Westport, CT - Once again, MoCA CT will bring rising stars in the piano world to Westport, CT to compete over the course of two days in one of America’s most celebrated cultural events, the 2024 Heida Hermanns Piano Competition. The final round of the competition will take place from November 22-23, 2024.
This year’s three international finalists, Zehao ‘Nick’ Bai, Carter Johnson and Yongqiu Liu, were selected through an extensive application process where video submissions of their individual performances were chosen from over seventy competitors. The three will be the first ones to premiere a new commissioned work by internationally heralded composer Lowell Liebermann.
Kristen Young, Director of Performing Arts, stated, "We are thrilled to announce the addition of a newly commissioned work by renowned composer Lowell Liebermann to this year's Heida Hermanns International Music Competition. As we continue to celebrate and elevate the talent of young pianists, this exciting new piece adds an extraordinary dimension to the competition. Liebermann's composition, which reflects his unique voice and innovative style, will challenge and inspire our participants, giving them the rare opportunity to perform a world-premiere work. The Heida Competition has always been about pushing the boundaries of artistic expression, and this collaboration with one of America's leading composers is a testament to
our commitment to nurturing the next generation of pianists while expanding the repertoire for the piano."
Judges for the final in-person competition include Chairman of the Jury pianist Frederic Chiu of Beechwood Arts & Innovation, a previously Heida winner himself, Inna Faliks, one of the most communicative and poetic artists of her generation, and ; and critically acclaimed pianist Miki Aoki. Video audition jurists included past Heida alumni Wenjie Lyu, Julia Siciliano, and Alexei Tartakovsky.
Event Schedule & Special Highlights:
Friday, November 22
6:00 PM – 6:45 PM: Welcome Reception with Hors d’oeuvres
Begin the evening mingling with fellow enthusiasts and perhaps catch a glimpse of our esteemed jury and finalists.
7:00 PM – 9:45 PM: Finalists' Performances
Experience the exceptional talent of our three finalists. Witness the future of classical music as they showcase their technical mastery and artistic expression.
7:00 PM – 7:45 PM: Performance by Zehao ‘Nick’ Bai 8:00 PM – 8:45 PM: Performance by Carter Johnson 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM: Performance by Yongqiu Liu
Saturday, November 23
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Mini Recital and Book Talk by Inna Faliks
Join Heida Final Round Judge Inna Faliks for an intimate recital and insightful discussion about her new memoir, Weight in the Fingertips. Gain personal insights into her journey from Soviet Ukraine to the world stage, and how her experiences have shaped her illustrious career.
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Hors d’oeuvres and Cocktails
Enjoy delightful food and drinks while engaging in conversations with fellow guests, the jury, and the finalists. It's a perfect opportunity to share your passion for music with other like-minded people.
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Judges' Performance and Awards Announcement
Be captivated by exclusive performances from our prestigious jury members:
- Frederic Chiu
- Miki Aoki
- Inna Faliks
- Julia Siciliano
- Alexei Tartakovsky
Conclude the evening with the exciting Awards Announcement, where we celebrate the achievements of our finalists and crown the winner of the 2024 Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition.
The winner receives a cash prize of $10,000, and each of the other finalists will receive a prize of $2,500, generously donated by Norman and Suzanne Sorensen.
Prior winners include celebrated pianists who have gone on to perform in the world’s most important halls, such as Spencer Myer, Frederic Chiu, Josh Wright, Timur Mustikimov, and Yue Chu.
Tickets can be purchased for individual events or as a two-day package. Tickets include hors d'oeuvres and beverages. Please visit theheida.mocact.org or call 203.222.7070 to learn more
and purchase tickets.
The competition will take place within MoCA CT’s visually stunning art galleries, featuring the exhibition: ColleCTomania: Outsized Influence of Swiss Posters which runs through December 29, 2024.
MoCA CT deeply appreciates the sponsors of the competition who help to bring the event to fruition. Major Sponsors for the Heida include Beechwoods Arts and Innovation, Kristin Foster, The Maurer Family Foundation, and Laura and Dogan Perese.
More About The Finalists
Zehao ‘Nick’ Bai
Praised by the critics as “...Delicate yet powerful...” (Lander University Press), Chinese pianist Zehao has established himself as one of the prominent rising stars on the concert scene today. Following major recognitions from the Seattle International Piano Competition, National Society of Arts and Letters, Long Island International Piano Competition, Thousand Island International Piano Competition, Zehao has given major concerts throughout the United States and China.
Zehao is currently a doctoral candidate at the Eastman School of Music majoring in Piano Performance and Literature where he served as piano instructor, teaching assistant and a faculty member of the Eastman Community Music School. He has served as jury member for the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, Miaomiao Rising Star Piano Competition, and many more.
In a testament to their commitment to musical education and community enrichment, Zehao and his partner Ke’er co-founded the Miaomiao Piano Festival in Wuhai, China, serving as artistic directors and program coordinators since its inception in the summer of 2016.
Carter Johnson
Praised for his interpretive sensitivity, imaginative programming, and ability to make classical music speak to all kinds of audiences, Canadian pianist Carter Johnson is establishing a reputation as one of his generation’s most gifted and multi-faceted pianists. The silver medalist of the 2024 Gina Bachauer Competition, his other victories include first prizes in international competitions such as the 2023 Concours « Étoiles du piano » and the 2020 Valsesia International Competition. Johnson holds a BMus from UBC, a MM from Juilliard and an MMA from Yale, where he is currently continuing his DMA under Wei-Yi Yang. Trained in elocution, Johnson holds an ATCL with distinction in speech and drama, and regularly brings this expertise to recitals in his discussions on the music that is being played. This skill was recognized in the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition, where he was awarded the Best Program Presentation in the Semifinal for his program design and verbal introductions. Johnson resides in Hamden, Connecticut with his wife and their two young boys.
Chinese pianist Yongqiu Liu has successfully performed in over thirty countries across North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Her performances have appeared in prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall in New York, Symphony Hall in Boston, Villa Medici Guilini in Italy, and Citizen’s Hall in Korea. She has collaborated with various orchestras such as Minnesota Symphony, Armenia Symphony, Serbia National Symphony, Yale Philharmonia, Novosibirsk Symphony, Busan Symphony, Xiamen Philharmonic; worked with esteemed conductors such as Benjamin Zander, Charles Olivieri-Munroe, and Bojan Sudic. She has been invited to give solo recitals on occasions like In-Musica International Festival in Rome, Consulate General of Poland, and “Spring of Shanghai” Music Festival.
Her international awards include USASU Bosendorfer Competition in Arizona, Malta International Piano Competition, International Jeunesses Music Competition in Belgrade, Carles & Sofia International Piano Competition, etc.
Yongqiu earned her Master and Bachelor Degrees of Music respectively from Yale University and New England Conservatory. She’s currently pursuing her Doctoral Degree in New York University as well as serving as Adjunct Faculty there.
Her mentors include Zhe Tang, Ting Zhou, Wha Kyung Byun, Alexander Korsantia, Boris Slutsky, Boris Berman, and Eduardus Halim.
About Lowell Liebermann, Composer and Pianist:
At once unabashedly romantic and modern, American composer Lowell Liebermann is internationally recognized as an artist of uncommon profundity and popularity. Time Magazine proclaimed: “Now brazen and glittering, now radiantly visionary...the work of a composer unafraid of grand gestures and openhearted lyricism.”
Mr. Liebermann has written more than one hundred forty works in all genres, several of which have gone on to become standard repertoire for their instruments. He has composed four symphonies, a Concerto for Orchestra, three piano concertos, and concertos for many other instruments. His works have been premiered by major orchestras, including the Dallas Symphony, the National Symphony, and the New York Philharmonic. His Sonata for Flute and Piano and Gargoyles for piano are among the most popular contemporary works for their instruments, regularly included in recital and competition programs. His full-length ballet Frankenstein, co-commissioned by London’s Royal Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet, has been released on Blu-Ray and DVD. Mr. Liebermann has written two full-length operas, both enthusiastically received at their premieres: The Picture of Dorian Gray, the first American opera commissioned by and premiered in 1995 by l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo, and Miss Lonelyhearts, after the novel by Nathanael West, for the Juilliard School’s 100th anniversary in 2005.
A prolific pianist both live and in recording, Mr. Liebermann has given the world premieres of his own solo piano works as well as works by his fellow composers Ned Rorem and William Bolcolm. In 2021, the Steinway label released an CD of works by Schubert, Liszt, Kabeláĉ, Busoni, and his own composition. A year later, Steinway sponsored a second solo piano album by Mr. Liebermann, The Devil's Lyre, featuring the music of contemporary British composer David Hackbridge Johnson.
Mr. Liebermann has over one hundred fifty recordings to his credit, released on Deutsche Grammophon, Hyperion, Virgin Classics, Hungaroton, New World Records, Albany, RCA Red Seal, Reference, and many others. His works are published by Theodore Presser Company, Schott, and Faber Music. He has been invited to serve as Composer-in Residence for numerous distinguished organizations including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra; the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan; the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Mr. Liebermann has been a faculty member of the Composition Department of the Mannes School of Music of the New School since 2012. He was the founding conductor of the Mannes American Composers Ensemble, devoted to performing works of living American composers.
About the Heida Competition:
Heida Hermanns, the founder of the Connecticut Alliance for Music, Inc. (CAM), was a pianist, teacher and philanthropist. She was born in Wiesbaden, Germany in 1906 and received her first piano lessons from her mother. At the age of 15, she enrolled at the Berlin Hochschule fur Musik. Her teachers included Egon Petri, Artur Schnabel, Carl Friedberg and Isabella Vengerova. She made her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic at age 18 and toured Europe as a recitalist and concerto soloist through the 1920s and early 1930s.
Heida Hermanns immigrated to the United States in 1936 and made her New York debut at Town Hall in 1942. In the late 1940s, she moved to Connecticut and helped start the Friends of Music, an organization that presented chamber music concerts. Ms. Hermanns was also a founder of Performers of Connecticut that arranged performance opportunities for young musicians and sponsored the Heida Hermanns Young Performers Competition, known today as the Heida Hermanns International Music Competition. As audiences and memberships grew, the name was changed to Connecticut Alliance for Music, Inc.
The 2024 Heida Hermanns International Music Competition, hosted by MoCA CT, is for talented pianists ages 18-35 worldwide to compete. We aim to showcase exceptional piano performances and promote music entrepreneurship in musicians. The competition includes an online preliminary round and an in-person final round where participants demonstrate their technical prowess, interpretive skills, and musical expression. It’s a platform for emerging artists to gain recognition and connect with the global music community.
About MoCA CT:
The Connecticut Museum of Contemporary Art, MoCA CT, is a museum and cultural arts hub that has been a cornerstone of the Connecticut community for over 60 years. We offer compelling exhibitions, performing arts events, and educational experiences for all.
MoCA CT is thankful for the dedication of its generous donors and sponsors, including the Artur and Heida Hermanns Holde Foundation, Inc.; The Bafflin Foundation; Bank of America; Beechwood Arts & Innovation; Cohen and Wolf; The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation; CTFN; CT Humanities; The Dale & Laura Kutnick Foundation; Delamar Southport; Fairfield County Bank; Kristin Foster; ; The Hofstetter Baron Group, The Maurer Family Foundation, Laura and Dogan Perese; The Russell Agency; Suzanne and Norman Sorensen; Wealthspire Advisors; WMNR Fine Arts Radio; WPKN; WSHU Public Radio Group. MoCA CT operates with the support of the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.