Sunday 20 July 2008

Fun facts about SIPCA


Since 1977, SIPCA has only been won by Russians (and an odd Georgian) and Chinese. Here’s the roll of honour:

1977 Irina Plotnikova (USSR)
1981 Chia Chou (Canadian Chinese)
1985 Du Ning Wu (China)
1988 Alexander Korsantiya (USSR Georgian)
1992 Kong Xiang Dong (China)
1996 Sergei Tarasov (Russia)
2000 Marina Kolomiitseva (Russia)
2004 John Chen (New Zealand / Malaysian Chinese)

No Australian has ever won SIPCA. If an Australian wins SIPCA this year, he’s going be Ukrainian (Alexey Yemtsov) or Chinese (David Fung) or Vietnamese (Hoang Pham).

Only two women have won SIPCA, in 1977 and 2000. If a woman wins this year, she’s either Korean (Miyeon Lee & Yoonsoo Rhee), Italian (Mariangela Vacatello) or Russian (Tatiana Kolesova).

There were 21 national flags on display at the York Theatre of Seymour Centre although the 35 pianists come from 15 different nations. The six other flags represented Austria (Heinz Medjimorec, Jury member), Belgium (Marc Castelain, Observer), the Netherlands (Gustav Alink, Observer), New Zealand (John Chen, 2004 Winner who performed the opening recital), Hong Kong (for Colleen Lee who pulled out) and one yet to be identified nation. The flags of Georgia (Manana Doidjashvili, Jury member), Argentina (Aquilles Delle-Vigne, Jury member) and Canada (Sergei Saratovsky, competitor) were missing in action.

The flags of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan were diplomatically separated by the flag of New Zealand. The Singapore flag has yet to be flown at SIPCA.
SIPCA Humour
Here’s that ditty (rather than limerick) about Ran Dank, that superlative Israel pianist who performed Scriabin’s Sonata No.9 “Black Mass”, one of great performances in SIPCA thus far:

There’s something unholy in the air
Take a sniff, a whiff if you dare
Its called the Black Mass,
Something like Scriabin in distress.
Trills that reeked, harmonies that stank
From the pianoforte, played by Ran Dank.

Contributed by a jury member (not Warren Thomson):

Why is a Bach fugue like a limp p*nis?

Because once you’re out of it, you can never get back in.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't M Kolimetseva a womon?

Anonymous said...

woman

Chang Tou Liang said...

Yes, I stand corrected. Let me make that amendment immediately.

Lady Blogger said...

I would've preferred Ayako Uehara in 2000... but, still, nice to see the ladies getting up there!

I believe Tatiana Kolesova could be a good chance this year.

Anonymous said...

And how could I have forgotten Victoria Plotnikova? Anyway, you've put it right.

I'm enjoying your commentary, which is more methodical and conscientious than mine.

Chang Tou Liang said...

Dear Marcellous, I've checked your blog too. Very insightful comments you made. Its just that I'm being a little obsessive here, having travelled all this way from Singapore to catch this music. Must not miss any moments of great (and not so great) piano playing.

Chang Tou Liang said...

The Russian stranglehold on SIPCA tightened as of today, with Konstantin Shamray and Tatiana Kolesova (both of Russia) claiming the top two spots.

The Chinese (China and overseas Chinese) were nowhere to be seen. The only Chinese to win anything in this competition was the luckless Feng Chang with his $1500 as the competitor placed 21st. Ethnic Chinese quarter-finalists Hao Zhu (China), David Fung (Australia) and Sean Chen (USA)got zilch except for pubicity.