It was as if no time had passed between the life of a great Polish composer, and eight young people competing in Ballarat in his name.
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Celebrating Chopin is an annual Royal South Street event, now in its 11th year, which brings together young Victorians aged 16 to 32 in a heady competition that gives justice to the magnificence of the virtuoso’s masterpieces.
This year’s emerging pianists came mainly from Melbourne, from Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the Victorian College of the Arts and University of Melbourne. One competitor was a year 12 student from Horsham College.
The rules are tight – each competitor must present at least two significant works, with a maximum combined time limit of 20 minutes – as they fight for the $6500 in prize money.
The contest, which was held on Saturday at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, is held each year in honour of Margaret Schofield OAM, who was one of the country’s leading pianists before her death in 2004.
This year’s winner was Hannah Shin from Carlton.
