Classic Cello Second Round Continues with Strong Performances at the Royal College of Music
Now firmly established in its new setting within the College’s main hall, Classic Cello continues to unfold before audiences and jury members alike with increasing intensity, as the remaining 20 candidates compete for a place in the Final Round. Throughout these three days, the participants are being asked to present one major sonata selected from a set list, including works by Henriëtte Bosmans, Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergey Prokofiev, Henriette Renié, and Mieczysław Weinberg, alongside a free programme of their own choosing, lasting up to 25 minutes.
‘It’s been a very good experience so far”, said juror Paul Hughes. “We have a very good jury, an excellent range of people with lots of different opinions which is how it should be, and it’s been interesting, especially in the Second Round, because in the First Round you don’t know who’s coming, you’ve never heard them before and you’re discovering what they’re about, but then in the Second Round when you hear them again, it can be completely different, and you can get both good and bad surprises!”
For the participants, meanwhile, this stage represents a pivotal moment, as they balance the demands of a major international competition with the opportunity to present themselves at their very best.
With two days of the Second Round now complete, anticipation is building ahead of the final day of performances, after which the jury will select the nine finalists who will advance to the concluding stage of the competition.
The Final Round will then see the most accomplished cellists take to the stage alongside the Philharmonia Orchestra, London, under the baton of conductor Tomàs Grau, in what promises to be a perfect culmination to this landmark event.
“It has been a great journey here so far”, said contestant Václav Petr. “It’s a great venue here at the RCM, both of the halls have been very beautiful. Due to my age I’m a bit more experienced in competitions so I already know how it goes, so basically I try to keep myself in the feeling of live performance rather than focus too much on the fact that it’s a competition. If I get to the Final it would be the first experience with the Philharmonia and with Tomàs Grau so I would be very excited for that, and it would be great to play both concertos there. I have already played the Alexey Shor concerto before and Schumann is one of my favourite concertos so that would be amazing!”
