Cliburn Soundoff! – Conlon speaks/Zhang dresses/Chopin Compare/Bray/Yang

The heat is definitely on with an incredible night of music making, this thing is too close to call!  Part 1 of my interview of James Conlon, an excerpt from Haochen Zhang and Mozart 20, a comparison of the same two spots in Chopin 1 from Bozhanov and Tsujii (this you will only get here), Buddy Bray who is inside with the Jury and Joyce Yang 2005 silver medalist here to check out the new crop…listen!

For the 4th time James Conlon is here to conduct the concerto round of the Cliburn, I have been inspired by him each time, we have had many conversations but for the first time I have one on tape (well on SD card if you want to get technical).  The first part of our conversation focused on why he keeps coming back….(part 2 tomorrow)

James Conlon sits down to talk
James Conlon sits down to talk
[audio:http://www.insidethearts.com/sticksanddronesbeta/files/2009/06/cliburn-james-conlon-part-1.mp3]

Haochen Zhang has an innate ability to form a narrative in Mozart proving maturity has nothing to do with age!….

Zhang rehearses Mozart 20
Zhang rehearses Mozart 20
[audio:http://www.insidethearts.com/sticksanddronesbeta/files/2009/06/cliburn-zhang-final-mozart-dress.mp3]

Only here can you compare side by side the same two excerpts from Chopin Concerto No. 1 as played first by Bozhanov and then by Tsujii…

Tsujii final rehearsal
Tsujii final rehearsal
[audio:http://www.insidethearts.com/sticksanddronesbeta/files/2009/06/cliburn-bozhanov-chopin-dress.mp3]

Now Tsujii:

[audio:http://www.insidethearts.com/sticksanddronesbeta/files/2009/06/cliburn-tsujii-chopin-dress.mp3]

One of my closest friends is Buddy Bray who has an important role to play at the Cliburn. He is the principal Keyboard for the Fort Worth Symphony, but he also is in charge of the Cliburn at the Modern series and is an integral part of their education program also. For the competition he is inside with the actual jury! Here is part one my interview…

Buddy Bray - In the Jury Room!
Buddy Bray - In the Jury Room!
[audio:http://www.insidethearts.com/sticksanddronesbeta/files/2009/06/cliburn-buddy-bray-part-1.mp3]

Well look who I ran into, Joyce Yang 2005 Cliburn silver medalist, in town to check out the competition and to perform with the Dallas Symphony tomorrow with Rachmaninov 2, of course also being played at the Cliburn! We sat down across from Bass Hall at Starbucks and talked about now being on the other side (she has been sitting in the front row!). Part 1 of our chat and I must apologize as I sat a little too close the mike…

Joyce Yang and I catch up!
Joyce Yang and I catch up!
[audio:http://www.insidethearts.com/sticksanddronesbeta/files/2009/06/cliburn-joyce-yang-part-1.mp3]
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