The Texas Chapter of

THE KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION

Promoting Educational and Cultural Exchanges and Relations Between the United States and Poland since 1925

The Texas Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation 
and the University of Houston (UH)

cordially invite you to attend the Sixth Annual Piano Concert featuring

 

Igor Lovchinsky

2003 Laureate of the Kosciuszko Foundation National Chopin Piano Competition

 

 

Friday, October 3, 2003

  

   

                                *INTERMISSION*
     

ALEXANDER SCRIABIN (1872-1915)	Etude in C# minor Op.2 #1, Fantasie in B minor Op.28
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856)	Kinderscenen, Op.15 (Scenes from Childhood)
Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (About Strange Lands and People) Kuriose Geschichte (Curious Story) Hasche-Mann (Catch Me) Bittendes Kind (Pleading Child) Glückes genug (Perfect Happiness) Wichtige Begebenheit (Important Event) Träumerei (Dream)	Am Camin (By the Fireplace) Ritter vom Steckenpferd (Knight of the Rocking-Horse) Fast zu ernst (Almost Too Serious) Fürchtenmachen (Frightening) Kind im Einschlummern (Child Falling Asleep) Der Dichter spricht (The Poet Speaks)
EARL WILD (1915)	Virtuoso Etude based on George Gershwin's "The Man I Love"  Virtuoso Etude based on George Gershwin's "Fascinatin' Rhythm"

 

        At 18 years of age, Igor Lovchinsky has already been the laureate of numerous prestigious competitions on the national and international levels.  His primary awards have included first prizes at the 2002 Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition and most recently, the 2003 Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Competition held in New York City.  As winner, Mr. Lovchinsky was featured in an all-Chopin concert at the Chopin Memorial in Lazienki Park in Warsaw, Poland and will give Kosciuszko- sponsored recitals in New York City, Chicago, Houston, Boston and other American cities.  In addition to the grand prize, he was awarded the Jan Gorbaty Memorial Prize for the best performance of Chopin.

     In 1998, Mr. Lovchinsky was featured in a gala concert at Carnegie Hall as a winner of the International Festival "Young Virtuosos" and later that year, performed Chopin's Piano Concerto in E Minor with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra as winner of the CSO Concerto Competition.  In 2001 and 2002, he was awarded a scholarship by the Chopin Foundation of the United States. Lovchinsky has performed in the masterclasses of Emanuel Ax, Robert MacDonald, Jon Kimura Parker, Anton Kuerti, and Sergei Babayan and participated in several summer music festivals including California SummerMusic, International School for Musical Arts, ARIA International Summer Academy, and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. 

     Born in Kazan, Russia in 1984, Igor Lovchinsky began his studies at the Kazan Special Music School for Gifted Children and after his immigration to the United States in 1994, became a student of Nina Polonsky.  Since 1998, he has been studying with Steven Glaser, former winner of the New York Chopin International Competition and Professor of Piano at Ohio State University.  In the Fall of 2003, he will enter the Juilliard School on full scholarship and begin his studies in the class of the renowned pianist and pedagogue, Jerome Lowenthal

  

 

THE KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION NATIONAL CHOPIN PIANO COMPETITION

 

     The Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition was established in 1949, on the one-hundredth anniversary of the death of Fryderyk Chopin.  Held annually since then, the competition is proud to number many outstanding pianists among its winners, including Van Cliburn, Murray Perahia, and Ian Hobson.  The objective of the Chopin Piano Competition is to encourage highly talented young musicians of all ethnic backgrounds, and to promote study and performance of the works of Chopin, Szymanowski, and other Polish composers.  The competition is open to citizens or permanent residents of the United States, and international full time students, between the ages of 16 and 22.  Contestants prepare a program of approximately 70 minutes.  The required repertoire includes works of Chopin and Szymanowski; Bach; a Classic sonata; a major 19th century work; and a work by an American, Polish-American, or Polish composer written within the last 50 years.

 

FOR RESERVATIONS: Tickets available by calling University of Houston at 713.743.3313 or 713.743.3388 or at the door.  For additional information please contact Anna Banach-Aikin at 713.464.8324 or by email at aaikin@ev1.net.

 

---