Meet our 2019 Piano Scholarship Finalists!

In the lead up to Sydney Eisteddfod’s Kawai Piano Scholarship Final this Friday 9th August, we sat down with our four finalists to ask them what has brought about their love of Piano and what it means to them 

 Jake Cheong 

Jake Cheong was born in South Korea and started to learn the piano at the age of 5. Jake began his studies with Professor Gerard Willems in 2015, and currently studies with Dr. Paul Rickard-Ford. He has competed in numerous eisteddfods and achieved prestigious awards. Jake was the winner of many events in Sydney Eisteddfod, St George Eisteddfod and Ryde Eisteddfod. He was the winner of the recital award in the Australian National Eisteddfod. Through his successful achievements, Jake was invited to perform his solo recitals around New South Wales. He was awarded first place in an international music competition, earning himself an invitation to perform in Vienna. Jake was awarded grants for two years from the Bouddi Foundation for the Arts. He performed in Youth in Performing Arts and was the school’s representative for performing in Central Coast Showcase. Jake achieved full marks in HSC music extension and was nominated for Encore. Jake currently studies Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music on a scholarship 

Tell us why you love piano 

 Piano has been part of my life for 13 years and I think it is a dynamic instrument. I love how the piano has the capability of creating so many different colours and sonority which provides the basis for the pianist to experiment with their individualistic expressions. Unlike most other instruments, the piano can exhibit the complexity of polyphonic textures whilst being able to produce melodious phrases. I love exploring the technical aspects that the piano offers me and the diverse range of great repertoires. 

Describe what piano means to you in five words. 

An Admirable Whilst Dramatic Experience 

Leanne Jin 

Leanne Yang Jin is currently completing a Bachelor of Music Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music studying with Natalia Ricci. She is a recipient of scholarships including the Theme and Variations Piano Foundation Award, John and Dorothy Vimpani Pianoforte Scholarship, Edward Loong Scholarship and the George and Margaret Henderson Scholarship. 

Leanne has also worked with renowned pianists Sa Chen, Ingo Dannhorn, Vyacheslav Gryzanov, Thomas Hecht, Michael Endres, Helen Krizos, Victor Sangiorgio, Valentin Surif and Andzrej Pikul.  

Previous performance highlights include the Bowral Autumn Music Festival, a recital on Fine Music 102.5 radio, Steps to Mastery International Piano Competition and winning the Barbara Robinson award in the NSW Secondary Schools Concerto Competition performing Prokofiev’s First Piano Concerto with the Kuringhai Philharmonic Orchestra.  

This year, she was a solo recitalist at the Canberra International Music Festival, silver medallist at the First Vienna International Music Competition and 2nd Prize winner in the Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition where she was invited to perform in Carnegie Hall. 

In July, Leanne won the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition. She has attended the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar Masterclasses with Ferenc Rados and the Obidos International Piano Masterclasses and Festival with Boris Berman. 

 Tell us why you love piano 

It is possible to express so many different emotions and assimilated cultural influences and experiences through the medium of the piano. 

The piano is perfect vehicle of expression in that way because of the range of sounds and colours it is possible to create through playing it is endless. As a pianist I can give full flight to my imagination in exploring this vast canvas of tone and colour!  

Describe what piano means to you in five words. 

Catharsis, transcendence, solace, fulfillment, inspiration.  

Nicholas Kennedy  

Nicholas Kennedy made his concerto debut in 2014, performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Kuring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra. He has appeared in Germany, the UK and throughout Australia, including multiple broadcasts on Fine Music 102.5 FM. His competition successes include Winner of the Mary Greville Piano Scholarship (2017), Second Prize (jointly on piano and cello) in the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition (2016), Finalist in the John Allison Piano Scholarship and NSW Fine Music Awards (2018), and Semi-Finalist and Best Prelude and Fugue in the Lev Vlassenko Competition (2015). Nicholas has performed with the Hutcheson Trio and as a guest with the Australia Piano Quartet.  

An alumnus of the Rising Stars program, Nicholas completed his undergraduate studies as a scholarship student at the Sydney Conservatorium, graduating with First Class Honours and the University Medal. Additionally, in 2018, he undertook an Associate Studentship at RNCM Manchester. He has studied principally with Clemens Leske and Helen Krizos, and participated in masterclasses with Stephen Hough, Robert McDonald, Bernd Glemser and Philippe Cassard. Nicholas is currently enrolled in the MMus (Performance) at Sydney Conservatorium, where he holds an RTP Stipend Scholarship. He plans to pursue further study in the UK or USA, and this year, joined the summer course of Dénes Várjon in Weimar. 

Tell us why you love piano 

Because we have an orchestra at our fingertips! There’s a reason so many conductors have also been pianists. The piano is a truly polyphonic instrument, offering the performer an immense range of colours and textures. Besides, the repertoire is hard to beat in its scope and richness.  

Describe what piano means to you in five words. 

Discipline, passion, inspiration, creativity, sharing. 

Calvin Abdiel 

Calvin Abdiel is currently studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under the guidance of Natalia Ricci. He has given recitals and concerto performances in Australia, Russia, Indonesia, Denmark and Switzerland. He has participated in masterclasses with Orli Shaham, Angela Hewitt, Ingar Rose, Ingo Dannhorn, Justas Dvarionas, Michael Endres, Helen Krizos, Vyacheslav Gryaznov and Jahja Ling.  

He performed his orchestral debut in 2017 with the State Capella Orchestra of St Petersburg in Russia, playing the Tchaikovsky concerto as the 2nd prize-winner in the International Competition for young pianists: Steps to Mastery. Shortly after his success in Russia, Calvin won 2nd prize in the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition in Brisbane, held in September 2017. At 16 years of age, Calvin was the youngest pianist to be a finalist, winning the Concerto Prize, the People’s Choice Prize, Queensland Symphony Orchestra Prize, and prize for the Best Performance of an Australian piece. In 2018, he won 3rd prize in the International Competition for Young Performers in Val de Travers, Switzerland. This year he was recipient of the Henderson Piano Scholarship at the SCM which allows him to travel abroad in July to attend masterclasses in Weimar and Portugal with legendary pianists Ferenc Rados and Boris Berman. 

Tell us why you love piano  

There's so much to it! It is the only solo instrument that could proclaim to the masses, but also whisper to them in the most intimate way. It is the 'king of instruments', capable of producing a limitless range of tone, colour and dynamic. It could emulate the sound of many instruments and even imitate a whole orchestra! 

In short, it has all the best qualities a solo instrument could offer. The possibilities for sound production at the piano are truly limitless, and that is an intellectually and emotionally exciting challenge for me. 

Describe what piano means to you in five words. 

A tactile yet poetic instrument 

Sydney Eisteddfod’s Kawai Piano Final is this Friday, 9th August at 6pm at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Recital Hall West and we wish them the best of luck!  

Tickets are still available at the link below.