Latest news with #DeccaClassics
Scoop
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Pavarotti's Widow Pays Tribute To New Zealand Youth Choir
July 16, 2025 Nicoletta Mantovani, widow of Luciano Pavarotti and organisers of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales have paid tribute to the "outstanding" New Zealand Youth Choir. This follows their remarkable triumph as Choir of the World at the world-renowned festival. In a double celebration for New Zealand, the choir's director, David Squire, was also named Most Inspiring Conductor. David Squire was presented with the prestigious Pavarotti Trophy by Nicoletta Mantovani, widow of the legendary opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, the world's best-selling classical artist. Nicoletta Mantovani said: "On behalf of the Pavarotti Foundation, I was honoured to present the Pavarotti Trophy to the exceptional New Zealand Youth Choir, winners of Choir of the World at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. Their talent and passion truly reflect Luciano's spirit - especially during this special year as Decca Classics celebrates 90 years since the birth of the great Maestro." Founded in 1947, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod promotes peace and friendship through music and dance. This year's event also honoured the memory of Luciano Pavarotti, who performed at the festival in 1955. In partnership with Decca Classics, his long-time record label, a 120-foot chalk mural of the Maestro on the hills overlooking Llangollen. It was commissioned with the approval of Nicoletta Mantovani and was unveiled near the iconic Llangollen Pavilion. Decca Classics has also announced a year-long celebration marking what would have been Pavarotti's 90th birthday. As part of the tribute, they have released 'The Lost Concert', an album featuring Pavarotti's historic 1995 performance at Llangollen. Chair of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, John Gambles, praised the choir, who also recently achieved success at the European Choir Games in Aarhus, Denmark. John said, "This choir should be a source of immense pride for everyone in New Zealand. Our audiences fell in love with their sound, spirit, and stage presence. They were not only musically exceptional but also outstanding ambassadors for their country. The Llangollen Eisteddfod upholds some of the highest musical standards of any choral competition in the world. For the New Zealand Youth Choir to win Choir of the World on the very stage where Luciano Pavarotti's international career began is a tremendous achievement. The crowd was captivated when the choir performed an impromptu haka before rushing to the stage to celebrate with their inspirational conductor, David Squire."
Korea Herald
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Lim Yunchan reimagines Tchaikovsky's 'The Seasons'
Lim's second album this year to be released Aug. 22 Celebrated pianist Lim Yunchan's recording of "June: Barcarolle" was released on major streaming services Friday, ahead of the release of his new album, 'Tchaikovsky: The Seasons," Decca Classics announced Friday. "June: Barcarolle" is the sixth track in the album scheduled to be released Aug. 22. The album will be Lim's second album this year, and was recorded at the Menuhin Hall in Surrey, England, on July 31 and Aug. 1, 2024. The recording presents a bold reinterpretation of the Russian composer's 12-piece piano cycle — not as a sequence of changing seasons, but as a meditation on the final year of a human life, according to Decca. Lim explained, 'Tchaikovsky's 'The Seasons' captures the final year of a human life. The first piece, 'By the Hearth,' depicts the dying fire in a stove. At first, you're swept up in a sorrow rooted in memories of the past, without knowing exactly why. Then, something new happens that gives you hope. You feel overwhelmed, drift into daydreams while watching cigarette smoke curl in the air, and cry yourself to sleep. Forgotten memories resurface, and you hesitate at the threshold of the past. Eventually, you return to the present, come to terms with everything and close the chapter on a day that will never come again, accompanied by the sound of a bell.' The album features artwork titled 'What Is the Weight of a Petal?' by Lim's friend, Korean artist Choi Ho-yeon. 'The cover art is a work by my dear friend Choi Ho-yeon, whose brush and words trace the still, fleeting memories of those tender ancient hours which this music recalls, and dares to resurrect as eternal reverie,' Lim wrote on his Instagram post. This is Lim's second release of the year, following the May release of the live recording of Rachmaninoff's 'Piano Concerto No. 3' from the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, where he won first prize at just 18. His 2024 studio album debut, 'Chopin: Etudes,' received widespread acclaim and swept three categories at the BBC Music Magazine Awards.
Korea Herald
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Lim Yunchan makes BBC awards history with Chopin etudes album
21-year-old pianist set to release live album from 2022 Cliburn Competition Pianist Lim Yunchan swept the three most prestigious categories at the BBC Music Magazine Awards in London -- recording of the year, newcomer of the year and the instrumental award -- all for his debut studio album 'Chopin: Etudes,' released last year under the Decca Classics label, according to the organizer on Thursday. It marked the first time since the award's inception in 2006 that a single album has claimed all three titles. Even more unprecedented: a first-time winner in the newcomer category also taking home recording of the year. Charlotte Smith, editor of BBC Music Magazine, said, "That the artist at the center of these three prestigious awards should just have celebrated his 21st birthday is downright astonishing. But Lim Yunchan is no ordinary artist." "Given that 2024 saw the release of many outstanding albums, I did not expect this outcome at all, and I'm so grateful. I strive always to harmonize what my heart tells me with what my mind dictates,' Lim said, according to the organizer's website. Released in April 2024, Lim's 'Chopin: Etudes' has achieved remarkable success globally, earning the Diapason d'Or in France and the Gramophone Classical Music Award in the piano category, where he was also named young artist of the year. Alongside the awards, Decca announced Thursday the upcoming release of Lim's live album from the final round of the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, where he stunned the world with his interpretation of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. The live recording is scheduled for release May 1, and a preview track from the second movement was released Thursday. Lim was just 18 when he became the youngest winner in Van Cliburn history. The final-round performance video has since garnered over 17 million views on YouTube -- the most-watched rendition of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. The young pianist's performances continue to generate global attention. His BBC Proms debut in 2024 at London's Royal Albert Hall sold out faster than any other concert of the season. Lim is set to perform Bach's "Goldberg Variations" at Carnegie Hall on Friday.
