Latest news with #Chopin
ABC News
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Classic 100 Piano – Highlights
For more than 20 years, the Classic 100 has been one of the most anticipated events on the Australian classical music calendar: a chance for music-lovers across the country to nominate the music that means the most to them. This year's theme is the piano: from solo gems all the way to concertos with a full orchestra, from music fallen in love with during piano lessons to virtuoso concert showpieces, this is a celebration of all the sounds and colours of one of Australia's favourite instruments. Listen or Buy Here Tracklist CD1 1.-3. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' (complete) 4. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 'Moonlight': I. Adagio sostenuto 5. Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. 6. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue 7. Debussy: Suite bergamasque: III. Clair de lune CD2 1. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2: II. Adagio sostenuto 2. Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1 3. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1: I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito 4. Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini: 18th Variation 5. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 'Elvira Madigan': II. Andante 6. JS Bach: Goldberg Variations: Aria 7. Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel 8. Grieg: Piano Concerto: I. Allegro molto moderato 9. JS Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 1 in C major CD3 1. JS Bach arr. Hess: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring 2. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 'Pathétique': II. Adagio cantabile 3. Beethoven: Für Elise 4. Rowland: The Man from Snowy River: Jessica's Theme 5. Nyman: The Piano: The Heart Asks Pleasure First 6. Chopin: Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor 7. Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of the Animals: The Swan 8. Satie: Gnossienne No. 3 9. Kats-Chernin: Eliza Aria 10. Joplin: The Entertainer 11. Hisaishi: Howl's Moving Castle: Merry-Go-Round of Life 12. Tiersen: La Valse d'Amélie (Amélie's Waltz) 13. Einaudi: I giorni 14. Schubert: Impromptu in G-flat major 15. Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 11: III. Rondo alla Turca 16. Morricone: Cinema Paradiso: Main Theme 17. Liszt: Liebestraum No. 3 18. JS Bach arr. Petri: Sheep May Safely Graze 19. Chopin: Étude Op. 10 No. 3 'Tristesse' CD4 1. Blake: Walking in the Air 2. Hisaishi: Spirited Away: One Summer's Day 3.-4. Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade & I. Gnomus (Gnome) 5. Sculthorpe: Left Bank Waltz 6. Debussy: Préludes: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair 7. Liszt: Paganini Études No. 3 'La Campanella' 8. Brahms: Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118 No. 2 9. Kats-Chernin: Russian Rag 10. Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte 11. Schumann: Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood): Träumerei 12. Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 16 'Sonata facile': I. Allegro 13. Grainger: Country Gardens 14. Grieg: Wedding Day at Troldhaugen 15. Bartsch: Brightness in the Hills 16. Liszt: Consolation No. 3 17. Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3 No. 2 18. Glass: Etude No. 9 19. Glanville-Hicks: Etruscan Concerto: I. Promenade 20. Whitwell: Road Trip
CTV News
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘International language': pianists perform for passers-by in Edmonton's Old Strathcona
A young pianist performs at Edmonton's Dr. Wilbert McIntyre Park as part of Chopin in the Park. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton) Musicians gathered in Old Strathcona in Edmonton on Saturday to put on a performance for passers-by. Pianists performed at the gazebo in Dr. Wilbert McIntyre Park as part of Chopin in the Park. It was a chance for the musicians to share their craft and bring some ambiance to the Whye Avenue area. Performers ranged in age from seven years old to adults, including some with PhDs in music. The festival was put on by the Canadian Polish Woman's Society. 'It's an international language, So it brings people together, and this is why it's made in the park, so that people can come sit for a while and enjoy the weather and move on, and then the next crowd comes,' Halina Madej of the society said. A total of fifteen artists performed.
Khaleej Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Meet teen pianist breaking barriers in Western classical music
Four years ago during a family vacation in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, Prapti Rajguru, all of nine at the time, saw a grand old piano sitting elegantly in a music recital hall of a restaurant she had just walked into with her parents. Unable to resist the allure of the piano, she approached the staff for their permission to play a piece. When they nodded, Prapti tenderly placed her fingers on the keys and instantly fell in love with their sound. She then turned to Frederic Chopin, allowing the notes of the iconic Polish pianist's Grande Valse Brillante to fill the room. 'Everyone cheered loudly at the end,' recalled Pallab, Prapti's father. 'Even an elderly gentleman who had initially been reluctant to talk to us because he was not very comfortable with English. But after Prapti played Grande Valse Brillante, the gentleman could not stop smiling and kept talking to us in Georgian until we left. That day I understood the mystical power of music and how it can connect people regardless of the cultural and linguistic barriers.' Prapti, now 13, has been breaking barriers for quite some time in Dubai as the only Indian pianist to have consistently achieved podium finishes in competitions. In a domain dominated by Europeans and Chinese, this young Indian musician's flair for Western classical pieces has surprised pundits in Dubai. 'Even we are surprised by how her musical journey has evolved,' Pallab admitted. 'As a child, she was not able to concentrate properly on her studies and we were like, 'How can we solve this?' That's when we took her to a piano class. But our objective was different — she was just four years and nine months old, so we wanted to engage her in an activity which could improve her concentration powers. We never thought her world would soon revolve around a piano.' Prapti's second-place finish recently in the Steinway Piano Competition GCC has earned her a place in the Global Finals of the 'Washington International Rachmaninoff Competition' in New York on July 12. Her American tour will also feature a solo performance in the hallowed Carnegie Hall in Manhattan. Naturally, the teenager is now itching to board the flight to the US. 'I'm very excited about it. I think obviously performing in Carnegie Hall is a really big thing,' said Prapti who has been training under Dr. Jordan Rashkov. 'I will get to compete with people from the US and Europe. So it's a great opportunity to showcase my music and represent India and UAE on a global stage.' Prapti hopes her dream American debut will inspire her to become the first globally recognised Indian concert pianist. 'That's the dream because I know there are not many Indian concert pianists playing Western classical pieces on the global stage. So I hope to become the inspiration for all those who want to start doing new things in India,' said Prapti. When it comes to drawing inspiration, Prapti doesn't look beyond acclaimed Georgian-French pianist Khatia Buniatishvili, Chinese-American sensation Yuja Wang and legendary Argentinian Martha Argerich, even adopting a mental training method. 'Yes, there are videos on YouTube about it (mental training),' she said. 'I attend classes twice a week, and the rest of the days, I take the sheet music and just read it through, keep listening to the pieces of my favourite pianists and try to understand how they sound. It usually sticks in your head. Listening is the easiest way to learn.' What Prapti has learned by listening to classics has started to yield results as well-known Italian pianist Antonio Di Cristofano has invited her to perform at the 2025 Scriabin Concert Series in Grosseto, Italy, following her splendid performance in the Steinway Piano Competition GCC. 'I think it's a matter of great pride to be invited by Antonio Di Cristofano,' said Pallab. 'As Indian parents, this is a completely new field for me and my wife and we have tried to give Prapti every support we can. But there is a big gap between her and those young pianists from Europe where they get to train full-time at musical institutes. And here Prapti has to juggle her studies and piano classes. But Antonio Di Cristofano's special invitation has proved that Prapti is doing the right things despite the challenges she faces.' Her exploits have now also kept her grandparents on the edge of their seats. 'We are a very traditional Indian family, so it's quite incredible when her grandparents call to check how she did after the end of a concert. They may not have seen a piano, but they are incredibly proud of her,' said Sonalisa Kar, Prapti's mother. 'Now obviously it's a very emotional moment for the entire family that Prapti is going to perform at Carnegie Hall.'
The Star
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
QuickCheck: Can video game music help you concentrate better than classical music?
Listening to music can help you focus, but what type of music is best for concentration? IN A world full of distractions, finding the right soundtrack to improve focus has become a daily pursuit for students, professionals, and creatives alike. For decades, classical music has been the top choice for mental clarity and concentration. But recently, video game music — often overlooked outside gaming circles, has emerged as an unlikely rival. Could these digital soundtracks actually help you focus better than the works of Mozart or Chopin? Verdict: TRUE Believe it or not, at its core, video game music is crafted to serve one specific function: to help players stay immersed and alert during complex tasks. Whether navigating puzzles in Portal or building in Minecraft, players rely on these soundscapes to stay focused for long periods — often without even realising how much the music is supporting their attention span. Unlike mainstream music that may include lyrics or dramatic shifts in tone, video game soundtracks are generally instrumental, repetitive in structure, and loop seamlessly — all traits that support sustained focus. As BAFTA-winning composer Jessica Curry noted in an interview with The Guardian, game music is 'meant to guide players emotionally while staying out of the way.' This subtlety and design make it ideal not just for gameplay, but for any task requiring long periods of concentration, from studying to working on reports or writing. A 2019 study published in Psychology of Music compared different genres of background music on sustained attention. It found that instrumental video game music, particularly ambient tracks, consistently helped participants maintain focus better than lyrical or more emotionally intense compositions. Similarly, research from Colorado State University revealed that students reported greater immersion and fewer distractions while listening to video game music during study sessions. Unlike classical music, video game scores are intentionally engineered to support engagement over long stretches without overwhelming the listener. The popularity of video game music as a productivity tool has surged, especially among younger audiences and digital professionals. On streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube, playlists featuring tracks from The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Stardew Valley have amassed millions of plays, often curated under titles such as 'Study Mode' or 'Focus with Nintendo.' Some companies have even taken notice. In 2021, Microsoft curated a study playlist featuring music from the Halo franchise, promoting it as a resource for students and remote workers looking to stay focused during virtual learning and meetings. So, the next time you're facing a looming deadline or prepping for an exam, it might be worth trading in Beethoven for the atmospheric tunes of Celeste or Ori and the Blind Forest. After all, if the music can help players stay focused through virtual battles and strategic quests, it might just help you conquer your to-do list in real life. Sources: 1. Psychological Effects of Background Music in Video Games: Enhancing Concentration and Experience. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews: V5ISSUE7/ 2. 2021 Halo Franchise Music Playlist: playlist/ 1fVpud2BDbeVXe3N4rkrl5 3. G2A News. (2024, February 1). Video Game Soundtracks That Help in Studying: features/video-game- soundtracks-that-help-in- studying/ 4. Colorado State University Study Examines Potential Positive Effects of Video Games: 2011/04/positive-effects- video-games/ 5. An Investigation into the Effect of Music on Immersion in Video Games. content/uploads/2018/10/evans. pdf 6. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture: writing a score for the end of the world: technology/2015/jul/30/ everybodys-gone-to-the- rapture-video-game-sound-music
Sharjah 24
02-07-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
Air Arabia adds Prague to its expanding European network
The new route will operate daily between Sharjah International Airport and Václav Havel Airport Prague, providing passengers with more convenience and affordable travel options while strengthening connectivity between the UAE and Europe. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said, 'This new route reflects our ongoing commitment to offering our customers more travel choices while supporting trade and tourism between both countries.' The addition of Prague further strengthens the airline's European network and unlocks exciting travel options to explore the beauty of Europe, in addition to Vienna, Athens, Krakow, Warsaw (Chopin and Modlin), Milan Bergamo. Air Arabia continues to expand its robust network of destinations, offering direct connectivity from Sharjah to cities across the Middle East, North Africa Asia and Europe.
