Int’l concert pianists hold masterclasses for Filipinos at MIPMF

The embassies of Belgium, Netherlands and France are pleased to support the 2018 Manila International Piano Masterclass Festival (MIPMF), which welcomed eminent guest concert pianists and pedagogues from Italy, United States, Philippines and France to train young Filipino classical pianists in Manila from Aug. 4 to 11.

Primarily focused on the art of piano performance, this intensive music camp seeks to give more young Filipino classical pianists the opportunity to study under the tutelage of renowned musicians from Europe and the United States without having to travel abroad, while also supporting the continuing development of cultural exchanges between Europe and the Philippines.

The MIPMF is organized by Filipino concert pianist, artistic director, and educator Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz, who trained at Chetham’s School of Music in England and at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.

For the festival’s inaugural edition, Cruz will be joined by the following visiting artistfaculty in leading private oneon-one lessons, masterclasses, and performance revues, as well as performing in private recitals in Manila: Nelson Delle-Vigne Fabbri (France and Italy) – a famed international piano pedagogue, Maestro Delle-Vigne Fabbri has been teaching at the prestigious École Normale de Musique de Paris “Alfred Cortot” in France for over 40 years, and was appointed Professor Extraordinaire at the Chapelle Musicale “Reine Elisabeth” in Belgium and Honorary Professor at the Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida.

Roberta Rust (United States) – Rust is the head of the piano department at the Lynn University Conservatory of Music in Florida.

Chiara Cipelli (Italy) – Cipelli is currently professor of piano at the Scuola Civica di Musica C. Monteverdi and the Instituto Superiore Studi Musicali di Reggio Emilia in Italy. Adam Kent (United States) – Kent is the director of cultural outreach at the Burgos International Music Festival and teaches at the Cursos de Verano of the Fundacion Princesa de Asturias in Spain.

Elodie Vignon (France) – an artist-in-residence of the Fondation Bell’Arte, Vignon has performed as a soloist in festivals and music halls all over the world.

According to Cruz, the visiting artists represent the three main schools of thought with regards to piano performance, which would offer positive and holistic training to the developing pianist.

For 10 days, these esteemed virtuosos will serve as mentors to 18 Filipino delegates who are students or graduates of the major schools of music in the country, such as the Philippine High School for the Arts, the Philippine Women’s University, Silliman University, St. Scholastica’s College, the University of the Philippines, and the University of Santo Tomas.

In Manila, the ambassadors of Belgium and the Netherlands are pleased to open their residences to the foreign artistfaculty and their students for masterclasses, recitals, and performance revues throughout the festival.