2015 Competition
Congratulations to the prize winners of the 2015 Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition, which took place at Wigmore Hall on Thursday 10 September.
First Prize
Milan Siljanov & Nino Chokhonelidze
Milan Siljanov
bass-baritone
Milan Siljanov is the First Prize and Audience Prize winner of the Lied-Duo competition at the 50th International Vocal Competition in `s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.
He is currently continuing his vocal studies as a full scholarship awardee — generously supported by The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers — at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London with Professor Rudolf Piernay.
He was a finalist in this year’s prestigious Gold Medal competition at the Barbican Hall and will give his debut at Tonhalle Zurich, Switzerland, this year.
Nino Chokhonelidze
piano
With her duo partner, Milan Siljanov, Nino Chokhonelidze won the First Prize and the Audience Prize at the 50th International Vocal Competition in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, in September 2014.
Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, she studied at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire and later with Prof. Hans-Jürg Strub at the Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland.
In 2013 she was awarded the Pianist Prize at the International Schubert Competition for Lied duos in Dortmund, Germany. Further accolades include First Prize in the category for piano duo at the Kiwanis competition in 2011 (Switzerland) and Second Prize at the Concours National pour trio instrumental – Prix Géraldine Whittaker in 2012.
She is an alumnus of both Heidelberger Fruhling (Germany) and the Schubert Institute in Baden bei Wien (Austria).
Second Prize
Samuel Hasselhorn & Renate Rohlfing
Samuel Hasselhorn
baritone
Baritone Samuel Hasselhorn, born in Göttingen, Germany in 1990, won first prize in the 2013 International Schubert Competition, as well as the Prix de Lied in the 2013 Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Voice-Piano Competition.
He was a fellow of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, and has performed in New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall as a participant in Marilyn Horne’s The Song Continues programme.
Samuel’s first CD Nachtblicke with Lieder by Schubert, Pfitzner, and Reimann was released in December 2014. Recent debuts include concert appearances at Gewandhaus Leipzig and Hamburg’s Laeiszhalle.
Renate Rohlfing
piano
Sought after as a vocal accompanist, chamber musician, and orchestral pianist, Renate Rohlfing has performed with some of the world’s leading artists, including James Conlon, Anna Netrebko, and Frederica von Stade.
She started the 2014/15 season as resident pianist at the Spoleto Festival, followed by the Ravinia Festival, and enjoyed a busy concert season with singers and her piano trio, LONGLEASH, whilst serving as a vocal coach at Bard College.
Future engagements include music staff at LA Opera and Spoleto Festival, along with a tour of Scandinavia. Renate is from Honolulu, Hawaii, and a graduate of The Juilliard School.
Third Prize
James Newby & Panaretos Kyriatzidis
James Newby
baritone
Baritone James Newby is currently studying at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance under the tutelage of Alison Wells.
He is winner of the Joyce Budd second prize at the junior Kathleen Ferrier Bursary awards, the Trinity Laban English Song Competition and the Trinity Laban Oratorio/Cantata award.
James is a great lover of song and has performed in recital throughout the UK. He is also very fortunate to have performed in masterclasses with some of the world’s leading figures on Lieder and song: Graham Johnson, Wolfgang Holzmair and Ian Partridge.
Panaretos Kyriatzidis
piano
A versatile, award-winning musician, Panaretos is gaining a reputation as a collaborative performer. He has performed extensively in the UK and recently won joint first prize at the Gerald Moore Award.
Panaretos holds a Postgraduate Artist Diploma and a Master’s degree with Distinction from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where he is currently a Leverhulme Junior Fellow in Piano Accompaniment.
During his studies Panaretos won first prize in numerous competitions and also received the David Gosling Prize for excellence in accompaniment and the John Thompson Prize for chamber music.
Pianist's Prize
Nino Chokhonelidze
Nino Chokhonelidze
piano
With her duo partner, Milan Siljanov, Nino Chokhonelidze won the First Prize and the Audience Prize at the 50th International Vocal Competition in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, in September 2014.
Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, she studied at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire and later with Prof. Hans-Jürg Strub at the Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland.
In 2013 she was awarded the Pianist Prize at the International Schubert Competition for Lied duos in Dortmund, Germany. Further accolades include First Prize in the category for piano duo at the Kiwanis competition in 2011 (Switzerland) and Second Prize at the Concours National pour trio instrumental – Prix Géraldine Whittaker in 2012.
She is an alumnus of both Heidelberger Fruhling (Germany) and the Schubert Institute in Baden bei Wien (Austria).
Jean Meikle Prize for a Duo
Kindly donated by The Jean Meikle Music Trust
Kate Howden & Sachika Taniyama
Kate Howden
mezzo-soprano
Australian mezzo-soprano Kate Howden studied at Trinity Laban College of Music of Dance, and then at the Royal Academy of Music with Elizabeth Ritchie and Jonathan Papp. Recent performances include title role in Cendrillon, Isolier (Le comte Ory), Satie’s Mort de Socrate with Joanna Macgregor at King’s Place, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle and Ravel’s Trois poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé.
Kate is grateful for support from the Australian Music Foundation (with the Riddiford Trust), Jennie Blythe, Matthew and Sally Ferrey and Help Musicians UK’s Tutton and Licette awards.
This summer she will be singing in the Glyndebourne Festival Chorus and in September will join the National Opera Studio.
Sachika Taniyama
piano
Born in Toyota City, Japan, Sachika Taniyama grew up in Birmingham. She has performed internationally, including in Belgium, Turkey, the USA and Japan.
Sachika won the Oxford Lieder Young Artists Platform Competition with the countertenor Kangmin Justin Kim in 2013. Sachika was awarded both an Undergraduate and a Master’s degree in Solo Piano from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and was taught by Charles Owen.
She has studied Piano Accompaniment with Michael Dussek at the Royal Academy of Music and graduated with distinction. Sachika is a member of faculty at the St Paul’s Cathedral School.
Richard Tauber Prize for the best interpretation of Schubert Lieder
Sponsored by The Anglo-Austrian Music Society
- James Newby baritone
Perth International Arts Festival Prize
Kindly donated by the Perth International Arts Festival
- Milan Siljanov bass-baritone
Jury
Members of the Jury for the 2015 Song Competition were:
- John Gilhooly OBE HonFRAM, HonRCM Chairman
Director, Wigmore Hall - Ian Burnside
pianist - Wolfgang Holzmair
baritone - Graham Johnson OBE
pianist - Angelika Kirchschlager
mezzo-soprano - Sir Ralph Kohn FRS FMedSci FRAM DMus (Manchester & London) DSc(hc) FRCP(Hon) MAE(hc)
non-voting - Christoph Prégardien
tenor - Thomas Quasthoff
bass-baritone - Maxine Robertson
agent - David Stern
conductor - Ailish Tynan
soprano
Honorary Patrons
- Dame Janet Baker
- Barbara Bonney
- Christine Brewer
- Joyce DiDonato
- Dame Anne Evans
- Ann Murray DBE
- Thomas Quasthoff
- Sir András Schiff
- Peter Schreier