A Benefit for the Alport Foundation of Australia

Edward Neeman & Stephanie

in concert performing duo and four hand piano

Saturday, 12th June, 2010

The Independent Theatre

North Sydney

Saturday, 19th June, 2010

Conservatorium Of Music

Newcastle

Edward and Stephanie have both had great success on the international piano competition circuit each winning a string of first prizes. They have combined their extraordinary talents, performing piano duets and four hand works across three continents. The artistic sparks quickly turned to romance and they are soon to be married.

Their program takes us from the nostalgia of Barber’s unforgettable Souvenirs to the tragic beauty of Schubert’s Fantasie in F minor, the first piece the couple ever played together. This proves to be a breathtaking and passionate performance not to be missed.

About Stephanie

Stephanie has won virtually all major piano competitions in Indonesia, including the first prize in the prestigious Yamaha National Piano Competition when she was only six (the youngest winner ever).

Recently, she has won the first prize at the Empire State International Piano Competition, Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition; Top prize, best interpretation and outstanding performance of Franz Liszt at the 2009 Liszt-Garrisson International Piano Competition in the United States.

Stephanie began her musical training at the age of two with her mother, Ms. Elly Lim.  At age 14, she was awarded the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (L.R.S.M.) diploma with highest distinction and a full scholarship invitation to attend the Royal Academy of Music. She performed at the Aspen Music Festival in 1998, 2003, and 2004, while she was a full scholarship student of the chairman of the piano faculty at the Juilliard School.

She was invited to appear as a soloist with the Jakarta Chamber Orchestra. She has been selected to perform in masterclasses by world-renown pianists, such as Gary Graffman, Arie Vardi,  Oxana Yablonskaya, Russell Sherman, Alexander Kobrin, Leslie Howard, among others. She was recently awarded Master of Music degree as a full scholarship student of James Tocco at Manhattan School of Music in New York City.

About Edward Neeman

The Australian-American pianist Edward Neeman is one of the most exciting pianists of his generation. He won First Prize in the Rodrigo International Piano Competition, and First Prize and the Spanish Music prize in the Carlet International Piano Competition.

In the past year, Edward has given recitals and conducted masterclasses in America, Spain, England, the Czech Republic, Indonesia and Australia. He has performed with the Prague Philharmonic, the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, West Australian Symphony, Queensland Symphony, and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Madrid under conductors such as Andrey Boreyko, Gérard Korsten and Vladimir Verbitsky. He has been featured on ABC television and radio programs in Australia.

Edward studied piano at the Australian National University with Larry Sitsky, and at the Manhattan School of Music with Solomon Mikowsky.  His other teachers have included Geoffrey Lancaster and Santiago Rodriguez.  Edward is currently a C. V. Doctoral Fellow at the Juilliard School, where he studies with Jerome Lowenthal.

For more on Edward go to www.edwardneeman.com

More of Edward & Stephanie

Edward and Stephanie met when they were students at the Manhattan School of Music in 2006. As two jet-setting young pianists—both have had success on the international piano competition circuit and play concerts around the world—there may have been a competitive element in their relationship at first, but the sparks were soon turned into artistic inspiration—and romantic inspiration as well. "We just got engaged," said Edward. "I proposed on 13 February, just in time for the new Chinese year. We're planning on tying the knot next January."

When David Blatt, the chairman of the Alport Foundation of Australia, suggested they play a benefit recital for Alport Syndrome research, Edward was quick to agree. "Dave is my uncle, and as Alport Syndrome is a genetic disease, I've seen how it affects the family." said Edward.

The concert will begin with Schubert's Fantasie in F minor, a favourite of theirs. "It was the first piece we played together," said Stephanie. "We played it in our first duo recital, in Canberra, and since then we've played it everywhere—from Jakarta to New Jersey. It's a work with a lot of passion, but it has a darker side as well. Some of the melodies are so beautiful they still bring tears to my eyes, after playing it for so long."

In honour of the centennial of the birth of the American composer Samuel Barber, Edward and Stephanie will play his unforgettable Souvenirs, a collection of six dances for piano four hands. "We had a lot of fun exploring this piece," said Edward. "It's meant to be nostalgic. Barber was reminiscing about the old-fashioned dance music they used to play at the Palm Court of the Hotel Plaza in New York. I like the seductive rhythms of the 'Hesitation Tango', and Stephanie's favourite is 'Pas de deux'. We were lucky to be able to play the Souvenirs for James Tocco, Stephanie's piano teacher and a great pianist who knew Barber personally."

The recital will also include works by Stravinsky and Milhaud, before concluding with Lutoslawski's fiery Variations on a Theme by Paganini.