The Competition’s 3rd Stage only has two days, so by the end of today, Day 2, the finalists will be announced.  Looking around the hall, I see contestants here and there who could not pass the preliminary stages.  When I talk to them, they ask me questions such as “Whose performance did you listen to today?” or “How was __’s performance?”, wanting to know what becomes of the contestants they have been competing with.  I also wish them all the luck in their next contest.

Today’s first performer was Chang Sung (Korea; age 23).  He ushered the audience into his musical scenery with an enchanting performance of Liszt’s Liebestraume No.3 in A flat major "O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst", and then kept us enraptured without stop with Liszt’s Piano Sonata in b minor, November and December from Tchaikovsky’s "The Seasons", chosen to fit the month we are actually in, and 3 movements from Stravinsky’s "Petrouchka".  Tchaikovsky used to be played by many in every contest before, but I noticed in this contest that very few play his works these days.  It is amazing that there are trends in classical music, too.

The second performer was Daiki Kato (Japan; age 19).  Thanks to his careful preparation to construct a repertoire mainly with Liszt’s arrangements, the audience felt as if they were here to enjoy an opera.  Young as he is at the age of 19, Mr. Kato already has a clear image of what he wants to deliver.  I hope that he will carefully develop this strength of his.  He also impressed us with young, refreshing sound.

The third performer was Yuhi Ozaki (Japan; age 20).  His performance of Serenade was sincere and honest, and really so in every aspect – its clean and serene sound was truly refreshing, adding a new charm to his play style.  During his performance, he went off the stage twice after Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.31 in A flat major Op.110 and after Medtner’s Theme and Variations in c sharp minor Op.55-1, which was effective in changing the atmosphere between the pieces, with the result of making Liszt’s Spanish Rhapsody stand out in the program.
　
The fourth contestant today was Huh Jae-Weon (Korea; age 22).  Still absorbed in the sentimental Serenade played by Mr. Ozaki, I was moved so much by Mr. Huh’s very first piece, Schumann’s Kreisleriana, feeling as if today’s performers were all trying to make the audience cry.  I listened to his performance of Takemitsu’s Rain Tree Sketch II – In Memoriam of Olivier Messiaen – with great interest as I had heard that it is his favorite piece.  His last piece, Liszt / Volodos’s Hungarian Rhapsody No.13 in a minor, eloquently demonstrated that he possesses excellent technical talent as well as rich emotional expression.

7 Chang Sung (Korea; age 23)
– Your recital program was really good.
Thank you.
– Now I know why you have your hair long (laughter).  It looks cool when you perform (laughter).
This is because there is no good hair salon in Germany, where I live now (laughter).
They are not very skillful, and a little expensive, too (laughter).  I would like to have a haircut in Japan before going back home.
– I think you should keep it as it is (laughter).  I actually heard a lady saying you look great with your long hair (laughter).
Just a trim then (laughter).

32 Daiki Kato (Japan; age 19)
– You never went off the stage.
If I would ever go off the stage, I thought it would be after Bartok, but I went on to the next piece after the applause because I wanted to keep the atmosphere.
– I was moved by Glazunov’s Piano Sonata.
Thank you.
– I really felt the flow of the pieces you wanted to deliver.  I believe the audience received what you wanted to deliver.
I am glad to hear that.

　
64 Yuhi Ozaki (Japan; age 20)
– I was quickly moved by your beautiful Serenade, the second piece in your program, the moment it started.
I think I played it well.
– After Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, you went off the stage before playing Serenade.  That helped us change our emotional gears.
I went off the stage after Medtner, too.  Although I actually had not intended to, I did so after the applause for no reason.
– I think that was good to articulate your program.  The whole program was well structured as a recital, and the last piece, Spanish Rhapsody, proved your superb technical skills.
Thank you.

29 Huh Jae-Weon (Korea; age 22)
– You made a startling opening with Kreisleriana.  Do you want to make me cry (laughter)?  That was awesome.  Now that you’ve done your performance, how are you feeling?
I mistakenly skipped two parts.  I would apologize to the audience.
– I think your performance was so good that nobody cared.
Was it?
– No problem.  Besides, even without those two parts, your performance already took more than one hour.  If you had not skipped them, I am quite sure that the bell would have been rung.  We were lucky because we heard all your performance.
(Laughter)
– I have a message for you from your friend Yun Hon-Chong: “Please send my spiritual energy to him for me”.  I could not deliver his energy to you before your performance today, so please save it for the final (laughter).
I hope I will make it.
[At first, Mr. Jae-Weon sounded out of spirit, but he gradually became cheerful during the interview.]