Masterclass with Sir András Schiff - Chiara Opalio plays Brahms

4 Balladen op. 10, 3rd and 4th piece

Gstaad Piano Academy 2019 with Sir András Schiff

Recorded live on July 22, 2019

Chiara Opalio plays 4 Balladen op. 10, 3rd and 4th piece by Johannes Brahms

Young Venetian pianist Chiara Opalio is the winner of the prestigious prize “Rahn Wettbewerb 2016”. The same year Chiara Opalio played Beethoven 2nd Concerto with „Aargauer Symphonie Orchester” with Marc Kissóczy as a conductor. In 2017 she played Beethoven 4th Piano Concert with Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana at the RSI in Lugano. Chiara played at a chamber music concert with Leonidas Kavakos, on a regular basis with the cellist Julia Hagen, with whom she played in Wien at the Wiener Konzerthaus, in Firenze at Teatro alla Pergola with the Irish Violinist Eoin Ducrot, with whom she won 1st prize in the HSM Duo-Wettbewerb in Basel and with “Opalio Quintet”, prize winners at many International Competitions. She studied chamber music with F. Rados in Vienna, A. Schiff at the “IMS” Prussia Cove. In September 2011 she was the only European in the six semi-finalists in the “Clara Haskil” Competition. Chiara finished two masters at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel with Claudio Martinez Mehner. Chiara had the honour to be chosen by Sir. Andràs Schiff for the 2019-20 season of his “Building Bridges” concert series, with performances throughout Europe.

Learn more about Chiara Opalio and her future projects here!

A Masterclass Like No Other

There are as many different types of masterclasses as there are musicians: The masterclasses taught at the Gstaad Piano Academy by Sir András Schiff are particularly revealing and informative. They are a special treat for both the young pianists as well as the ever-growing audience visiting the town hall in Saanen. (Sir András Schiff’s masterclasses are open to the public.

The Hungarian pianist puts emphasis on studying what he feels are the essential composers: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. With short, yet precise and always generous comments Schiff instructs his students to be true to the great composer’s score whilst sharing their own originality and personality with the audience. «If a pianist only hears two colours, whatever his fingers «produce» can’t be of much value. However, the highly subjective performances of Alfred Cortot created millions of colours and shades, not unlike the masterpieces of great painters.»

How to get to the bottom of a masterpiece?

Sir András Schiff’s masterclasses are outstanding. In contrast to the many teachers who like to interrupt their students regularly to correct their playing, Schiff allows their music to evolve. Sometimes he takes his time and listens to an entire phrase. And we, the audience consider ourselves lucky, because we get to enjoy an whole concert, analysed by the master himself. Sir András Schiff believes that only in this manner one can strive to be true to the score – and express the composer’s truth, not the interpreter’s vision. He also shared with us the fact that whilst studying in Budapest he learned more from composers, notably György Kurtág and Pál Kadosa, than he ever learned from other pianists.