By Daniel Hathaway

Oberlin, OH — August 18, 2011

Six violinists — the winners of Tuesday evening’s concerto round and all of them female — took the stage of Warner Concert Hall on Wednesday evening, August 17, to play 30-minute recitals. Each of the six had brought impressive technique to bear on their earlier performances. The big question to be answered tonight: which three would demonstrate the cumulative musical maturity, composure and personality to earn them the privilege of playing a concerto on Friday evening at Severance Hall with Jahja Ling and one of the most distinguished orchestras on the planet?

Gergana Haralampieva (17, Bulgaria) led off with movements from Bach and Beethoven, and moved on to Kreisler and Ravel. She used minimal vibrato in her sensitive account of the Andante from Bach’s Sonata in a, BWV 1003 and her Beethoven (the first movement of the Sonata in D, op. 12, no. 1) was spacious and stylish. She underplayed the virtuosity and pointed up the humor in Kreisler’s Caprice Viennois, and revealed the gypsy blood coursing through the veins of Ravel’s volatile Tzigane. Dark and moody at the beginning, it turned into a supple, sensual dance. Ms. Haralampieva played fantastic harmonics and made a thrilling crescendo and accellerando into the final cadence. She’s an unassuming stage presence, but her temperament clearly shines through in her playing. [Read more…]

Oberlin, OH — August 17, 2011

The following six violinists will advance to the Recital Round and perform in Warner Concert Hall at the Oberlin Conservatory on Wednesday, August 17 at 7 pm. The concert is free and open to the public, and will be broadcast live on WCLV, 104.9 FM:

Gergana Haralampieva
J.S. BACH Andante from Sonata No. 2 in A Minor BWV 1003
L. v. BEETHOVEN Allegro con brio from Sonata No. 1 in D Op. 12 No. 1
KREISLER Caprice Viennois, Op. 2
M. RAVEL Tzigane

Alexandra Switala
J.S. BACH Allegro from Sonata No. 2 in A Minor BWV 1003
W.A. MOZART Adagio from Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219
H. WIENIAWSKI Faust Fantasy, Op. 20

Laura Park
J.S. BACH Siciliano and Presto from Sonata No. 1 in G Minor BWV 1001
N. PAGANINI Caprice # 24
SAINT-SAENS/YSAYE Caprice After the Study in the Form of a Waltz, Op. 52, No. 6
A. SCHOENBERG Phantasy, Op. 47 (1949)

Kelly Talim
L. v. BEETHOVEN Allegro con brio from Sonata No. 1 in D Op. 12 No. 1
A. BAZZINI La Ronde des Lutins, Op. 25
B. BARTOK Second Rhapsody (1928)

Mayumi Kanagawa
J.S. BACH Siciliano from Sonata No. 1 in G Minor BWV 1001
L. v. BEETHOVEN Romance No. 1 in G Op. 40
H WIENIAWSKI Polonaise Brillante No. 2 in A Major, Op. 21
E. YSAYE Sonata No. 3 (Ballade)

Sirena Huang
L. v. BEETHOVEN Allegro assai Sonata No. 8 in G Op. 30 No. 3
E. BLOCH Nigun (Improvisation) from Baal Shem Suite (1923)
N. PAGANINI Caprice # 1
M. RAVEL Tzigane

The three winners to be named following the Recital Round will play concertos with Jahja Ling and The Cleveland Orchestra on Friday Evening, August 19 at 8 pm at Severance Hall.