Canadian Jaeden Izik-Dzurko was the First Prize winner on the Hilton Head Worldwide Piano Competitors, the Maria Canals Worldwide Music Competitors, and the twentieth Paloma O’Shea Santander Worldwide Piano Competitors — all in 2022.
Two years later, he’d observe up by changing into the primary Canadian Grand Prize Laureate in an instrumental version of the Concours musical worldwide de Montréal (CMIM). He’d additionally garner a first prize win on the 2024 Leeds Worldwide Piano Competitors within the UK, receiving the Dame Fanny Waterman Gold Medal.
The Leeds prize contains performances throughout Europe, and a whirlwind of appearances whereas he’s additionally finding out. In October 2024, his debut EP was launched on Warner Classics, consisting of excerpts from his Leeds Competitors efficiency.
Jaeden be performing an intimate recital at Hugh’s Room Stay in Toronto on March 23 in a collection curated by pianist Angela Hewitt and Eric Friesen. We caught up with him to ask about competitions, profession and music.
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko: The Interview
The Leeds win was a crowning achievement for the BC native. The years of competitions and the preparations for them have been formidable.
“I contemplate the Leeds one to be my final competitors,” he says. “I’m just a little bit happy that I can shut the guide on that chapter.”
Together with technical abilities, naturally, competitions require quite a lot of nerve and psychological preparation. However, it was time to cease pondering when it comes to besting the competitors. “Nearly spiritually,” he says, “to have this ceaseless rating happening — it’s just a little bit perverse.”
Nonetheless, the expertise was invaluable when it comes to making ready him for a life on worldwide phases. “I feel for grooming a performing artist, the piano competitions flex and develop plenty of actually indispensable muscle tissue.”
With varied stipulations, competing internationally additionally tends to contain studying mountains of repertoire. “It grew to become more and more tough,” he says. Juggling a rising performing schedule, together with the journey concerned, was prohibitive.
As to his successful kind, he says he stored his give attention to the music. “I attempt to take the view that you simply hold […] the jury and their preferences out of your thoughts as a lot as attainable,” he says. “It’s tough to attempt to conform to the tastes of another person, and that’s most likely the recipe for catastrophe.”
As a substitute of the judges, he stored his thoughts on the viewers, and his important love of the music.
“That’s a chunk of recommendation that I might supply to any younger artist going into competitions,” he says.
As a way to an finish, he’s now specializing in performing and persevering with his research. “Now that I’ve concluded my competitors experiences, it’s changing into clear to me that it’s just one part of growing a profession,” says Izik-Dzurko.
As he factors out, whereas competitions might assist you to enhance approach and broaden repertoire, there are nonetheless necessary issues like growing relationships with collaborators and presenters, and the continuing concern of creating an impression in your viewers, to be thought of.
Nowadays, his schedule is split between Germany, Italy, and worldwide journey.
“I reside in Germany, and I journey to Italy about each month for classes,” he explains. He’s finding out in Germany as properly.
His spring agenda contains an prolonged keep in Rome for classes and a chamber music examination, and a recital in Arezzo earlier in March earlier than his North American live performance dates.
In Recital: Hugh’s Room Stay March 23
He’ll hit Kelowna on March 21 earlier than his Toronto recital on the 23. Jaeden might be performing a program that features new preparations of recital repertoire, some he’s performing for the primary time.
- J.S. Bach: Partita for keyboard No. 4, BWV 828
- Sergei Rachmaninoff: Preludes, Op. 23
- Frédéric Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
“It’s comparatively new music,” he says. “I’ve plenty of love for Rachmaninoff,” he provides. “It’s one in all my very own musical strengths.”
He cites performing Bach as one of many luxuries of leaving the competitors world behind. “It’s a little bit of a celebration of now not being constrained by competitors tips.” Nonetheless, he’s grateful for what the competitors repertoire taught him. “A number of the items that I’ve performed in plenty of competitions I’ve actually grown with.”
After his Toronto gig, he’s heading east to Québec, then a recital for Société Professional Musica in Montréal earlier than dates throughout South Korea by April and Might.
- Discover extra details about his Toronto recital [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.