Jon Nakamatsu Fabio Bidini Headline 2017 ALOHA INTERNATIONAL PIANO FESTIVAL

The Aloha International Piano Festival (AIPF) today announced that celebrated pianists Jon Nakamatsu and Fabio Bidini will headline the 12th annual music festival, which runs from June 17 to 25, 2017 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Nakamatsu and Bidini will join forces for one special afternoon at the University of Hawai?i at M?noa's Orvis Auditorium, in a program featuring beautiful masterworks by Schumann and Brahms, at 4 pm on Sunday, June 25. Joining Nakamatsu and Bidini are cellist Mark Votapek, violinists Sabrina-Vivian Hoepker and Ignace "Iggy" Jang, and violist Emma Votapek. Tickets are $30 and are on sale now at aipf.ticketleap.com.

The 2017 festival marks the AIPF debut of Bidini, who is praised as one of this generation's top-flight pianists. His appearances have included performances with The London Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, New World Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra. Bidini has been awarded first prize in 11 of Italy's most prestigious national piano competitions and has been the recipient of the top prizes awarded in eight international competitions: Terni, Köln, Busoni 1988 and 1992, Pretoria, Marsala, London and the Van Cliburn. In 2015, he became the first recipient of the Carol Grigor Piano Chair at The Colburn School in Los Angeles. Previously, he held the position of Professor of Piano at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin, one of Europe's premiere music conservatories.

AIPF is honored to welcome the return of Nakamatsu, winner of the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and a popular festival faculty member. A California native who spent much of his childhood on Oahu, he draws unanimous praise as a true aristocrat of the keyboard whose playing combines elegance, clarity and electrifying power. Together with Bidini, Nakamatsu has created a beautiful program for the Sunday concert, including Schumann's Adagio and Allegro, and Piano Quintet in E flat major, plus the Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor.

AIPF is also thrilled to introduce Hoepker to Honolulu audiences. The young German violinist is already creating waves in the music world, and has worked with ensembles such as the Bavarian State Orchestra and conductors Zubin Mehta and Yehudi Menuhin. She derives particular artistic satisfaction from chamber music and devotes herself to it with a special fervor, giving concerts with Bidini. She has won first prizes at many violin competitions, most recently at the International Abbado Violin Competition in Milano. Hoepker holds the Hofheim am Taunus Bach Award, the Paolo Borciani Prize for chamber music and the Alois-Kottman-Prize in Gold.

Program
SCHUMANN: Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70 for cello and piano
Fabio Bidini, piano; and Mark Votapek, cello
SCHUMANN: Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44
Fabio Bidini, piano, Sabrina-Vivian Hoepker, violin I; Ignace "Iggy" Jang, violin II; Emma Votapek, viola; and Mark Votapek, cello
BRAHMS: Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25
Jon Nakamatsu, piano; Ignace "Iggy" Jang, violin; Emma Votapek, viola; and Mark Votapek, cello

To learn more about AIPF competitions, masterclasses and free events, visit alohapianofestival.com and follow AIPF on Facebook.

About the Aloha International Piano Festival
Founded in 2006 by pianist Lisa Nakamichi, the Aloha International Piano Festival (AIPF) is a non-profit organization committed to educating Hawaii's children and teachers. AIPF addresses three main needs: the need for music teacher training, the need for low-cost music concerts and music education opportunities, and the need for high-caliber classes and lessons for piano students. AIPF strives to elevate the awareness of classical music in Hawaii while offering people of all ages the opportunity to experience music in a welcoming and educational setting. As a result of volunteer efforts and work to minimize administrative costs,

AIPF has consistently offered programs at low and affordable rates for more than eight years. Visit alohapianofestival.com for more information. The Aloha International Piano Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of The Atherton Foundation, the Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu, and the Music Teachers National Association Foundation.

To post a comment, you must register and login.