Musical appreciation

Past winner, Yeh Shih Hsein, on the Turner Centre's Steinway. Photo: Keith Williams

THE MEASURE
Arguably the biggest international event the Far North stages is the two-yearly Kerikeri International Piano Competition. Sixteen classical piano students from numerous countries and New Zealand will vie for a slice of the $30,000 prize money. All are under the age of 28. The competition has been running since 1987 and is increasingly recognised on the global classical music calendar. Back stage, the constant musical narrative is intense.

THE PIANOS.........
A number of contestants were asked to reveal their favourite brand of piano and the answer was consistent - a Steinway. The Turner Centre's beautiful ninefoot Steinway will be the finely tuned instrument the contestants will play on.

Focus Paihia have the Far North's funkiest piano. The old honky-tonk upright gets wheeled out onto the seafront promenade every fine day and Focus Paihia's Grant Harnish says everyone is welcome to play it. Organisers of the competition hope that at least one entrant can be found who will spare a couple of hours away from practice, to entertain on the Paihia Blue.

Most of the sixteen contestants stay in the homes of Kerikeri locals and surrounding area and many hostshave a suitable piano for contestants to practice on. But if they don't, other practice pianos can always be located around the town.

THE ROMANCE.......
Imagine being proposed to by way of a Beethoven Sonata played on a Steinway and being accepted via Schubert on another piano. A newly-married couple from the USA did just that and both have won places in the finals of the Kerikeri International Piano Competition.

"Cole noticed me in music history class at a College Conservatory in Ohio," says Siyuan. "He introduced himself and we discovered we were both pianists. The next day in class he sat next to me and asked me if we could play for each other. In the practice room he played Beethoven for me and I played Schubert for him. And then we kissed.

Says Cole: "We have been married less than a year. We happily listen to each other playing and critique each other. We both find it very helpful. I am slightly introverted. Siyuan is more outgoing. Our professors say that we learn as much from each other as we do from them. They say that we are like two sides of a coin."

THE STRESS.......
Xuan He was brought up in Jiangjou, China and is currently based in the USA. He persuaded his mother to buy him an electronic keyboard but when he heard piano music being played where he was to have keyboard lessons, he immediately exchanged the keyboard for an upright piano.

"Do I get nervous before an important recital? I certainly do. So when I am at The Turner Centre I hope to find a place to lie down, close my eyes, and do deep breathing. To de-stress myself afterwards, and because I am very interested in New Zealand, I plan to back pack round the country."

AND THE FINAL NOTE:
This year sees a record 54 entries from 15 different countries from which the 16 contestants were chosen. Event Organiser, John Jackets, says the district benefits greatly from the competition with visitors coming from so far afield and which adds to the town's growing reputation as a centre of artistic talent.

www.kipc.org.nz

www.turnercentre.co.nz

Kerikeri International Piano Competition.
3 - 6 July 2014