Aficionados of quality classical music have a treat awaiting them during the third week of April, as the Crescendo Foundation, under the directorship of Armand Simon, has again organized a week of delightful performances and workshops.
This year, Simon, an accomplished pianist born on Aruba and raised in Holland, welcomes world- renowned musicians Alissa Margulis, violinist, Mirjam Tschopp, violinist/viola, and Nicaulis Aliey, flautist along with piano virtuosos Alessio Bax, Lucille Cheung, Jan Lust, and Monique Duphil, Allen Weiss and Wim Stasius Muller.
The program includes several master classes where admission is free; evening recitals at the Cas di Cultura in Oranjestad with a 25 Aruban form entrance fee ($14.00 U.S.) and matinees for a 15 florin ($9.00) entrance fee.
The week will begin with a recital on Saturday, April 17, at 8:00 p.m. titled “A Tribute to Chopin,” (Chopin’s 200 anniversary celebration) with Armand Simon and all his guest pianists performing. The Sunday matinee will be mixed instruments honoring the classic European composers Bach, Mozart and Franck beginning at 11:00 a.m. The afternoon will finish with the first round of the Crescendo Piano Competition for island youth.
Monday evening’s recital will feature violin and piano for an examination of “Sounds from the 20th Century,” featuring the compositions of Schnittk, Stravinsky, Biesemans, and Enescu. On Tuesday, April 20, “Sounds of the World” will fill the playbill, comprised of the works of Saygun, Zyman, Mortelman, Piazzolla. Soprano Nicole Wijnen, cellist Horacio Contraros and famous Venezuelan violin prodigy Simon Gollo will join the company as guest performers.
Gollo will again join the ensemble for Wednesday’s recital, “An Evening of Romantic Music” dedicated to the lush compositions of Shubert, Alkan and Tchaikowsky. Thursday evening is dedicated to “A Night of Spanish Music,” with the works of De Falla, Granados and Turina with German Marcano, guest cellist and Nicole Wijnen performing vocals. On Friday, the troupe will transport their audience to France by performing a full evening of Fauré, with guest performers Wijnen, Mercano and Simon Gollo.
The festival’s final events will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 24, with the final round of the Crescendo Piano Competition and announcement of the first, second and third place winners.
The final recital, featuring the great German composers Beethoven and Brahms, will be performed by Armand Simon and Alessio Bax on piano, Alissa Margulis and Marjam Tschopp on violin and viola and Horacio Contreros on cello.
Master classes will take place at 4:00 pm. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, April 20, 21, 22 and 23 at 4:00 pm at the National Library on the George Madurostraat in Oranjestad. All are welcome to attend and learn without charge.
The Crescendo Piano Competition is open to Aruban youth from the ages of 8 to 18 on a strictly amateur status. The Aruba Scholarship Foundation participated in the first three competitions along with festival sponsors UNOCA, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) and the Aruba Time Share Assocation (ATSA). ASF awarded to the top place winner a full year of piano lessons with the teacher of their choice valued at Afl. 2400, plus will be performing in concert in Curaçao and Bonaire. Second place winner get three months of piano lessons with their teacher of choice valued at 600 Aruban forms. For more information about the Aruba Piano Festival visit www.aruba.com or their website www.arubapianofestival.com.
