Hastings International Piano welcomes back prizewinner for online recital

The short recitals premiere every Friday evening on Facebook at 7pm and at http://hastingsinternationalpiano.org.

This week the concert will be with the 2019 Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition prizewinner Eric Guo.

His programme will be: Bach – Prelude and Fugue No. 22 in B-flat minor BWV 891 Book 2; and Beethoven – Sonata No 30 in E major, Op 109 all 3 movements.

Spokeswoman Dominika Hicks explains: “In these times when the livelihood of our musicians is at risk, with engagements being cancelled and studies on hold, this series aims to provide an income to the young competition prizewinners as well as offering Hastings Piano supporters and the wider public something to look forward to at the end of the week.

“The concerts are free to view, but viewers are able to make a voluntary donation to Hastings International Piano Engagement Fund or choose to join as a Friend whilst watching. These donations help to continue the organisation’s work supporting young pianists as well as engagement projects offered to the young people of Hastings and the surrounding area. This includes free tickets to events as well as workshops, school visits and inspirational talks from visiting artists.”

17-year-old Eric Guo, from Toronto, started playing piano at the age of four and is currently a full scholarship recipient in his sixth year at The Taylor Academy of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada with Prof John O’Conor.

In masterclasses, he has worked with such distinguished artists as James Anagnoson, Emanuel Ax, Dang Thai Son, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Robert McDonald, Anton Nel, John O’Conor, Ronan O’Hora, John Perry, Orion Weiss, Haochen Zhang, and many more.

Eric has performed in prestigious venues across the States: Merkin Concert Hall in NYC aired on WQXR, The Center of Performing Arts at Menlo-Atherton in California, Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis, etc. In Canada he has appeared live on 96.3FM Toronto’s Radio Station, Koerner Hall, Four Seasons Center, George Weston Recital Hall, Maison des Arts, etc. and also at The White Rock Theatre in Hastings, UK.

He has participated in international festivals such as the 2019 Hope Music Academy by Daniel Hope in Neuhardenberg, Germany, the 2019 Frost Chopin Festival Academy in Miami, U.S.A., the 2017 Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival in California, U.S.A., and was a chosen festival participant for the 2020 Art of the Piano in Cincinnati, U.S.A., and a selected competitor in the 2020 Gina Bachauer Young Artists in Salt Lake City, U.S.A. which has been postponed to 2021.

As a soloist, he performed with several orchestras such as Minnesota Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of UK, Ural Youth Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Drummondville Orchestra, Orchestra Toronto of Canada, Oakville Orchestra of Canada, etc. and also with Tokai String Quartet, etc.

Among Eric’s accolades are accomplishments in many prestigious competitions such as 2nd Prize along with Best Mazurka and Best Concerto Prize in the 2019 Fifth Canadian Chopin in Toronto, Canada (as one of the top 3, he will represent Canada to 18th Chopin Competition April Preliminary Round in Warsaw), 3rd Prize in the 2019 e-Piano Junior in Minnesota, U.S., 3rd Prize in the 2019 Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition in UK, 1st Prize in the 2018 11th Moscow Chopin for Young Pianists in China, 1st Prize and Special Etude Prize in the 2017 Kaufman in NYC, Grand Prize and 1st Prize in the 2016 Canadian Music Competition. He was the only recipient of the 2018 Canadian Chopin Scholarship and was named one of the 2019 CBC 30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30.

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