Rolfs Piano Series
 
Biographical Sketches
1999-2000

TADEUSZ MAJEWSKI
October 16, 1999

Tadeusz Majewski, recipient of a 1997 McKnight Artist Fellowship, has won many honors in piano competitions in his native Poland, including the top award at the 1977 Annual Chopin Society Competition in Warsaw.

He made his first public appearance at the age of thirteen, performing at the Philharmonic Hall in Krakow.  In Poland he studied with composer/pianist Janina Garscia‑Gressel for seven years, continuing his musical education with Maria Szmyd‑Dormus at the Chopin Conservatoire, where he graduated with highest honors. While still a student in Krakow, he appeared before Pope John Paul II during the first papal visit to Poland in 1979.

After emigrating to the U.S., he had private coaching sessions with Murray Perahia at the Aldeburgh Festival and with Andras Schiff in London. Under full scholarship, he furthered his studies at the Banff Centre in Canada with such distinguished piano pedagogues as Menahem. Pressler, John Perry, and Richard Goode. During his residency at Banff, Mr. Majewski's eminent chamber music coaches included James Buswell, Thomas Brandis, and Greta Kraus.

Tadeusz Majewski has been a soloist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra under Philip Brunelle, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra at the Banff Centre, the Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra in Gdansk, the Spokane String Quartet, and Shapiro and Smith Dance Company in New York. His recitals include the Old First Concerts in San Francisco, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts in Chicago, and the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall at Northwestern University. He has given many performances of "Images of Chopin" combining letters and music of Chopin, and has been performing "Images of Schubert" in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Franz Schubert. Mr. Majewski was a guest several times on Minnesota Public Radio's former "Live from Landmark Center" Series. He was also nationally broadcast on American Public Radio's "Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor. 

In addition to his performing activities, Tadeusz Majewski is a founder and programming director of the Frederic Chopin Society in Minnesota. Since 1984, Mr. Majewski has appeared many times with the Society as soloist, chamber musician, and vocal accompanist, most recently in concert presentations of the Schubert, Brahms, and Shostakovich piano quintets. His discography on the Emerald Classics label includes works of Bach, Rameau, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and Chopin. Recently released is "Images of Chopin" combining compositions of Chopin with readings from his personal correspondence. 

"Majewski conveyed an intimate and sensitive mood throughout his performance. ...Every moment was
well-considered and startlingly appropriate."                                     ---Spokane Spokesman-Review 

"Buoyant playing ... with an exuberant piano leading the way ... Majewski providing the driving, yet
smooth pulse ... playing with sensitivity and enjoyment."                      --St. Paul Pioneer Press 

"...Seriousness and emotional commitment ... Intensity and power in the Beethoven... refinement and playfulness in the Mozart ... and a strong intellect at work in the Goldberg Variations..."
                                                                                                            --Richard Goode, Pianist, New York 

"...The performances are first-rate, particularly the robust yet fine-scaled piano playing of Tadeusz
Maiewski... "                                                                                       --New York Times

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ESTHER BUDIARDJO
November 13, 1999

Laureate of the 1996 University of Maryland International William Kapell Piano Competition and co-winner of the 1998 Palm Beach Invitational Piano Competition, Esther Budiardjo has been hailed by the critics.  Richard Dyer, chief music critic of the Boston Globe writes, “…Budiardjo belongs to the elect pianists of our age”, and from Harris Goldsmith of American Record Guide:  “she is a formidable virtuoso and an artist of depth and versatility”.  She also won a top prize at the 1993 Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition and received the Charlotte F. Rabb Presidential Scholar Award from the New England Conservatory of Music.

Budiardjo has appeared as soloist with the Baltimore Symphony, the Savannah Symphony, the La Crosse Symphony, the New England Conservatory Orchestra, and the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra among others.  Some of the venues where she has given solo recitals include Alice Tully Hall in New York City, Jordan Hall in Boston, the Phillips Collection and the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.

Esther Budiardjo began studying piano at age four in Indonesia, where she was born.  She is currently doing postgraduate work on full scholarship at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where she has studied with Wha Kyung Byun, Russell Sherman and Lev Vlasenko.

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PER TENGSTRAND
January 22, 2000

Per Tengstrand is First Prize winner of the 1995 Scandinavian Piano Competition in Nyborg, Denmark and the 1997 Cleveland International Piano Competition in Cleveland, Ohio.  He earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Malmo Conservatory.  At the Paris Conservatory he received the Premier Prix and the Prix special du jury, and at the Geneva Conservatory, he was awarded the Prix de virtuosite.  He has recorded on CDs music by Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, Schonberg and Cage, as well as chamber music with violinist Hu Kun.  Mr. Tengstrand has performed solo recitals, chamber works and concerti in Europe, Scandinavia, North and South America and the Far East.

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HAI-YUNG SUH
February 19, 2000 

Pianist Hai-Kyung Suh first came to the attention of the international music community by winning the Busoni International Competition as a teenager.

She began piano studies in Korea and made her debut at the age of eight, playing the Mozart Concerto K. 467 with the Seoul National Symphony Orchestra.  In recognition of her musical gifts, she was given the President’s Medal by her country when she was just eleven.  She continued her education in New York as a pupil of Nadia Reisenberg at the Mannes Pre-College and Sascha Gorodnitzki at The Julliard School of Music.  During her teens and early twenties, she won many prestigious international competitions such as the William Kapell, Gina Bachauer, and Munich competitions.  After winning four major competitions, she was awarded the Merit of Culture, Korea’s highest honor.  In addition Ms. Suh was the first woman to be awarded the coveted Petschek Award at the Julliard School.

While maintaining a performing career on three continents, Hai-Kyung Suh also teaches at Kyung-Hee University in Seoul as well as giving master classes and judging international competitions.

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EUGENE ALBULESCU
March 18, 2000 

Pianist Eugene Albulescu is the winner of the 1994 International Grand Prix du Disque Liszt in Hungary for his debut CD.  He is one of the youngest pianists to hold this historic prize. 

A native of Romania, Albulescu attended the George Enescu Music School in Bucharest, and immigrated to New Zealand with his family in 1984.  At 16, he was the youngest competitor and the winner of Television New Zealand’s Young Musicians Competition.  He completed his musical training with Edward Auer at Indiana University where, at the age of 19, he was the youngest person ever to hold an assistant instructorship.

He has toured in Europe, Africa, New Zealand and Australia, in addition to North America.  Currently, he is the Weinstock Artist-in-Residence at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

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