Diary of Events - Day by Day

The Menuhin Competition Beijing will be a 10-day festival of music, inspriration, education and a celebration of Yehudi Menuhin's links with China.

Keep in touch via Facebook and our Newsletter to stay up to date.

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OPENING CONCERT - Menuhin & China
Friday 6 April 2012, 7.30pm

National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA)
China Youth Symphony Orchestra

Former competition prize winners including English star violinist Tasmin Little, Chinese violin virtuosos Ning Feng and Lu Siqing and last year’s 1st Prize winners Xiang YU and Kerson Leong, bring a colourful selection of violin works to the stage of the iconic NCPA. The orchestra will be conducted by HU Yong Yan and by violinist and jury member HU Kun.

Programme:
Enescu - Rhapsody for orchestra
Mozart - Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major (Allegro)
Bartok - First Rhapsody
Saint-Saëns - Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso 
Chen/He - Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto
M. Bruch - Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor

Tickets: 80-600 RMB; to reserve tickets email:
Ticket Reservation: 2012menuhin@ccom.edu.cn

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MENUHIN COMPETITION
The Rounds
Saturday 7 – Wednesday 11 April

Central Conservatory of Music, Concert Hall

7 April: Senior First Round   10:00 - 18:20
8 April: Senior First Round   10:00 - 16:20
9 April: Junior First Round    10:00 - 17:10
10 April: Junior First Round  10:00 - 16:20
11 April: Senior Semi-Finals 14:00 - 20:30

Join the all-star jury in their search for the very best violinist virtuosos. Witness a range of stunning performances live in the concert hall. Enjoy the varied and exciting repertoire designed to test the skills and musicality of each player.

Tickets: free

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Willemotte 1734-Stradivari (front) and Bower Soames Ricci-1734 Guarneri-del-Gesu (back)

PRECIOUS INSTRUMENTS CLOSE-UP

daily 7 - 14 April 2012

Central Conservatory of Music, Teaching Building

World renowned violin experts Florian Leonhard (London) and Christophe Landon (New York) present an outstanding selection of instruments from their respective collections. This exhibition allows visitors a close glance at masterpieces by the three most sought-after Italian violin makers: Antonio Stradivari, Giuseppe Guarneri ‘del Gesu’ and Giovanni Battista Guadagnini.

Both experts are also available for consultations on own instruments.

Tickets: free

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TALKS & PANEL DISCUSSIONS 
Monday 9 April 2012

Central Conservatory of Music, Teaching Building, Room 501

Working with resonance to improve tone and intonation 10:00 - 12:00
Kin-Wai Leong PhD and violinist Kerson Leong: How the concept of resonance in physics can help a string player understand and improve sound production from a bowed string instrument like the violin. Kin-Wai Leong is a specialist in the field of laser physics and fibre-optics, and father of violinist Kerson Leong.

Florian Leonhard: Secrets of the masterpieces 14:00 - 16:00
An expert insight into violin characteristics relating to authentication and aspects of their construction. This talk complements the exhibition of precious violins.

Soloist, concert master or chamber musician? 17:30 - 18:30
Joji Hattori and members of the jury panel: Soloist, concert master or chamber musician? Career opportunities for talented violinists and how best to pursue them – a panel discussion particularly aimed at competitors and students but open to the public.

Tickets: free

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CHAMBER MUSIC AT THE EMBASSY
Tuesday 10 April 2012, 7.00pm

British Ambassador’s private residence

Pamela Frank (violin), Vera TSU Wei Ling (violin), Dong-Suk Kang (violin), Gordon Back (piano), SU Zhen (viola) and MA Wen (cello) present an intimate evening of Chamber Music in the salon of the British Ambassador’s private residence.

Invitation only event

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Menuhin School Orchestra

YOUNG MUSICIANS AT FORBIDDEN CITY
Wednesday 11 April, 7.30pm

Forbidden City Concert Hall

The Menuhin School Orchestra and players of the Middle School of the Central Conservatory join forces for an evening of chamber music in one of Beijing's iconic concert venues.

Programme:
Johan Halvorsen – Passacaglia on a theme of Handel                                    
Wieniawski – Polonaise Op.4 in D    
Scriabin – Valse in A Flat Op.38
Rossini – Duet for Cello & Bass in D (Allegro)                        
Paganini – Fantasy on a theme from Rossini’s ‘Moses’                       
Sarasate – Navarra             
Vivaldi – Four Seasons Op.8

Tickets: 30-380 RMB; to reserve tickets email: 2012menuhin@ccom.edu.cn

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MASTERCLASSES – Open Day
Thursday 12 April & Friday 13 April

Central Conservatory of Music, Teaching Building

Featuring the competition’s jury members, this is a unique opportunity to experience some of the world’s most famous musicians sharing their expertise with competitors and students of the Central Conservatory.

Thursday 12 April

Friday 13 April

Tickets: free

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VIOLIN TRILOGY – Three Stars, three Concertos
Thursday 12 April, 7.30pm

Olivier Charlier

Henning Kraggerud

Joji Hattori

Beijing Concert Hall

The China Philharmonic Orchestra will present a unique concerto evening with three acclaimed international soloists, who are also on the jury panel of the competition. The concert will be conducted by YANG Yang.

Programme:
Joji Hattori (Japan) – Mozart Violin Concerto No 4 in D major
Olivier Charlier (France) - Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No 3 in B Minor
Henning Kraggerud (Norway) – Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major

Tickets: 50-480 RMB; to reserve tickets email: 2012menuhin@ccom.edu.cn  

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RISING STARS
Menuhin Competition - Junior Finals
Friday 13 April, 2.00pm and 7.30pm

Middle School, Concert Hall

Accompanied by a chamber orchestra of players from the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Central Conservatory’s Middle School, the Junior Finalists will play and direct Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

Tickets: free

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RISING STARS
Menuhin Competition - Senior Finals
Saturday 14 April, 7.00pm

Beijing Concert Hall

Accompanied by the acclaimed China Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of XIA Xiao Tang, four Senior Finalists will each perform their personal choice of a violin concerto in their quest for the coveted 1st Prize.

Tickets: 50-480 RMB; to reserve tickets email: 2012menuhin@ccom.edu.cn

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CLOSING GALA CONCERT
celebrating the Menuhin Competition
Sunday 15 April 2012, 7.30pm

National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA)
China NCPA Orchestra

Yan Pascal Tortelier will conduct the China NCPA Orchestra in this spectacular Gala Concert, celebrating the winners of the Menuhin Competition Beijing 2012. The programme will include performances by Korean violinist and juror Dong-Suk Kang, Chinese violinist and juror Vera TSU Wei Ling and by both Junior and Senior1st Prize winners.

Programme:
Glinka - Overture Russlan and Ludmilla     
Wieniawski - Romance from Concerto in D minor
Li Shangqian - Shan Zhong Zui for solo violin
Tchaikovsky - Capriccio Italien   
Sibelius - Violin Concerto in D minor Op 47 - First Movement
Shostakovich - Festival Overture

Tickets: 80-600 RMB; to reserve tickets email:
Ticket Reservation: 2012menuhin@ccom.edu.cn

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To the best of our knowledge, the information on this page was correct at the time of publication. Details may be subject to change.