One is considered one of the greatest pianists in the world, the other is one of the best projects in the education of young musicians: Richard Frank and the European Union Baroque Orchestra close this week-end the current edition of Cistermúsica
The two big closing concerts of Cistermúsica’s current edition will be held next week-end in the Monastery of Alcobaça: July 30, Saturday, at 9:30p.m., the D. Dinis Cloister receives the great Swiss pianist Richard Frank for a recital solo, an event that also celebrates the 200th Birthday of composer Franz Liszt, while on July 31, Sunday, at 6:00p.m., the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO) comes into play in the nave for a concert dedicated to Bach & Sons, a concert conducted by Lars Ulrik Mortensen and with the presence of Huw Daniel (concertino). The presence of Richard Frank in Alcobaca, also stands out, one day after his performance, by conducting a Master Class of Piano in the Armazém das Artes, on 31 July, at 10:30a.m., an initiative once again integrated in the Formation section of the Festival.
The esteemed pianist Richard Frank was born in Zurich, Switzerland. He studied at the Zurich Conservatory with Irma Schaichet, a student of Bartok and Busoni. Mr. Frank received a teaching certificate in piano SMPV. He was awarded his Artist Diploma at the Academy of Music in Freiburg, Germany under Professor Edith Picht-Axenfeld. In both l976 and in 1977, he won the prestigious Kiefer Hablutzel Prizes. Mr. Frank also studied at the Juilliard School in New York, taking Master Classes with the late Rudolf Firkusny. His teacher in chambermusic were Paul Doktor and Lilian Fuchs. Richard Frank has given concerts in Europe, the USA, China, Singapore and Japan. He appeared as soloist with orchestras around the world, including the Sudwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz and the Symphony Orchestra Villingen-Schwenningen in Germany, the Szeged Symphonic Orchestra in Hungary, the Neues Orchester Basel and the Symphonisches Orchester in Zurich/Switzerland, the Carlsbad Symphony Orchestra, the Solisti di Praga and the Virtuosi di Praga in the Czech Republic, the York Symphony in the USA, the Century Orchestra Osaka and many other professional orchestras in Japan.
Known for being one of the most valuable projects in the education of young artists, EUBO fills the “experience gap” that often exists in the careers of young musicians struggling to start their professional life. Every year, EUBO invites 100 talented young baroque musicians from across Europe to audition. The 25 successful candidates, typically from 12 or more different countries with an average age of 25 years, spend six months together, training, touring and performing throughout Europe and further afield under the direction of the world’s leading baroque specialists including in 2011 Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Enrico Onofri and Alexis Kossenko. At the end of each year, the students of EUBO move on into the professional world and the whole process, from audition to graduation, begins again. EUBO has been so successful in its mission that there are now former EUBO students in every major professional baroque ensemble in Europe.
