Julian Chan

Performers

Notes on the performers

Rapidly developing a reputation as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation, Julian Chan has given performances at a number of prestigious venues across the UK, including Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, St John’s Smith Square, and the Sheldonian Theatre. Performing music by a particularly diverse range of composers, he has given alluring recitals featuring works by figures from Sweelinck to Messiaen, from Alkan to Rzewski, unifying these various styles in a captivating
manner.

Julian has had masterclasses with numerous pianists of international renown, including Stephen Hough, Imogen Cooper, Jeremy Menuhin, Melvyn Tan, Bobby Chen, and Joanna MacGregor; distinguished conductors with whom he has performed, both as a soloist and as part of the acclaimed Manson Ensemble, include Jessica Cottis, Ryan Wigglesworth, Ben Glassberg, Jonathan Berman, and
John Gibbons.

A passionate composer and performer of new music, Julian has collaborated with eminent composers such as Howard Skempton, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Hans Abrahamsen, Deborah Pritchard, Michael Berkeley, and Peter Seabourne. Recently, Julian was awarded First Prize and Sonata Prize at the Nanyang
International Music Competition, Singapore, Second Prize at the Jāzeps Vītols International Piano Competition, Latvia, First Prize at the Norah Sande Award, and First Prize at the Coulsdon and Purley Festival with his performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Julian is currently recipient of the Ronald and Rita McAulay Award at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studies with Ian Fountain and Michael Dussek. He had his first book of compositions published at age 6, earning him the title of Malaysia’s Youngest Composer.

Programme

Programme notes

Claude Debussy

Estampes

1. Pagodes (“Pagodas”)
2. La soirée dans Grenade (“Evening in Granada”)
3. Jardins sous la pluie (“Gardens in the Rain”)

Estampes (“Prints”), L.100, is a composition for solo piano by Claude Debussy. It was finished in 1903. The first performance of the work was given by Ricardo Viñes at the Salle Érard of the Société Nationale de Musique in Paris on 9 January 1904.

This three-movement suite is one of a number of piano works by Debussy which are often described as impressionistic, a term borrowed from painting. This style of composition had been pioneered by Ravel in Jeux d’eau written in 1901, and was soon adopted by Debussy (for example in the earlier numbers of Images), but Debussy did not himself identify as an impressionist.

Source: Wikipedia

Leopold Godowsky

Java Suite

1. Gamelan
2. Wayang-Purwa, Puppet Shadow Plays
3. Hari Besaar, The Great Day
4. Chattering Monkeys at the Sacred Lake of Wendit
5. Boro Budur in Moonlight
6. The Bromo Volcano and the Sand Sea at Daybreak
7. Three Dances
8. The Gardens of Buitenzorg
9. In the Streets of Old Batavia
10. In the Kraton
11. The Ruined Water Castle at Djokja
12. A Court Pageant in Solo

The Java Suite (originally published as Phonoramas. Tonal journeys for the pianoforte) is a suite for solo piano by Leopold Godowsky, composed between 1924 and 1925. It consists of twelve movements and is influenced by the gamelan music of Java, Indonesia, extensively utilizing pentatonic harmonies throughout.

Source: Wikipedia