Lutoslawski.

Following a gruelling selection process over the previous weekend, the three finalists will be chosen by a distinguished jury comprising Andrew Ball FRCM (pianist and Professor at the Royal College of Music), Carole Presland (pianist and Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music) and Paul Keene (Director of Programming and Projects, Town Hall and Symphony Hall).

The competition Finals are on Saturday 27 June, 7pm at Town Hall Birmingham. Tickets are available from www.thsh.co.uk or Town Hall & Symphony Hall Box Office on 0121 780 3333.

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Note to Editors

Link to concert page: http://www.thsh.co.uk/view/brantcompetition09

The competition is open to entrants of any nationality resident in Great Britain and between the ages of 20 and 28. Each finalist gives a 40 minute recital of their own choice of three different composers. Further info and competition rules: http://www.thsh.co.uk/page/town-hall-birmingham/brant-international-pianoforte-competition/

Preliminary round – Sat 20 June, commencing 9am (CBSO Centre)
Semi-finals – Sun 21 June, commencing 9.30am (Town Hall)

First prize £3,000, Second prize £2,000, Third prize £1,000

Town Hall and Symphony Hall are managed together by Performances Birmingham Limited, an independent charitable trust. Between them, the two halls present an exciting and varied programme of over 600 concerts and events a year, designed to appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds. Over 500,000 people visit Town Hall and Symphony Hall annually, and a thriving education/community department reaches a further 20,000 people of all ages.

Town Hall Birmingham re-opened in October 2007 following a £35m renovation funded by Birmingham City Council (£18.3m), Heritage Lottery Fund (£13.7m), European Regional Development Fund (£3m).

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TOWN HALL SYMPHONY HALL BOX OFFICE 0121 780 3333
ON-LINE BOOKING www.thsh.co.uk
(a £2 transaction fee is charged on all bookings except purchases
made in person at the THSH box office)
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