Symphonic Workshops
Workshops and professional development opportunities for conductors and other musicians since 1991

Concerto with Orchestra Competition
&
Learn to Play with Orchestra
(Open to participants of the Varna International Master Class and Amateur Program)

The Concerto Competition is open only to the participants in the International Piano Master Class. Interested participants will rehearse and perform a movement from a piano concerto or piano work with orchestra (see the Concerto List below) with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra as part of the "Concerto Competition."  Up to 6 participants will be selected by the faculty to perform at a public concert with orchestra during the Master Class. The top three winners may be invited back to Bulgaria in the 2006/07 season to play in concert with the Vratza Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Valeri Vatchev. 

The number of competitors will be limited to 15.

Competition Fee: There is a 200 EU NON-refundable competition fee.  Please indicate on your application if you wish to take part in the Competition.

Learn to Play with Orchestra: This program will allow pianists who wish to expand their experience with orchestra the opportunity wthout the competitive element. Participants will rehearse and play with the orchestra and conductors taking part under the supervision of Valeri 
Vatchev. Fees are 200 EU and the repertoire is the same as the Concerto Competition.  The number of participants in this program will be limited to 10. 

Competition Repertoire:

• Beethoven Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3
• Chopin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, and Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise*
• Grieg Concerto in A Minor
• Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue*
• Liszt Concerto No. 1 & 2
• Mendelssohn Concerto No. 1
• Mozart Concertos K. 466 in D Minor,  K. 488 in A Major
• Prokofiev Concerto No. 1 in D-Flat Major & No. 3
• Schumann Concerto in A Minor
• Saint-Saëns Concerto No. 2 in G minor
• Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
• Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 in C. minor op. 18*
• Hayden D & G Major concertos
• Bach d minor & F Major
• Concerto by Pancho Vladiguerov (we will provide the piano score to participants who wish to play this piece)
  
  * the orchestra parts for these concerti must be rented/provided by participants. 

N.B. In the case that a competitor wishes to play a concerto NOT found on the list, competitors should send the concerto name and composer to Symphonic Workshops for the conductor's approval BY JUNE 1, 2007. If approved the competitor is responsible for providing the parts and conductor's score BY JULY 1, 2007. 

Winners of the 2007 Concerto Competition:
First Prize: Inette Swart (South Africa)             
Second Prize: Frants Johan Preis (South Africa), Pieter Groebler (South Africa)  
Third Prize: Youmi Kim (South Korea)            
Honourable Mention:  Byun Hye Rim (South Korea), Seo Jeong Hyeon (South Korea)

Winners of the 2006 Concerto Competition:
First Prize:                 Zuzanna Pawleszek (Poland) & Gareth Ross (South Africa)
Second Prize:            Jannie LeRoux (South Africa)
Third Prize:                Miara Freitas (Brasil) & Miguen Chung (South Korea)
Honourable Mention:   Lee JiWon  (South Korea)

Winners of the 2005 Concerto Competition: 
First Prize:     Ben Schoeman (South Africa); 
Second Prize:Ri-Ra Lim (South Korea); 
Third Prize:    Choi Ho Jung (South Korea); 
Prize Winners:Kim Sung Yun(South Korea), Michael Bonney, Marta Kucbora, 
Honorable Mention: Cheryl Metzger. 

Winners played in concert with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra and were invited to play with the Vrtaza Philahrmonic Orchestra, Conductor Valeri Vatchev, in the 2005/06 season.

Winners of the 2003 Concerto Competition, Hradec Kralove with the Hradec Kralove Philharmonic. 
2003  First Prize: Ai Yuki, (Japan ) and YunJung Choi (South Korea). 
Other winners were Johan Botes (South Africa); Sonia Hwang (Korea/South Africa); Myung Sun Oh (South Korea) and Yoshiko Shamoto (Japan). 
These students played with the Hradec Kralove Philharmonic in Podrbrady in the Czech Republic. 

Winners of the 2002 Concerto Competition, Kromeriz, Czech Republic

First Prize: Yun Jung Choi (South Korea) and Eugene Joubert (South Africa)
Other winners were Do Young Kim (South Korea);  Marta Kucbora (Poland); Anne Marshall (USA) and Eun Jun Oh (South Korea) These students played with the Kroméríz Festival Orchestra in the Assembly Hall of the Bishops Palace as part of the Kromeriz International Music Festival in the Czech Republic.

Winners of the 2001 Concerto Competition, Kromeriz, Czech Republic

In 2001 the winners of the Concerto with Orchestra Competition were (in alphabetic order) Camille Fu,  Hooshik Hwang (S.  Korea), Taekigi Kim (S.  Korea), Ashan Peiris (Sri Lanka), Izabella Pietrukaniec (Poland), Eunjin Shin (S.  Korea) and Ai Yuki (Japan). These students played with the Kroméríz Festival Orchestra in the Assembly Hall of the Bishops Palace as part of the Kromeriz International Music Festival in the Czech Republic.

Symphonic Workshops (home)
Patricia Hitchcock, Director
info@symphonicworkshops.com
PO Box 227, 96 Colborne St.,  Fenelon Falls ON K0M 1N0
Tel: +1 705 887-4094 Mobile: +1 647 294-3807