Friday 21 November 2003, 8.00 p.m. City Hall Concert Hall

The Winners Series:   SEVERIN VON ECKARDSTEIN

Severin was born in 1978 in Dusseldorf, Germany. He studied piano at the Musikhochschile in Dusseldorf and at the Universitat der Kunste in Berlin where he graduated in 2002.

He has won prizes in numerous competitions including the Busoni in Italy , and the ARD in Munich. In 2000 he won the third prize at the Leeds piano competition and in 2002 the second prize at the Jose Iturbi competition in Spain. More recently he won the first prize at the very prestigious 2002 Queen Elisabeth competition in Belgium.

 Severin has played in several cities including Paris, St Petersburg, Munich, and Hamburg and has participated in the piano festivals of Ruhr and Aldeburgh.

The Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition, Belgium

This is one of the longest running international competitions having its roots in pre-war events and having completed over 50 years of continuous activity in the post-war period. The competition, which takes place every ry four years, includes events in piano, violin, singing and composition. The competition has now become one of the most prestigious in the world with the piano section including among its past first prizewinners Vladimir Ashkenazy and Leon Fleisher, while laureates include Mitsuko Uchida, Tamas Vasaryry, Emmanuel Ax, Cecile Ousset, Philippe Entremont, Maria Tipo and Michael Ponti.

Programme

 J. Haydn                        Sonata N?38 in F major ,Hob XVI.23

                                            Moderato

                                            Adagio

                                            Finale: Presto

F.Chopin                         Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op 35

                                            Grave-Doppio movimento

                                            Scherzo

                                            Marche funebre

                                            Finale: Presto

O.Messiaen                      Le courlis cendre

Intermission

F.Chopin                         Fantasie in F minor, Op 49

S.Prokofiev                     Sonata N?8 in B flat major, Op 84

                                            Andante dolce, Allegro moderato

                                            Andante Sognando

                                            Vivace