French evening; Sophia Vaillant – piano

Sophia Vaillant is a pianist with a very rich background: having studied with Geneviève Ibanez and having obtained her Musical Diploma, cum laude, in the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique of Lyon in the class of Pierre Pontier, she went to study at the Guildhall School of London with Paul Berkowitz, pupil of Rudolf Serkin, taking postgraduate studies, in the Banff Centre for the Arts, in Canada and at the University of Stony-Brook in New York. She also participated in the Masterclasses of great masters as György Sebök, Bernard Greenhouse (cellist of the Beaux Arts Trio), Jean-Claude Pennetier, Alexander Volkov (pianist of Israel Piano Trio) and won several international competitions. Sophia’s skill covers a wide piano repertoire, from the Baroque to the contemporary composers (with a particular preference for the French ones). Fascinated by the tango music, she played extensively with the Orquesta Tipica of Juan Cedron, and in other tango groups. In 2013, she was admitted to the University of Paris VIII in Saint-Denis for a doctorate on the topic “interpret/composer”, focused on mixed music for piano and electronic. She has performed solo and chamber music around the world (Amsterdam Concertgebouw, in Paris, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Venezuela, USA…). Besides, Sophia has managed for many years a classical music festival in the Hauts-de-France region, where she invites her colleagues to play with her. She is also president of “Femmes et Musique” and teaches at the Frédéric Chopin Conservatory in Paris district 15.

Programme:

Clara Schumann:               Polonaise op. 1 no. 1 E flat Major

Polonaise op. 1 no. 2 C Major

1. A. Mozart: Rondo K 485 D Major

Clara Schumann:               Quatre pièces fugitives op 15

1. Liszt: Hymn to the awakening son

(excerpt from Poetic and religious harmonies)

1. Debussy: Etude no. 1

Clara Schumann:               Variations on a theme by Robert Schumann op. 20

1. P. Rameau: L’Enharmonique l’Égyptienne

1. Chopin: Scherzo no. 2 op. 31 B flat minor