Alexander Yau
Supported by Club 32 donor Helen Meddings

Background

16 May 1995

I’m looking forward to being in Sydney for this important musical event that I have dreamt to be part of since I was a little kid.

Prizes

Third Prize and Prize for the Best Performance on the work by Teresa Carreño: Teresa Carreño International Master Piano Competition (Miami, USA)
Sixth Prize: Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition (Hastings, UK)
Second Prize and Prize for the Best Beethoven Performance: Australian National Piano Award (Shepparton, Australia)
Prize for the Best Sonata/Preludes Performance: Australian International Chopin Piano Competition (Canberra, Australia)
Third Prize: Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition (Brisbane, Australia)

Alexander Yau completed his Bachelor of Music piano performance with first class honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying with Daniel Herscovitch and Elizabeth Powell. He graduated with his Master’s degree at the Juilliard School under Professor Matti Raekallio.

As a soloist, he has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and SBS Youth Orchestra in Rachmaninoff’s first three concertos and the Sydney Conservatorium Orchestra in Brahms Concerto No.2. In 2020, he founded his own chamber orchestra and conducted Mozart’s Concerto No.23 from the piano in its inaugural concert. He has given solo and chamber performances in Australia at the Canberra International Music Festival, Polish Embassy of Australia, City Recital Hall, Phoenix Central Park and many others, as well as in Italy, Germany, Norway, Japan, China and the USA.

This year Alexander released his debut album in partnership with clarinettist Deborah de Graaff. He currently holds a casual position in collaborative piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is a member of the music staff at Opera Australia. He was assistant conductor for Madama Butterfly, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in 2023.

Gallery

2023 Competition Performances

Preliminary Round Preliminary Round 1: 20-Minute Recital
Verbrugghen Hall
Friday 7 July 2023, 5.20pm
More Info
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Preliminary Round Preliminary Round 2: 30-Minute Recital
Verbrugghen Hall
Monday 10 July 2023, 11.30am
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2023 Competition Repertoire

Preliminary Round 1: 20-Minute Recital

No.1 Sostenuto. Molto rubato
No.2 Allegramente. Poco vivace
No.3 Moderato
No.4 Allegramente, risoluto

Scene 4. Dance of the Seven Veils (transcription for solo piano)
Australian Premiere

Preliminary Round 2: 30-Minute Recital

Kate Moore: Joy

Theme. Andante
I. Poco piu mosso
II. L’istesso tempo
III. Tempo di Minuetto
IV. Andante
V. Allegro (ma non tanto)
VI. L’istesso tempo
VII. Vivace
VIII. Adagio misterioso
IX. Un poco piu mosso
X. Allegro scherzando
XI. Allegro vivace
XII. L’istesso tempo
XIII. Agitato
Intermezzo
XIV. Andante (come prima)
XV. L’istesso tempo
XVI. Allegro vivace
XVII. Meno mosso
XVIII. Allegro con brio
XIX. Piu mosso. Agitato
XX. Piu mosso
Coda. Andante

Semi Finals Round 1: 70-Minute Recital

I. Prélude. Moderato
II. Choral. Poco più lento — Poco allegro
III. Fugue. Tempo I

No.1 Molto lento
No.2 Tempestoso
No.3 Lento

I. Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato
II. Arietta. Adagio molto semplice cantabile

Semi Final Round 2: Chamber Music

I. Allegro, ma non troppo
II. Improvisation. Andante cantabile
III. Finale. Andante – Allegro

No.3 Schön Rosmarin

Or:

I. Lento
II. Allegro scherzando
III. Andante
IV. Allegro mosso

Edward Elgar: Salut d’amour in D major Op.12

Final Round 1: Concerto 1800 and Earlier

I. Allegro maestoso
II. Andante
III. Allegretto

I. Maestoso
II. Adagio
III. Rondo. Allegro non troppo