David Helfgott koncert  - Tickets

David Helfgott in Concert
Budapest Congress & World Trade Center
08th May 2011, Sunday 8 PM
David Helfgott was born in Melbourne and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. In his teens he won the state final of the AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION’s INSTRUMENTAL & VOCAL COMPETITION on six seperate occasions and came to the attention of Barenboim, Katchen and Vasary. Isaac Stern was so impressed by his playing at age fourteen that he urged overseas study for the young prodigy. Five years later, at the ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC he studied with Cyril Smith who likened him both technically and temperamentally to Horowitz. In 1970 illness over-took him and her returned to Perth and a decade of obscurity. He emerged in the ’80’s, giving his first recital for twelve years in 1984 and has been in constant demand ever since, appearing both in Australia and Europe as a recitalist and concerto soloist. The great European pedagogue with whom David Helfgott took further studies in 1986 has said: I am reluctant to use the word “genius”, but I would make a great exception with David Helfgott. He is certainly one of the most exceptional pianists and musicians…
Since 1988 David Helfgott has appeared in recitals, and made concerto appearances throughout Australia, in Germany in the Beethoven Haus in Bonn and Franz Lizst Haus in Weimar, in the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in Russia and in Copenhagen where the BERLINGSKE TIDENDE wrote of his August 1993 concert: Helfgott’s deep involvement, his ability…to explore musical ideas is reminiscent of Glenn Gould. However, his touch and sound quality is more in the family of the old masters, Horowitz and Arrau. It was not only piano playing of the highest level, it was also a musical confession of the most intimate sort and true art., and of his October 1993 concert: You might doubt whether it is the music, the playing or the phenomena that thrills the audience when David Helfgott gives a concert, but no one who was present at his concert…could be in doubt that there was reason to be thrilled again. Behind this very spontaneous and meticulous soul lies a fantastic pianistic ability that only few pianists in the world have ever reached.

1996 and 1997 saw the world-wide release of the multi-award winning feature film, SHINE, based on his life, produced by Jane Scott, and directed by EMMY AWARD winning, Scott Hicks, David Helfgott’s portrayal by Geoffrey Rush winning him BEST ACTOR at the GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS and at the ACADEMY AWARDS.
During 1996 David Helfgott was presented by ANDREW McKINNON CONCERT PRESENTATIONS in four solo recitals at the SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, and two in the MELBOURNE CONCERT HALL  and of his recital in the PERTH CONCERT HALL, the WEST AUSTRALIAN said, In years of listening to this remarkable pianist…I cannot recall when has brought so intense and meaningful a focus to his music-making… music conceived on the grandest scale (Waldstein Sonata)…Helfgott clearly had the measure of this gigantic work…dazzlingly nimble…near -flawlessly spun…I have never heard him play more persuasively…he was clearly master of the moment…one of the year’s most gratifying musical experiences. His performance of Rachmaninov’s CONCERTO NO. 3 with the COPENHAGEN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, a live performance as part of his 1995 European tour, was released by RCA VICTOR/BMG CLASSICS during 1996 and rose to the top of both the Australian and international classical and pop music recording charts.
In 1997 David Helfgott embarked on a global tour of appearances throughout North America, the UK, Europe, New Zealand, SE Asia and Japan and which included performances of the Rachmaninov CONCERTO NO.3 in London’s ROYAL ALBERT HALL, in the HOLLYWOOD BOWL, and in Denver with the COLORADO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA and recitals in AVERY FISHER HALL at the LINCOLN CENTRE in New York, at the DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION in Los Angeles, at SYMPHONY HALL in Boston, at ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL in London, in Korea, Taiwan and Japan. The GLOBE & MAIL wrote of his Toronto recital: The INQUIRER in Philadelphia said, He came. He played. He conquered.

During 1998 he appeared, playing Rachmaninov’s CONCERTO NO.3, with the STATE ORCHESTRA OF VICTORIA, the SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE ORCHESTRA and the WEST AUSTRALIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, and presented solo recitals in all the major, Australian cities and overseas, including South America and Hong Kong. He returned to the UK, Japan and Europe for performances which included the Rachmaninov CONCERTO NO.3 in Munich and Düsseldorf and, during 1999, with the WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. During 2000 he gave recitals at THE OLD VIC in London, in Israel and South America and during 2001 and 2003 he returned to tour Japan and gave concerts in South Africa. During 2004 he made his debut in Korea in concerts in Soeul and Pusan and 2006, in Denmark and Norway, Madrid and Bilbao in Spain and concerto performances in Zurich. In 2007 he returned to Denmark, Switzerland, Japan and Africa and during 2008 he embarked on a major series of solo performances throughout Italy which included a special command performance for the Mayor of Rome in the Piazzo Navona.
Of his recital in the 2008 OTAGO FESTIVAL in New Zealand, the OTAGO DAILY REVIEW wrote, David Helfgott brought genuine heart to an artform which has been surrounded in pretension.  He was all class.

David Helfgott continued his extensive touring program during 2009 appearing in solo recitals in Denmark, Switzerland, Estonia and Finland, and as part of the G’DAY ISRAEL FESTIVAL in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. He was the special guest artist, playing a movement of the Rachmaninov PIANO CONCERTO NO.3 with the SYDNEY YOUTH ORCHESTRA at the PRIME MINISTER’S AUSTRALIA DAY LUNCH in Sydney and presented a nineteen concert East Coast Australian recital tour for ANDREW McKINNON CONCERT PRESENTATIONS.

2010 has seen David Helfgott return to Europe for a series of performances of the Rachmaninov PIANO CONCERTO NO.3 and includes concerts for ANDREW McKINNON CONCERT PRESENTATIONS in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, in Queensland regional cities and in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.