News From The Trumpet World

The Third International Moscow Conservatory Competition for Winds and Percussion took place November 1-8, 2011, at the Moscow Conservatory in Russia, focusing this year on clarinet and trumpet. Twenty-one trumpeters competed, representing the countries of Russia, France, United Kingdom, Thailand, Spain, South Korea, Venezuela, Armenia, Columbia, Japan, and Kazakhstan.

Trumpet judges were Eric Aubier (France), Igor Cecocho (Poland), David Hickman (USA), Alexander Kalashkov (Russia), and Vadim Novikov (Russia). Kalashkov, a violinist with the Bolshoy Theater Orchestra, was chair of the jury.

In round one of the competition, each contestant performed Haydn’s Concerto in E-flat and Arutunian’s Concert Scherzo from memory. Ten semi-finalists were selected to perform in round two on the third day of the competition, playing from memory the second and third movements of Jolivet’s Second Concerto, a choice of concertos by Fasch, L. Mozart, or Telemann (from memory), and the newly commissioned work for unaccompanied trumpet Up by Russian composer D. Khorov (with score).

Five finalists were selected to perform the Concerto in E-flat by Hummel memorized and Weinberg’s Concerto with the Symphony Orchestra of the Ministry of Defense conducted by Andrey Kolotushkin in the Great Hall of the conservatory. Finalists were Zhasulan Abdykalykov (Kazakhstan), Mikhail Hayduk (Russia), Huw Morgan (United Kingdom), Johann Nardeau (France), and Clement Saunier (France). Prizes were awarded as follows:

First Prize ($5,000) - Mikhail Hayduk

Second Prize ($2,500 each) - Zhasulan Abdykalykov, Huw Morgan

Third Prize ($1,000) - Clement Saunier

“Dokshitser Prize” (10 CDs) - Johann Nardeau

“Yamaha Prize” (trumpet) - Zhasulan Abdykalykov

“Best Performance of Up” - Mikhail Hayduk

The week included faculty performances by Aubier, Cecocho, and Hickman. In addition, Aubier performed a master class on French repertoire, Cecocho presented a master class on the natural trumpet, and Hickman presented a master class on interpretation and stylistic considerations of Haydn’s Concerto.

Submitted by David Hickman

Photos by Miriam Hickman

• < Prev
• Next >