Live Performance of Benjamin Britten’s Piano Concerto
Watch this live music video recorded at the Philharmonic Hall in Skopje, performing Benjamin Britten’s piano concerto as part of my doctoral dissertation. The video captures the essence of the performance and the hall’s ambiance adds depth to the music, creating a captivating experience for viewers. Benjamin Britten’s Piano Concerto, a masterpiece of 20th-century classical music, combines intricate melodies and rhythmic brilliance. Composed in 1938, it showcases Britten’s innovative approach, blending lyrical elegance with vibrant orchestration, leaving an indelible mark on the classical repertoire.
Towards the concert of Mimoza Keka – piano, at the Golden Lyre Festival 2017
First, some important references for the young pianist Mimoza Keka, who in the hall of the Museum of the City of Skopje, most pleasantly surprised the audience, especially the author of this text. Coming directly from our piano school, which by the way ranks very high with the quality of the educational system, tradition and an excellent pedagogical staff, graduated in the class of Prof. Todor Svetiev, then received a master’s degree under the guidance of Prof. Lilya Zilberstein, we should remember this pianist name very well, because in fact her artistic appearance, with all the interpretive baggage she spilled on the stage, will lift her into the world of the big art stages.
Keka, fascinates with the emotional and physical strength that are obviously the strongest steam for her to deal sovereignly with the very demanding works, this time with the imposing sonata in h-moll of the great Franz Liszt, a work which by its tonal and technical handwriting convincingly approaches the so-called piano symphony, which she overcame with an inexplicably easy approach the ingenious artistic nature of Liszt, in which at one moment the piano sings the most lyrical melody and immediately that same lyric grows into a huge and unstoppable wave of bravura technique that throws the artist on a dangerous field to fight that inexhaustible virtuosity – a training ground where you can easily lose your way. But that sublime artistic act of visible exposure of very detailed performed music score was obvious for Mimoza Keka, she with her own artistic fanaticism conquered that grandiose Liszt’s challenge called the terrible Sonata in h-moll, to which even more experienced piano masters do not come close because it is really too difficult to perform – plus for our young and very promising pianist, who was easy to recognize as an extremely serious artist, who completely surrendered to her majesty – the Music. And her wisdom that the impressive Liszt is reached through the impressionist spectrum of the pianistic color of Ravel (Jeux d’eau) and Debussy (Images, book 1; L’isle joyeuse) was just a virtue of respect. Her piano filling of these two Impressionist giants was a great interpretive performance, a significant warm-up for the Piano Marathon in the Musical Score of the Sonata that rightfully took the central place in the program of the concert session.
And with curiosity in the future we will expect this young gifted pianist on stage, because she deserves it, indebting our music public with her high quality artistic profile, for whose real face to experience as a rare revelation on the piano scene, justifies the Golden Lyre Festival, whose subtle mission of this years edition was essentially fulfilled – to present to the Macedonian concert scene new great young artists, a generation of quality performers who convincingly announce freshness in the reproductive art in our musical life. We wish them bright and successful artistic careers not only on our concert stage, but also on the stages of the world capitals, where they will dignifiedly celebrate their art, but also the country where they sailed in the musical waters.
Vaska Naumova Tomovska Golden Lyre Festival, Skopje City Museum, Skopje, 25.10.2017
31 August: Piano Duo Recital at Dani Josipa Kashmana Festival in Mali Losinj, Croatia
1 November: A Musical Story – Johann Sebastian Bach in Daut Pasha Hammam in Skopje
2 November: Piano Duo Rectal at Cultural – Informative Center in Skopje
2023
29 August: Solo Recital in Istanbul, Nazim Hikmet Cultural Centre
16 August: Solo Recital at Ohrid Summer Festival, Church of St. Sophia
6 June: Piano Four hands, Two Pianos recital at the Skopje Philharmonic Hall
1 June: Annual Concert of Opera Studio , Faculty of Music Concert Hall in Skopje
2022
3 June: Annual Concert of Opera Studio, Faculty of Music Concert Hall in Skopje
15 June: Solo Recital at MC Gallery in Manhattan, New York City
3 September: Piano Duo Recital with Pianist Francesca Orlando in Skopje, Museum of Macedonian Struggle
4 September: Piano Duo Recital with Pianist Francesca Orlando in Bitola, Palace of Culture, Officer’s Hall
16 September: Piano Duo Recital in Jana Deyla Conservatory Hall in Prague, Czech Republic
17 December: Piano Duo Recital: Project Festive Rhapsody no.3, Skopje Philharmonic Hall
2021
11 January: Solo Recital in Skopje, Museum of Macedonian Struggle: Ravel, Janacek, Barber
18 March: Soloist. Benjamin Britten Piano Concerto op. 13, Skopje Philharmonic Hall
29 November: Piano Duo Recital: Project Festive Rhapsody no.2 Tour at NUCK Trajko Prokopiev Kumanovo
1 December: Piano Duo Recital: Project Festive Rhapsody no.2 Tour at KIC Skopje, Salon 19.19 Skopje
14 December: Piano Duo Recital: Project Festive Rhapsody no. 2, Skopje Philharmonic Hall
2019
26 February: Solo and Duo Piano Recital atBristol Music Club in Bristol, United Kingdom
22 June: Solo Recital at Faculty of Music Concert Hall Skopje
6 July: Concert at Casa della Musica in Trieste, Italy
15 September: Recital at Les Dimanches Musicaux in Paris, France
19 September: Recital at Sala Baldini in Rome, Italy
15 November: Chamber Music Recital at New Cultural Wave in Bezisten, Stip, North Macedonia, presented by the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia.
19 November: Solo and Chamber music Recital at Autumn Music Festivities Festival, Faculty of Music Concert Hall in Skopje
24 December: Piano Duo Recital: Project Festive Rhapsody no. 1, Skopje Philharmonic Hall
25 December: Contempora Ensemble Concert at Museum of Macedonian Struggle in Skopje
2018
18 September: Solo Recital at Teatro Marcello in Rome.
15 October: Solo Piano and Vocal Recital at New Cultural Wave in Skopje Museum, presented by the Ministry of Culture of North Macedonia.
3 November: SOS Children’s Village Skopje Charity Concert at Skopje Philharmonic Hall
6 December: Contempora Ensemble Concert at the Faculty of Music in Stip
7 December: Piano Accompaniment of Soprano Despina Spirovska at the Faculty of Music Concert Hall in Skopje
2017
3 February: Solo Recital at Skopje City Museum
5 June: Solo Recital at International Francophone Festival Soleil in Sozopol, Bulgaria
Performances at Siena Summer Festival, Palazzo Chigi and Punta Ala. July-August
25 October: Solo Recital at Festival Golden Lyre in Skopje
24 December: Contempora Ensemble Concert at State Music and Ballet Center in Skopje
2016
Performances at Siena Summer Festival. Palazzo Chigi and Sovicille. July-August
3 November: Solo Recital at Kavadarci Culture Center
8 July: Concert at Prilep Summer
7 July: Concert at Bitola Culture Center
1 July: Concert at Skopje City Museum
30 June: Concert at Art Gallery in Veles
26 March: Concert at Kavadarci Culture Center
25 March: Concert at Apollonia, Gevgelija
2015
August: Performance at Siena Summer Festival. Palazzo Chigi
June: Solo Recital at Skopje City Museum
2014
May: Chamber music concert Carnaval des Animaux under the baton of Mr. Sasho Tatarchevski at the Youth Cultural Center in Skopje
Performance at Festival Days of Macedonian Music, works by composers from North Macedonia
Performance at Autumnal Musical Festivities in Skopje
Concert: Hommage to Goce Kolarovski
2013
Performance at Festival Days of Macedonian Music, works by composers from North Macedonia
17 September: Solo Recital at Skopje Museum, presented by Cultural Informative Center Skopje
22 April: Soloist. Piano Concerto no. 2, Saint-Saens, conductor Mr. Sasha Nikolovski Gjumar, ARM Hall in Skopje. Presented by the Faculty of Music in Skopje, University of Ss.Cyril and Methodius
