Top talent coming to tickle the ivories

Broome Civic Centre will be transformed into a concert hall when internationally recognised pianist Oxana Shevchenko ventures to the town for a special performance.

Shevchenko will be performing in Broome on Saturday, March 23, as part of a limited Australian tour, as well as hosting a half-hour masterclass for aspiring Broome pianists.

Shire of Broome president Harold Tracey said it was exciting to host such an exceptional international talent.

“We’re very pleased to be able to provide the community with opportunities such as this to experience world-class performances here at our own Broome Civic Centre,” he said.

Four, free, half-hour masterclasses will be on offer on the morning of March 23 with a moderate to high level of proficiency required for applicants.

Interested applicants are required to email broomeciviccentre@broome.wa. gov.au or call 9191 8780, with successful applicants to be notified by Friday, March 15.

Born in Kazakhstan, Shevchenko is widely regarded as a pianist of outstanding artistry, sensibility and versatility and is in high demand as both a soloist and a chamber musician.

She gave her first solo performance with the Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra at the age of nine and made her Western debut in Vilnius with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra in 2004.

Shevchenko was one of the top six finalists at the Sydney International Piano Competition and won the prize for Best Piano Quintet in 2016.

She had also won the top prize at the Scottish International Piano Competition, International Premio Franz Liszt Competition in The Netherlands, and the Chappel Piano Competition in London.

Since then, Shevchenko has performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, the Pilsen Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Sendai Pilharmonic Orchestra and the Norrlands Operan Symphony Orchestra, with conductors Vladimir Askenazy, Martyn Brabbins, Jacques Mercier, Pascal Verrot, Koji Kawamoto, Rumon Gamba and Tolepbergen Abdrashev.