Having repeatedly won major prizes over the past five years in numerous concerto competitions - but never the top prize - Noah Qiu had a joyous breakthrough last Wednesday winning First Place in the Dakota Valley Orchestra's Concerto Competition! This is a sweet victory for Noah - that as a senior he will finally have the well-deserved and singular thrill of performing a piano concerto with orchestra. He will be playing the finale of Brahms' magnificent Concerto No. 1 in D minor . He will have two performances in April (the 23rd & 24th). This proves the old adage that "great things come to those who wait". Noah never complained, became bitter, or felt that he was entitled to win a top concerto prize - despite the brilliance of his many performances. He is well-aware of a number of magnificent pianists that have graduated from this studio without this extraordinary opportunity. He has been stoic and brave (a characteristic of his entire family). This is a tremendous feather in his musical cap and (along with his senior recital in early summer) will be a great climax to his student career here at CHS. **
** For a more complete picture of Noah's brilliant student career at CHS, please go to our Student Showcase.
This past weekend, Noah was also awarded Second Place in the La Crosse Symphony's Rising Stars Concerto Competition. This award is on top of his other Second Place awards at this competition (2014; 2015) and his Third Place award last year. Noah's very gifted younger sister, award-winning Nita Qiu, took Third Place. Nita received some additional great news over the weekend! She was selected as a Minnesota Public Radio's (MPR) Minnesota Varsity 2017 Featured Artist!! Nita will make a professional recording of Chopin's Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, at the Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, MPR's St. Paul Headquarters. She will have two airings on MPR Radio, date TBA!! We will keep you posted.
Also this past weekend (see our blog post dated January 9th), our great Kenny Broberg presented a recital at Schmitt Music in Edina. Kenny had a beautiful, wonderful crowd of about fifty souls who demonstrated a deep involvement with his profound utterance. He inspired very deeply the many young pianists who were in attendance. He also garnered deep appreciation and praise from a number of top, world-class musicians who call the Twin Cities their home. Next month, Kenny will be performing a recital at the Screening Auditions for the Cliburn Competition in Forth Worth, Texas.
Next up: Nita and Saejin Yoo take on the Minnesota Orchestra's Young Peoples Symphony Concert Association (YPSCA) Concerto Competition at Orchestra Hall this coming weekend. May the Gods of Classical Music be at their sides!!
More soon . . .
Yours in Music!
Joseph & Jo Anne