The Competition’s 3rd Stage started on the 17th, after one-day break following the announcement of the qualifiers of 2nd Stage.  A total of 12 contestants won a ticket to 3rd Stage.  The final preliminary round is held for two days with 6 players performing each day, and 6 finalists will be announced on the 18th.

In this stage, each contestant gives performance in the form of a one-hour recital.  Each time a performer finishes a piece, he or she will bow to the audience in response to their applause.  When the regular program is done, the performer once goes off the stage, and comes back to give an encore in response to the demand of the audience.  This format is intended to give the contestants the real feeling of giving a recital.  With this setting, I thought it would also be better for me to conduct an interview as if I was an acquaintance saying hello to the performer.

The first of the three performers in the first half of Day 1 was Francois Dumont.  He played once again as the very first performer as he did in 2nd Stage.  Since he passed 2nd Stage, he had been so passionately practicing Piano Sonata No.17 in d minor Op.31-2 "Tempest" and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.  I felt that he successfully reflected his focused effort in his performance instead of letting his own passion out of control.  I was especially impressed by how beautifully he played the third movement of “Tempest”.

The next performer was Alessandro Taverna.  This was his second time to enter Hamamatsu International Piano Competition.  He seemed to have many fans in the audience.  His program consisted of Beethoven’s Eroica Variations in E flat major Op.35, Messiaen’s Regard de l'Esprit de joie from "20 Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus" and Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No.8 in B flat major Op.84.  At first, I thought this was a rather unusual combination, but as I listened, the three pieces came to me very naturally.  Unfortunately, there was a ring of the bell to signal that time was up while the performance was still going on.  It was a shame that he had to withdraw in the middle, but the audience gave him roaring applause.

The third performer was Nariya Nogi.  He gave a relatively rare performance of Shcedrin’s 2 Polyphonic Pieces and Takemitsu’s Rain Tree Sketch II – In Memoriam of Olivier Messiaen.  His last piece was Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, which was also played by Mr. Dumont.  The moment he started, I saw a soundscape that was very different from Mr. Dumont’s – it was truly Mr. Nogi’s own “Pictures at Exhibition”.  Only within a few hours, I felt as if I had visited two different art museums.  Just like paintings, when two works of art are presented at such a high level of quality, you just can’t tell which is better than the other – it should only be left to individual taste.

16 Francois Dumont (France; age 24)
– I think you’ve left a striking impression on the audience through the two extensive pieces, with Debussy’s prelude being the interlude.
I really hope I did.
– I liked your performance of the third movement of Tempest.
Thank you.
– You played a very unique Pictures at Exhibition, and it felt like you gave us a guided tour of an art museum.
Really?  I am very glad to hear that.
– A lady next to me applauded passionately.
I’m honored.
– I applauded a lot, too.
(Laugh)

81 Alessandro Taverna (Italy; age 26)
– You almost finished it, but the bell rang, unfortunately.
(Regretfully) I wanted to play it to the end.
– But that should be OK.  It never means that you played it poorly!  Some went to the final even though they were given a ring, so don’t worry.
Thank you.
– What is impressive about you is the way you carefully wipe sweat between the pieces.
(Laugh)

62 Nariya Nogi (Japan; age 20)
– You played Pictures at an Exhibition, too.  I feel like I’ve visited two different museums today.  Both versions were very unique, presenting totally different museums (laughter).
I just played it like I usually do in a recital, without bothering myself about how I would be evaluated.
– That really worked, didn’t it?  The audience gave you a huge applause, and even called you twice for an encore.  I heard a “Bravo”, too.
(Laugh)
[Interviews with the first three performers were conducted with smiles.]
 

When I was writing a manuscript in the press room after the first half of 3rd Stage Day 1 was completed, I overheard somebody playing a concerto in a nearby training room.  Then I realized that the contestants who had just finished their performance were already busy preparing for the next round without taking a moment’s rest (by the way, the concerto I heard was Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor", so it was probably Mr. Dumont who was playing it).

Today’s only female performer, Ann Soo-Jung (Korea; age 22), gracefully showed up in a light-purple silky dress, standing out from all the other men in black performing on stage.  She looked really beautiful in the dress.
Ms. Ann played 6 preludes by Rakhmaninov and Liszt's Piano Sonata in b minor.  Her performance today was really shiny and beautiful, rather than being tragic and grievous.  She demonstrated her outstanding ability to control tempo, which was underpinned by her technical excellence.

After the one-hour intermission, the latter half of the day started with James Jae-Won Moon (Australia; age 23).  He played Schumann’s Arebeske Op.18, Bach’s Toccata in c minor BWV.911, Haydn’s Piano Sonata in D major Hob.XVI:37, Rakhmaninov’s Prelude in D major Op.23-4 and Piano Sonata No.2 in b flat minor Op.36 – a very colorful program consisting of a wide variety of pieces from various times.  He delivered a gentle, well-articulated and yet emotional performance that made the audience happy and smiley.  Rakhmaninov’s Prelude was also played by the previous contestant Ms. Ann, so the difference in expression was striking.  Mr. Moon’s created a romantic landscape.

The last performer of the day was Cho Seong-Jin (Korea; age 15).  Although he said earlier that he would prefer playing in the morning to evening performance, but actually he was the last one today.  He played Mozart’s Piano Sonata No.12 in F major K.332, Chopin’s Scherzo No.2 in b flat minor Op.31 and Scherzo No.4 in E major Op.54, Ravel’s Jeux d'eau and Liszt’s Apres une lecture du Dante – Fantasia quasi Sonata from "Annees de pelerinage; Deuxieme annee; Italie".
Mr. Cho skillfully utilized his body movements to deliver thick but relaxed tones without forcibly banging the keys.  What was really impressive was Ravel’s Jeux d'eau, played with tones like a music box and a harp – a performance that inspired the audience as if it showed the “colors” of the sound.  He answered the bravos from the audience with a deep bow.  He was the only one on the day who was called to a curtain call as many as three times.

4 Ann Soo-Jung (Korea; age 22)
– How was your performance today?
I’ve brought an orange dress for the final, but I was not good today…
[She didn’t say much as she was not satisfied with her performance.  However, when I asked her if I could take a picture of her in her beautiful dress, she kindly accepted my request with a smile.]

55 James Jae-Won Moon (Australia; age 23)
– How was your stage today?
I am a little disappointed because I could not concentrate.  I wasn’t nervous, but lacked concentration.  I was OK until 4 or 5, but I suddenly became sleepy around 6, and had a headache, too.  It was an unlucky day for me.
– Oh, was it…?  But you showed smiles on the stage.
Yes, because I want to look happy on the stage.
– You played Rakhmaninov’s Prelude, which was played by Ms. Ann, too.  But the expression was totally different!  What were you thinking while performing?
I didn’t think about anything today.  Actually, I couldn’t have any thought today.
– So you aren’t sure if you will wear glasses in your next performance again?
No, I’m not sure (laugh).
– You put your glasses back during your performance, didn’t you?
Yeah, I felt them slipping off (laugh).

10 Cho Seong-Jin (Korea; age 15)
– How are you feeling now?
A little tired, but feeling great.
– Did you notice a very positive response of the audience?  You were the only person today who was called back three times.
I thank everybody, and I am really happy.
– How did you choose your program?
I wanted to create a program that really makes a musical sense.  I chose Liszt’s Dante as the main piece, and picked Chopin’s Scherzo because I like it so much.
– You are very skillful in using your body.  Do you do some sports (laugh)?
No, nothing (laugh).
– Well, do you have any hobbies other than piano?
I like watching movies.  I especially like Japanese animated films.  “Howl’s Moving Castle” is my favorite!