Catherine Gordeladze, Piano

Biography

The pianist Catherine Gordeladze was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and now lives in Germany. She has earned critical acclaim as a recitalist, orchestral soloist and chamber musician. The Zeitung fürs Dresdner Land called her Concert an "Exellent piano recital". Klaus Füller wrote in the "The Frankfurter Rundschau" about Bach's Goldberg Variations: "With a phenomenal technique, a perfect memory and distinctive creativity, she plugged into the virtuoso work and transformed it into a piano spectacle that made the more than half hour seem short to the breathless audience - without doubt: Catherine Gordeladze is a 'rising star' and the local promoters would be well advised if they had this star twinkle in their concerts".

Ms. Gordeladze's recent highlights include her orchestral debut for the orchestral saison opening at the Landestheater Coburg performing Schumann's Piano concerto in A minor under Maestro Nicolás Pasquet. The Coburger Tagesblatt wrote about it: "Technically she was superior at all times thoroughly enjoying the beauty of the piano part, pleasing with passionate accents, sparkling arpeggiation and brilliant passages, ending with genuine pianistical fireworks".

Her concert activity includes participation in major festivals, radio or TV broadcasts in Georgia (several TV and radio broadcasts), in the former Soviet Union (TV broadcast on the first channel), in the Czech Republic (Radio Free Europe from Prag), in Germany (Hessen TV, Radio HR2, Radio Bavaria, German Radio Berlin) and in Switzerland (Radio DRS 2) as well as recitals, orchestral performances in Georgia, Russia, Yugoslavia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium.

She is winner of several national and international competitions: 1st prize in the State Competition for Young Talents 1987 in Tbilissi, 3rd prize at the VI European Chopin Piano Competition in Darmstadt, 1st prize in the IV International Music festival in Dietzenbach (Germany), the "Prize d'Honneur" and a Medal from the world famous French "Légion d'Honneur" 2002 and Swiss prize 2003 in the noted masterclasses by Maestro Alexis Weissenberg in Engelberg (Switzerland). Currently she received a special award to honour her achievement as an outstanding piano player. The prize will be handed over by the Cultural Fund of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, whose air is to support major talents in different disciplines. The ceremony has taken place in Nuremberg in May 2005.

Ms. Gordeladze started to play piano at the age of 6 and made her debut with a symphony orchestra at the age of 11 playing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto with the Georgia Philharmonic. In the same year she took part in an Anniversary Concert at the Tbilissi Opera House that was broadcast live on television throughout the former Soviet Union. She received musical training at the Tbilissi Central Music School, Tbilissi State conservatory studying under one of the most famous teachers in Georgia, Prof. Nodar Gabunia, a pupil of the legendary pianist and educator Alexander Goldenweiser.

In Germany she continued to complete her training as a scholarship holder of the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation, "Young Musicians Podium" Foundation and the Frankfurt am Main "Old Opera House" Rotary Club under Prof. Bernhard Wetz and chamber music under Prof. Rainer Hoffmann at the University of Music and Performing Arts Frankfurt am Main and under Prof. Rolf- Dieter Arens at the Academy of Music Franz Liszt Weimar, graduated with a concert diploma. Having become a pupil of Maestro Alexis Weissenberg and benefitting from his long-standing instruction has significantly influenced her artistic development. She has also worked with Bernd Glemser, Wladimer Krainew, Paul Badura-Skoda, Peter Feuchtwanger, Irina Edelstein, Rudolf Kehrer, Konstantin Sherbakov and others.

Her CD of J. S. Bach's "Goldberg Variations" has attracted particular attention.

Catherine Gordeladze is working as lecturer at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts Frankfurt am Main.