Valentina Babor
Encyclopedia
Valentina Babor is a German classical pianist
. She began performing before audiences and winning youth competitions as a child. At 12, she was accepted by Karl-Heinz Kämmerling
at the Mozarteum, where she became part of the university's "Initiative Hochbegabten-Förderung", a program for highly gifted students. In 2009, barely an adult, she played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto in C minor
in concert. She continues to perform internationally.
the first time when she was six. The Russian concert pianist Ludmila Gourari was her piano teacher from age seven to twelve, during which time she performed in Europe and won international youth competitions. She attended the Gymnasium Max-Josef-Stift, a school which concentrates on the arts. In 2002, she was accepted at the university Mozarteum in Salzburg
as a "Jungstudentin" by Karl-Heinz Kämmerling
, who also teaches at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
. She was part of the university's "Initiative Hochbegabten-Förderung", a promotion of highly gifted students, and collaborated especially with Kämmerling's assistant, Vassilia Efstathiadou. Since 2007, she has studied with Elisso Wirssaladze and Gerhard Oppitz
at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
. She played Franz Liszt
's Variationen über »Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen« nach Johann Sebastian Bach (variations on Bach's cantata BWV 12) at a university concert in 2011.
Babor received the "Rising Star" award of the Kulturstiftung (cultural foundation) "Europa musicale" and performed in its concerts in June 2005 in the Allerheiligen-Hofkirche
at the Munich Residenz. In 2008, she played with cellist Maximilian Hornung at the Prinzregententheater
, also for the foundation.
Appearing at the Gasteig
in 2005, she performed Chopin's Piano Concerto in E minor
with the Münchener Kammerorchester, conducted by Christoph Poppen
. In 2008, Babor appeared in a recital at the Ushuaia festival playing works by Beethoven, Prokofieff, Schubert and Ginastera, and Mozart's Piano Concerto in C major
, K. 482. In 2009, as part of the project Musik Werkstatt Jugend (youth music workshop), she played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto in C minor
with the ensemble interculturel in concerts in Munich's Herkulessaal and in Rouen
. The reviewer at the Süddeutsche Zeitung
was impressed with her mature interpretation. In 2011, she was the pianist in a concert at the Gasteig concluding a festival to honour the 200th birthday of Franz Liszt
on October 22. The program Hommage à Liszt juxtaposed chamber music by Liszt with that by Graham Waterhouse
. The music was scored for piano solo up to piano and string quartet
, including the premiere of Rhapsodie Macabre.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. She began performing before audiences and winning youth competitions as a child. At 12, she was accepted by Karl-Heinz Kämmerling
Karl-Heinz Kämmerling
Karl-Heinz Kämmerling is a notable German academic teacher of classical pianists, who prepared at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover pianists for a career as performers and academic teachers, particularly in the early training of highly gifted...
at the Mozarteum, where she became part of the university's "Initiative Hochbegabten-Förderung", a program for highly gifted students. In 2009, barely an adult, she played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto in C minor
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)
The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, is a concerto for piano and orchestra composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901. The second and third movements were first performed with the composer as soloist on 2 December 1900...
in concert. She continues to perform internationally.
Career
Valentina Babor was born in Munich into an artistic family. At the age five, she began taking lessons in piano, violin, voice and recorder. She won the competition Jugend musiziertJugend musiziert
thumb|German stamp: 25 years of "Jugend musiziert"Jugend musiziert is a music competition for children and adolescents in Germany on regional, federal and national level.-Jugend musiziert in Germany:...
the first time when she was six. The Russian concert pianist Ludmila Gourari was her piano teacher from age seven to twelve, during which time she performed in Europe and won international youth competitions. She attended the Gymnasium Max-Josef-Stift, a school which concentrates on the arts. In 2002, she was accepted at the university Mozarteum in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
as a "Jungstudentin" by Karl-Heinz Kämmerling
Karl-Heinz Kämmerling
Karl-Heinz Kämmerling is a notable German academic teacher of classical pianists, who prepared at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover pianists for a career as performers and academic teachers, particularly in the early training of highly gifted...
, who also teaches at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover is an artistic-scientific university in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany. It dates back to 1897. From 1962 until 2010 it was named Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover , short: Musikhochschule Hannover...
. She was part of the university's "Initiative Hochbegabten-Förderung", a promotion of highly gifted students, and collaborated especially with Kämmerling's assistant, Vassilia Efstathiadou. Since 2007, she has studied with Elisso Wirssaladze and Gerhard Oppitz
Gerhard Oppitz
Gerhard Oppitz is a German classical pianist.He studied with Paul Buck, Hugo Steurer and Wilhelm Kempff. In 1981 he was appointed professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München - the youngest in the history of the institute - where he still teaches. As a soloist he has appeared with...
at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
The Hochschule für Musik und Theater München is one of the most respected traditional vocational universities in Germany specialising in music and the performing arts. The seat of the Hochschule is the former Führerbau of the NSDAP, located at Arcisstraße 12, on the eastern side of the Königsplatz...
. She played Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
's Variationen über »Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen« nach Johann Sebastian Bach (variations on Bach's cantata BWV 12) at a university concert in 2011.
Babor received the "Rising Star" award of the Kulturstiftung (cultural foundation) "Europa musicale" and performed in its concerts in June 2005 in the Allerheiligen-Hofkirche
Allerheiligen-Hofkirche
The Allerheiligen-Hofkirche is a church in the Munich Residence designed by Leo von Klenze and built between 1826 and 1837. The church was badly damaged from bombing during World War II and for decades remained a ruin before undergoing partial restoration and secularization...
at the Munich Residenz. In 2008, she played with cellist Maximilian Hornung at the Prinzregententheater
Prinzregententheater
The Prinzregententheater, or Prince Regent's Theatre, is a theatre and opera house located at 12 Prinzregentenplatz in the Bavarian city of Munich, Germany.- Building and History :...
, also for the foundation.
Appearing at the Gasteig
Gasteig
Gasteig is a cultural center in Munich, opened in 1985, which hosts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule, and the municipal library are all located in the Gasteig...
in 2005, she performed Chopin's Piano Concerto in E minor
Piano Concerto No. 1 (Chopin)
The Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11, is a piano concerto written by Frédéric Chopin in 1830. It was first performed on 11 October of that year, in Warsaw, with the composer as soloist, during one of his "farewell" concerts before leaving Poland....
with the Münchener Kammerorchester, conducted by Christoph Poppen
Christoph Poppen
Christoph Poppen is a German conductor, violinist and academic teacher.-Professional career:As a violinist, Poppen was awarded first prize in the Kocian Violin Competition age 14...
. In 2008, Babor appeared in a recital at the Ushuaia festival playing works by Beethoven, Prokofieff, Schubert and Ginastera, and Mozart's Piano Concerto in C major
Piano Concerto No. 22 (Mozart)
The Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major, K. 482, is a concertante work for piano, or pianoforte, and orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart composed the concerto in December of 1785....
, K. 482. In 2009, as part of the project Musik Werkstatt Jugend (youth music workshop), she played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto in C minor
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)
The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, is a concerto for piano and orchestra composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901. The second and third movements were first performed with the composer as soloist on 2 December 1900...
with the ensemble interculturel in concerts in Munich's Herkulessaal and in Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
. The reviewer at the Süddeutsche Zeitung
Süddeutsche Zeitung
The Süddeutsche Zeitung , published in Munich, is the largest German national subscription daily newspaper.-Profile:The title literally translates as "South German Newspaper". It is read throughout Germany by 1.1 million readers daily and boasts a relatively high circulation abroad...
was impressed with her mature interpretation. In 2011, she was the pianist in a concert at the Gasteig concluding a festival to honour the 200th birthday of Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
on October 22. The program Hommage à Liszt juxtaposed chamber music by Liszt with that by Graham Waterhouse
Graham Waterhouse
Graham Waterhouse is an English composer and a cellist. He is known for chamber music and for unusual scoring, such as Piccolo Quintet, Bright Angel for three bassoons and contrabassoon, Chieftain's Salute for Great Highland Bagpipe and string orchestra, and works for speaking voice and cello,...
. The music was scored for piano solo up to piano and string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
, including the premiere of Rhapsodie Macabre.
External links
- Valentina Babor / Biography Valentina Babor website
- Valentina Babor musikwerkstattjugend.de
- Hommage à Liszt GasteigGasteigGasteig is a cultural center in Munich, opened in 1985, which hosts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule, and the municipal library are all located in the Gasteig...