 From left: Mrs Lungi Molamu; Prof Michael Arthur, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds; Dame Fanny Waterman & Prof Louis Molamu The grand interior of the Leeds Town Hall where the finals of the Leeds International Pianoforte competition took place last week. Queen Victoria officially opened this hall in the 1850s. South Africa's flag is hanging in the top left-hand corner. |
Prof Molamu visits the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition
The Chairman and Artistic Director of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition, Dame Fanny Waterman, invited Prof Louis Molamu and Mrs Molamu as her guests of honour to this competition in Leeds.
Prof and Mrs Molamu also attended the two concerts of the final round in the Leeds Town Hall where the Halle' Orchestra was conducted by Sir Mark Elder.
For the first time in the 48-year history of the Leeds competition, first prize was awarded to a woman, the 29-year-old Russian pianist, Sofya Gulyak. Second and third prizes were won by Alexej Gorlatch (21, Ukraine) and Alessandro Taverna (25, Italy), both of whom performed in South Africa earlier this year.
It was also the first time that South Africa was represented both on the jury and among the competitors. Mr John Roos was invited as juror, while Ben Schoeman, first prize winner of the 11th Unisa International Piano Competition 2008, was a competitor.
The next Unisa International Music Competition is for violin and cello, and is scheduled to take place between 22 January and 5 February 2010 in the ZK Matthews Great Hall. The screening of the entries for this competition is taking place this week. Watch the media for further announcements. |
