Dmytro Choni To Release New Album In March

On March 28, pianist Dmytro Choni makes his debut on the Naïve Classiques label with Pilgrimage: a solo program of works by Claude Debussy, Lowell Liebermann, Franz Liszt, and Valentyn Silvestrov.

Trained in his hometown of Kyiv and later in Austria where he resides today, Choni has won numerous prizes and awards, including in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2021, the Bösendorfer USASU in 2019 and the Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition in 2018.

Choni performs in the United States this season Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 at Utah Tech University on April 26, and with Classical Music Chicago on April 30.
 
Choni has curated for his Naïve debut a program that “relates a narrative of travel between the two opposing worlds of Dante's The Divine Comedy.” Hell is represented in contemporary American composer Lowell Liebermann's Gargoyles and Franz Liszt's “Dante” Sonata, while Paradise is symbolized in the divine music of Ukrainian composer Valentyn Silvestrov's 3 Bagatelles and Claude Debussy's Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut and L'Isle Joyeuse.
 
“These two contrasting worlds, to me, also represent the two poles of our life, which complement each other and provide mutual benefit: one cannot exist without the other,” says Dmytro Choni. “Our life is a journey through many ups and downs, happy and troubling moments, bright and dark times. Whatever the circumstances, we have to find a purpose in life and our place in the world. Light cannot exist without darkness, just as good cannot exist without evil. It is these two opposing worlds that connect the music on this album, and in presenting them, I see myself as a voyager traveling between them.”
 
Choni also cites as inspiration for Pilgrimage his continuously evolving relationship with the pieces on the program. “Some of them, such as the ‘Dante' Sonata, have accompanied me for more than ten years; others, like Gargoyles, joined my repertoire not long ago. The interpretation of musical works changes over the years along with the interpreter; the two processes are interrelated. It is all the more interesting, then, to look back at the path already traveled, holding one's breath in anticipation of what the future will bring.”

TRACKLIST

Pilgrimage
Works by Claude Debussy, Lowell Liebermann, Franz Liszt & Valentyn Silvestrov
 
Dmytro Choni PIANO
 
Valentyn Silvestrov (born 1937)
3 Bagatelles, Op. 1
No. 1. Allegretto - No. 2. Moderato - No. 3. Moderato
 
Franz Liszt (1811–1886)
Après une lecture du Dante. Fantasia quasi Sonata
(No. 7, from Années de pèlerinage II “Italie”, S. 161)
 
Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut
(No. 2, from Images, 2ème série)
L'Isle Joyeuse
 
Lowell Liebermann (born 1961)
Gargoyles, Op. 29
I. Presto - II. Adagio semplice, ma con molto rubato - III. Allegro moderato - IV. Presto feroce
 
Valentyn Silvestrov (born 1937)
Postludium, Op. 5
Adagio

About Dmytro Choni, piano

Ukrainian pianist Dmytro Choni is internationally recognized for his technically impeccable pianism, stupendous virtuosity, clarity of articulation and finest sensitivity. In recent years he garnered international attention by winning numerous top prizes and awards, including the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2021, the Bösendorfer USASU in 2019 and the Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition in 2018. Notwithstanding these achievements, Dmytro says: “Being successful for me means to continuously grow as a musician and as a person, and not to stop searching for the truth in music. In my opinion, the most important aspect would be to love the music with all your heart.”

Future highlights include recitals in among others London (Bechstein Hall), Amsterdam (Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ), Munich, Barcelona and in various cities throughout the USA, including in New York. He will also undertake recital tours to South Korea and China.

Recent highlights include his debut with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai in Turin, replacing at short notice Yefim Bronfman, performing Brahms' piano concerto no. 1 conducted by Juraj Valčuha. L'Ape musicale reviewed: “(He) knows how to deliver the punch of the thoroughbred virtuoso, without renouncing the sense of measure that is his stylistic hallmark.”. He also appeared with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Badische Philharmonie Pforzheim and the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, and gave highly successful debut recitals in among others Vienna (Konzerthaus), Hamburg (Elbphilharmonie), Düsseldorf (Robert-Schumann-Saal), Hannover (NDR Sendesaal), at the Lucerne Festival, had a 3-concert residency in the Edesche Concertzaal and made his return to the Palau de la Música in Barcelona. Of that recital in Barcelona the Revista Musical Catalana wrote: “Choni's version was impeccable, dedicated to showing us a reading full of colourful ranges, rhythmic precision, a diversity of dynamics and a courageous choice of tempo, one of the distinctive features of a performer who dazzled the Palau with his overwhelming pianism.”

The year 2023 marked the start of a successful partnership with Frank Peter Zimmermann. The duo continues to give numerous recitals throughout Europe and is in the process of recording two albums for BIS Records. On their recital at the Prinzregententheater in Munich the Süddeutsche Zeitung commented: “Choni lightens the typically thick Brahmsian piano writing, creating a soft and clear cushion for the violin.” and “Choni illuminates the complex harmonies, but also takes a percussive approach when necessary. There is no sign of the technical difficulties with either of them, just the focused energy with which they transform the finale into such a furious perpetuum mobile that the audience bursts into applause.”

His debut album was released by Naxos in 2020, containing works from the 20th century by Debussy, Ginastera, Ligeti and Prokofiev. The CD received a “Supersonic Award” by Pizzicato magazine and was highly acclaimed by the international press saying that “Dmytro Choni's thoroughbred playing already possesses real greatness and ingenious breath” (Pizzicato); “The young man could be one of the 21st century's most outstanding pianists.” (David's Review Corner).

Dmytro Choni appeared as soloist with renowned orchestras, including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony, RTVE Symphony, Ensemble Esperanza, Ukraine National Symphony, Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Castilla y León Symphony, Liechtenstein Symphony, Hamburger Camerata, Silesian Philharmonic and Dominican Republic National Symphony, working with conductors such as Andrew Manze, Marin Alsop, Nicholas McGegan, Yaron Traub, Baldur Brönnimann, Pablo González, Oksana Lyniv and Lucas Macías Navarro.

He takes part in festivals such as the Kissinger Sommer, Verbier Festival, Beethovenfest Bonn, Chopin Duszniki International Piano Festival, New Ross Piano Festival, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Stars and Rising Stars Munich and MiTo Settembre Musica and performs in such venues as the Wigmore Hall London, Carnegie Hall New York, Salle Cortot Paris, Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, Minato Mirai Hall Yokohama, Flagey Brussels, Palau de la Música Barcelona, Auditorio Nacional de Música Madrid and the Teatro Colón Buenos Aires.

Chamber music also forms an important part of his musical activities. He has collaborated with the Cuarteto Quiroga, Quartetto di Cremona, Calidore String Quartet and with violinists Josef Špaček, Rudens Turku, Jack Liebeck, Arabella Steinbacher and Mari Samuelsen, cellist Julian Steckel, clarinetist Sharon Kam and violist Nils Mönkemeyer.

Dmytro Choni was born in Kyiv, Ukraine in 1993. He was four when he received his first piano lessons from Galina Zaslavets. Later, he went on to study in Kyiv with Nina Naiditch and Prof. Yuri Kot and consequently finished his studies with Prof. Dr. Milana Chernyavska at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. He was also mentored by Gabriela Montero. Dmytro is based in Vienna, Austria.

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