The Complete Pianist

Expanding the Artistic Perspective

29 July - 05 August

Pascal Nemirovski is recognized as one of the most sought-after piano pedagogues in the world, with many of his students winning top international prizes (Tchaikovsky (Moscow), Leeds, Busoni, Ettlingen, Dublin, Sydney, Hastings, Casagrande, Piano Campus International Piano Competition, YCA New York, YCAT London, BBC New Generation Artist…) and are now successful recording artists represented by major Concert Artist Management companies (IMG, Harrison Parrott, Askonas Holt, Intermusica…). Among them Lise de la Salle, Louis Schwizgebel, Daniel Lebhardt, Mario Mora, Roman Kosyakov, Emanuil Ivanov, George Harliono, Edward Leung, Yi Zhong ...

He studied at the Juilliard School with Nadia Reisenberg and Adele Marcus from 1981 to 1984 on a full scholarship (Steinway & Freundlich Fund). Then he continued his studies in Paris with France Clidat and Alexis Weissenberg and started to give concerts and masterclasses in Europe, the United States and Asia. In 2004, he released his first CD, “Entre Ciel et Terre, " devoted to Chopin, Prokofiev, and Scriabin. The press unanimously acclaimed it.

At the early age of 28, his vocation for teaching was already recognised. Since then he has been invited to give lectures, Masterclasses, workshops all over the world in China (Shanghai Conservatory, Beijing Central and China Conservatories, Shenzhen Arts School…), Finland (Sibelius Academy), France (Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris), Ireland (Royal Irish Academy of Music), Israel (Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, The Jerusalem Music Centre), Russia (Moscow Conservatory and Central School of Music), UK (Royal Academy of Music, Purcell School, Oxford University) …

He is also very much in demand as a jury member at International Piano Competitions worldwide.

He has taught at the Royal Academy of Music in London for ten years and was awarded Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (Hon ARAM). Having much experience in teaching, he was also responsible for the Subject Specialism “Piano Pedagogy” for LRAM (Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music) and edited two books. During this period, he also taught at the Purcell School.

In 2016, he joined the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he now holds the “International Chair” position in Piano. In 2022, he was appointed “Artistic Director” at the Madrid International Piano Competition. In 2023, Pascal founded IPM – International Piano Masters a comprehensive and visionary platform tailored for young pianists. It features a blend of masterclasses, competitions, salons, and a blog, creating a nurturing space to inspire and support emerging talents in piano performance.

Pascal Nemirovski is a Steinway Artist.

Isabelle Duha is a singular and distinguished figure on the French musical scene. A graduate of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, she has developed her artistic and intellectual activities along three main lines: performing as a pianist, lecturing on musical language, and maintaining a consistent teaching career within prestigious institutions, both in France and abroad — including the CNSMD of Paris, École Normale Supérieure (Ulm), École Normale de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot, American Schools of Art in Fontainebleau, International Academy of Nice, Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (Finland), Royal Conservatory in The Hague (Netherlands), and the HEM of Geneva and Neuchâtel (Switzerland).

Isabelle Duha has designed an innovative method for teaching harmony and counterpoint, creating a bridge between the often somewhat austere realm of musical theory and the concrete, high-level practice of professional musicianship. By working directly at the keyboard, she has made the study of musical language more tangible and closely aligned with the interpretive reality of performers.

This original and dynamic pedagogical approach, which she has transmitted for decades, is now gathered into a two-volume publication made accessible to a wide audience:
Le Langage Musical en Liberté: Harmonie et Contrepoint au Clavier, published by Billaudot.

Eager to make the secrets of musical language accessible to a wide, non-specialist audience, she has designed a series of lecture-recitals devoted to composers or specific themes, including:

• Bach — The Encounter of the Vertical and the Horizontal
• Beethoven — The Architect
• Schumann — The Mastery of Imbalance
• Debussy — “Pleasure is the Rule”
• Ravel — The Magician
• Fauré — The Art of French Melody
• The Art of Diaghilev’s Russian Ballets
• Musical Language in Freedom: From Memory to Improvisation
• Painting and Composing at the Dawn of the 20th Century
• Architecture and Music

As a concert pianist, Isabelle Duha performs regularly and gives particular importance to chamber music.

Jörg studied conducting with Sergiu Celibidache, Constantin Bugeanu and Jorma Panula. Further important impulses he received through the conducting school of Viennese legend Hans Swarowsky. He also studied Viola with Berta Volmer and Reiner Schmidt.

For years he has been dedicated to advancing and supporting young colleagues and musicians, be it as an Artistic Director of EMIV or before as Vice Artistic Director of Wiener Meisterkurse.

Besides the symphonic standard repertoire, his passion and dedication belongs to the symphonic œuvre from Haydn to the 20th century and the operas of Mozart.

Jörg is also constantly seeking after re-discovering orchestral and opera masterworks of composers being lost or forgotten through the turmoil of the first half of the 20th century, such as Egon Wellesz, whose 1st symphony he conducted as American first-performance in 2018, as well as Ernst Krenek, Edmund von Borck, Erwin Schulhoff and Rudi Stephan, Erich Zeisl, Karol Rathaus, Hans Winterberg etc.

As a sought-after conducting teacher he has recently published his fundamental study "The Observation of Form" with academia.edu and has held master courses in conducting at Wiener Meisterkurse as well as in Germany, Hungary, Italy and México. From 2013 to 2018 he was Guest Professor for conducting at ARTS2, École supérieure des Arts de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles in Mons, Belgium.

The course is designed to expand the musical and artistic perspective and practice beyond the piano.

Beside the intense piano lessons with Pascal Nemirovski, the students will be working for two days with Isabelle Duha on topics like memorization, transposition, harmony, counterpoint, and how to make your way from analysis to interpretation. Jörg Birhance will teach a five days long workshop conducting for pianists and show ways of how to prepare a score from a conductor’s point of view.

The course will end with a public concert of the best three participants performing one of the Mozart Piano Concertos KV 271, 413, and 414, with orchestra on August 5 at the Jugendstiltheater of Otto-Wagner-Areal.

Limited number of participants: The course is designed for a maximum of 10 participants.
Timeline:
- 29 July - 04 August: Mastercourse with Pascal Nemirovski | 29 & 30 July Workshop "From Analysis to Interpretation" with Isabelle Duha | 31 July - 04 August: Conducting an Score Study with Jörg Birhance
- 01 August: 14:30 Audition for the Mozart Piano Concert Competition
- 04 August: 19:00 Final concert for the participants
- 05 August: 10 Rehearsal, 19 Concert with WienSinfonietta
Program and Preparation: the international concert repertoire. At least 3 works by different composers, one work from Viennese Classics is recommended.
Competition: An internal competition will take place on 1 August. Candidates will perform the first movement (with cadenza) and selected sections of the second and third movements of one of the following Mozart Piano Concertos: K. 271, 413, or 414.
The top three participants will perform in the public concert with the WienSinfonietta under the baton of Jörg Birhance on 5 August.
From Analysis to Interpretation: Formal, harmonic, and contrapuntal analysis to be done without playing,
using only the inner ear. This technique enables easier reading and long-lasting memorization of scores. Transposition of these excerpts serves to confirm the depth of understanding and memorization.
Topics include:
- How to construct an interpretation
- How to uncover the richness of musical language
- How to bring it to life by “orchestrating” the chords or voices, always imagining tone colors before touching the keyboard
- Throughout the two days, a few practical exercises in harmony and counterpoint may be added.

Conducting for Pianists: Conducting technique, score study from the conductors point of view, rehearsal technique, conducting from the piano. N.B.: Chapter II. from "The Observation of Form" is recommended as preparation for the method of study. Study work: Mozart, Symphony 36, "Linz".
Qualification: Please submit a web-based video recording (YouTube/Vimeo link) with your application. It should include at least two contrasting pieces: one from the Classical period, and one or more works of your choice.
Languages: English, French
Course Fee: EUR 1.300, to be paid as:
- Deposit (along with the application): EUR 600
- Balance (until June 01): EUR 700
- Passive participation: EUR 450
Application Deadline: 01 June
Late application only upon availability of spots/waiting list

Please see here our Conditions of Participation.

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The Complete Pianist

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