Ziyu Shen, who last year won the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition held at the Erin Arts Centre, Port Erin, has now fulfilled two of the London engagements offered as part of her first prize; supported by the Tertis Foundation and Isle of Man Arts Council.
Ziyu, who was only 15 years old at the time, was the youngest ever competitor in the competition, since it was founded in 1980 on the Isle of Man.
On Thursday 30th January 2014, her performance at the Royal Festival Hall, London, with pianist Anthony Hewitt, was received with a standing ovation. Greetings were sent to Ziyu from backstage,
by Jason Evans, the London Philharmonia’s principal trumpet, who is one of the Youth Ambassadors of the Isle of Man’s Island of Culture 2014; at a post-concert reception given in her honour by the management of the London Philharmonia, who had promoted the concert. As the audience left the Royal Festival Hall on the South bank of the Thames, there were flashing images of the Three Legs of Man on the walls of the centre.
On Sunday 2nd February 2014, Ziyu fulfilled a lifelong ambition - playing at the world renowned Wigmore Hall, London with pianist Anthony Hewitt. Here she gave the UK premiere of the work specially commissioned for the competition, by the master of the Queens Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies; she gave the World premiere at the Erin Arts Centre, Port Erin, during the final stage of the competition which was held in March last year.
Notables attending the Wigmore Recital included the His Excellency Liu Xiaoming Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China and wife; His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man and his wife; previous governors, Air Marshal Ian MacFadyen and his wife Sally, and Sir Timothy and Lady Daunt – who all attended a reception for over 50 invited guests hosted by the Tertis Foundation. President of Tynwald, Mrs Clare Christian, who was unable to attend, sent Ziyu a letter wishing her great success in her career.
Earlier in the week, Ziyu was invited to a private gathering and dinner hosted by Mr & Mrs Boas, at which she played the set work “Six Sorano Variants for Solo Viola” to the composer himself, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who was unable to attend the Wigmore Hall Recital as he was at the Barbican on the same evening as the Wigmore recital, attending the World premiere performance of his 10th Symphony.
By coincidence, Yuri Bashmet, President of the Tertis Competition, was in London that week giving master classes at the Royal Academy of Music; Ziyu Shen attended as a member of the audience, as did Sir Timothy Daunt. Bashmet also performed as conductor and soloist at a concert with the Moscow Soloists in the Barbican Centre on Saturday 1st February. The Moscow Soloists performed on unique vintage instruments created by the genius Antonio Stradivari, whose instruments came from the state collection in Russia and also from the British Royal Collection.
John Bethell, Director of the Tertis Competition, and Gloria Balakrishna, Administrator of the Tertis Competition, attended the Moscow Soloists’ concert and a post-concert reception.
Ziyu also fulfilled an engagement at the Radcliffe Centre at the University of Buckingham on Tuesday 5th February.
The next Lionel Tertis International Viola Festival and Competition will be held in March 2016. This year the Erin Arts Centre is holding the 3rd Barbirolli International Oboe Festival and Competition, 5th -12th April, as part of Island of Culture 2014, which is supported by the Isle of Man Arts Council.
