Hastings piano competition prizewinner Alexander Yau goes online
He will be performing on Friday, May 1 at 7pm with a programme featuring Schubert/Liszt – Der Muller und der Bach; Liszt – La Leggierezza (Concert Etude No 2); and Chopin – Barcarolle in F sharp major Op 60.
Spokeswoman Dominika Hicks explains: “Hastings International Piano, the charity responsible for the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition and the Hastings International Piano Festival, has launched an online concert series to support the careers of their prizewinners in this time of national crisis. The short recitals premiere every Friday evening on Facebook at 7pm and at http://Hastingsinternationalpiano.org.
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Hide Ad“In these times when the livelihood of our musicians is at risk, with engagements being cancelled and studies on hold, this series aims to provide an income to the young competition prizewinners as well as offering Hastings Piano supporters and the wider public something to look forward to at the end of the week.
“The concerts are free to view, but viewers are able to make a voluntary donation to Hastings International Piano Engagement Fund,or choose to join as a Friend whilst watching. These donations help to continue the organisations work supporting young pianists as well as engagement projects offered to the young people of Hastings and the surrounding area. This includes free tickets to events as well as workshops, school visits and inspirational talks from visiting artists.”
The Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition is an internationally-renowned competition for young concert pianists from around the world., attracting 170 applicants in 2019 across global auditions, 40 of which came to compete in Hastings.
Their prize: the opportunity to perform with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on our two-night final and to win a first prize of £15,000. The Competition returns in February 2021.
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Hide AdThe inaugural Hastings International Piano Festival took place in February/March 2020 as the Concerto Competition moved to every other year.
The Festival was a spectacular two-week celebration of the piano involving 168 international artists including Rufus Wainwright, Guy Chambers, Reuben James, Claire Martin, Rachel Portman, Mark Kermode, Martin James Bartlett, The Puppini Sisters, The Dodge Brothers, The Swedish Trio, Liane Carroll, Neil Brand, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, who all performed at multiple venues across Hastings.
Australian pianist Alexander Yau has developed himself as a versatile musician incorporating his many musical talents as a chamber musician, vocalist, clarinettist, conductor, composer and music arranger.
Alexander has been award numerous prizes such as 6th Prize at the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, 1st Prize of Sydney Kawai Piano Scholarship, 2nd Prize at the Australian National Piano Award, 3rd Prize at the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition and special prizes in the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition. His major concerto appearances as soloist include with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Rachmaninoff’s Concerto no. 3, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra with Rachmaninoff’s Concerto no. 1 and a major tour with the SBS Youth Orchestra in Australia, with Rachmaninoff’s Concerto no. 2.
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Hide AdHe was the winner of Sydney Conservatorium Concerto Competition, which led him to perform the mighty Brahms’ Piano Concerto no. 2 with Eduardo Diazmunoz at the Conservatory Gala Concert to a huge reception. He has been invited to perform in the Canberra International Music Festival and in prestigious and unique venues such as the National Gallery of Australia, Government House, the Polish the Embassy of Australia and the City Recital Hall in Sydney. Other international prestigious venues he has performed in include Troldhaugen at Grieg’s home in Norway, Alice Tully Hall in NYC, Yamaha Ginza in Tokyo, Villa Mosconi Bertani on the outskirts of Verona, etc.
He has performed on the ABC Radio News in Canberra, featured on ABC classic fm with clarinetist Deborah de Graaff featuring Australian works and his own compositions. Outside of Australia, he has performed solo and chamber music concerts in USA, Italy, Germany, Norway, Hong Kong, China and New Zealand.
Now based in New York for his masters degree at the Juilliard School studying with Matti Raekallio. He has performed recitals and chamber ensembles at the Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Centre with the Juilliard AXIOM and last year performed at the FOCUS Festival 2019: On the Air held in the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre, and has been invited to perform again in 2020 with a piano sonata by Grete von Zieritz. He completed his Bachelor of Music piano performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, with first class honours studying with Daniel Herscovitch and Elizabeth Powell.
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