Yoram Ish-Hurwitz is a young Dutch pianist of Israeli origin. He began his studies at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam. In 1991 he was admitted to the Juilliard School in New York, where he studied with the Hungarian pianist György Sándor for two years. After his graduation he continued his studies with the renowned piano pedagogue Karl-Heinz Kämmerling in the soloist class at the Hanover Musikhochschule for two more years. In 1988 he won the second prize at the Eduard Flipse Piano Competition in Rotterdam. Three years later he won the first prize at the Jacques Vonk Competition in Amsterdam. Since then he has performed frequently in The Netherlands and abroad, including Norway, Germany, Italy, Slovak Republic and the UK, both in solo recitals and with various orchestras. In 1996 he gave his debut recital in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
In the same year his first solo CD was released with works by Franz Schubert. Since then Ish-Hurwitz recorded two more CD's with Nocturnes by Frederic Chopin (1998) and with works by Mussorgsky and Prokofiev (1999). A fourth CD with works by Franz Liszt was released in 2001, and a fifth, also devoted to Liszt's 'Années de Pelerinage' was recently published.
'The glorious warm-toned ribbon of sound Leonard drew from her instrument brought to mind the playing of the young Menuhin.' That is how Neville Cohn of the 'West Australian' described Catherine Leonard's playing at the 2001 Perth International Chamber Music Festival.
Catherine Leonard is one of Ireland's finest musicians and is developing a distinguished international career. She studied under Eduard schmieder in the United States, Ruggiero Ricci in Austria, and completed her studies with Herman Krebbers in Amsterdam.
Awards include the Heineken Violin and bow, the Ulster Bank Bursary, the Ford Classical Musician of the Year, first prize winner in the Friends of the Concertgebouw in the Netherlands, third prize in both the Kulenkampff and the Scheveningen International Violin Competitions, several Arts Council Bursaries and a Fulbright Scholarship for studies in America.
Described by Michael Dervan of the Irish Times as a leading violinist of the younger generation in Ireland, a musician whose playing is typically both thoughtful and touching. Ms Leonard managed to retain that natural directness of statement and sentiment which is her particular musical gift.
She has performed extensively in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia, both as soloist and chamber musician. For the past three years she has been invited to perform with leading musicians from around the world in the Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music Seminar.
In 2001 she performed with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, playing the world premier of 'Messenger', a concerto written for her by the Northern Ireland composer, Ian Wilson, and commissioned by RTE. She has since recorded her first commercial CD of Wilson's music, with Hugh Tinney. She travelled to Australia (2001 and 2003) where she took part in the Perth International Chamber Music Festival, performing with leading musicians from around the world. She undertook a recital tour of Sweden with Hugh Tinney last Spring, followed by a performance for President McAleese and the Finnish President in Finlandia Hall, Helsinki. Her BBC Radio 3 debut was at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, partnered by Charles Owen.
In 2002 Catherine made her debut with the Ulster Orchestra at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, playing various virtuoso violin works. Continuing with her love of chamber music, she made her debut at the Vogler ESB Festival in Sligo, followed by the West Cork Festival in Bantry, where she collaborated with cellist Natalie Clein and members of the Vanbrugh Quartet.
She played Mendelssohn's violin concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland in September 2002 and will return to play the popular Bruch concerto in autumn 2003. A major highlight of this Summer will be the ten Beethoven sonatas in Bantry House with Julius Drake, followed by various concerto appearances, including a directorial role in Vivaldi's Four Seasons in the National Concert Hall, Dublin.
A return visit to America in 2004 will take in recitals and chamber music collaborations in Santa Barbara and the Los Angeles area.
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