Pianist Wataru Hisasue wins the Mendelssohn Prize at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition and the German Pianist Prize 2016
Press release from 01/16/2016
Yesterday evening, the winners of this year's Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition were announced at a concert at the Berlin University of the Arts. The first prize winner in the vocal ensemble category in 2015, the Voktett Hannover, performed the impressive musical programme. This year's prizewinners will prizewinners will present themselves to the concert audience tonight in the string quartet category and tomorrow (Sunday) in the piano and trombone categories. Details can be found on the university competition website.
The Mendelssohn Prize winner (first prize in the piano category) is Wataru Hisasue from the Freiburg University of Music in Breisgau, who also received the German Pianist Prize awarded by the International Piano Forum Frankfurt. The German President's Prize (second prize in the piano category) went to Korean So Hyang In from the Munich University of Music and Theatre.
First prize in the trombone category went to Žan Tkalec from the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. In the string quartet category, the jury awarded first prize to the vision string quartet from the Berlin University of the Arts. The young string players also received the Prize of the Friends of Young Musicians Germany and the special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work, which was awarded in each category. The traditional Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition, which is organised by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Rectors' Conference of German Music Universities, will take place this year from 13 to 17 January at the Berlin University of the Arts. Prize money totalling over 50,000 euros was awarded.
All prizewinners of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2016 and the prizewinners' concerts at a glance:
PIANO (Mendelssohn subject)
Mendelssohn Prize (1st prize)
Wataru Hisasue
(Freiburg University of Music)
Prize of the Federal President (2nd prize)
So Hyang In
(Munich University of Music and Theatre)
3rd Prize (Prize of the Elsa-Wera-Arnold Foundation)
Knut Hanßen
(Cologne University of Music and Dance)
Special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work by Aziza Sadikova
Mathis Bereuter
(Berlin University of the Arts)
German Pianist Award (Special Prize of the International Piano Forum Frankfurt)
Wataru Hisasue
(Freiburg University of Music)
POSAUNE
1st prize
Žan Tkalec
(Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media)
2nd prize
Matthias Lampl
(Würzburg University of Music)
3rd prize
Philip Pineda Resch
(Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media)
Miriam Raspe
(Trossingen State University of Music)
Special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work by Joachim F. W. Schneider
Miriam Raspe
(Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen)
Special prize for piano accompaniment
Timothee Mille
(Munich University of Music and Theatre)
STRING QUARTET
1st prize
vision string quartet
(Berlin University of the Arts, Saar University of Music)
2nd prize
not awarded
3rd prize
Eliot-Quartett
(Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts)
Special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work by Sinem Altan
vision string quartet
(Berlin University of the Arts)
Prize of the Friends of Young Musicians Germany
vision string quartet
(Berlin University of the Arts)
The competition entries were judged by internationally renowned musicians under the chairmanship of Prof Bernd Glemser (piano), Prof Olaf Krumpfer (trombone) and Prof Heime Müller (string quartet). In 2016, the competition was once again under the artistic direction of Dr Dieter Rexroth.
The concept of the competition also includes long-term support for the prizewinners with scholarships, follow-up performances and CD productions. In addition to the organisers' prizes, the "Prize of the Federal President", which has existed in the form of a scholarship since 1989, is awarded as part of the competition. The "Friends of Young Musicians Germany" award a further special prize. In addition, they organise follow-up concerts in each of their eight
member associations (Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf/Meerbusch, Frankfurt am Main, Kassel, Cologne/Bonn, Mainz/Wiesbaden and Munich).
16 January 2016, 5.00 pm
Prizewinners' concert String quartet
The prizewinners in the string quartet category will perform works by Haydn and Schubert, as well as the second and third prizewinners in the piano category and the second prizewinner in the trombone category.
Joseph Joachim Concert Hall of the UdK Berlin, Bundesallee 1-12
Admission: 6 euros, concessions 4 euros
17 January 2016, 7 p.m.
Prizewinners' concert piano and trombone
The first prizewinners in the piano and trombone disciplines will perform works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, David and Mendelssohn Bartholdy together with the Studio Orchestra of Berlin University of the Arts under the direction of Mark Laycock. All three commissioned works will be premiered.
Concert hall of the UdK Berlin, Hardenbergstraße/corner of Fasanenstraße
Admission: 9,- Euro, reduced 5,- Euro
The concert can be listened to in the media centre of the competition website.
The winner's photo, CVs and portraits of all 2016 participants and the jury members can be found on the competition website.
Contact for press tickets and further information:
Constanze Beger
Email
Phone (030) 31 85 21 30
With the kind support of:
- International Piano Forum Frankfurt
- Society for the Exploitation of Neighbouring Rights
- Friends of Young Musicians Berlin
- Friends of Young Musicians Germany
- C. Bechstein
- emphasises, label of the UdK Berlin
- Elsa-Wera-Arnold-Foundation
- Ries & Erler Music Publishers
- Young Euro Classic
- Kassel Music Days
- Hotel am Steinplatz
- rbb kulturradio
- Deutschlandradio Culture
- Reservix