The Piano Masters: Cork Pianofest 2025 Recital Series
Fri 23 May 2025
12pm
€10/€8
Music by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Debussy and Kabalevsky Yoki He, Orlaith O’Sullivan and Martin Chavdarov This first recital features music from some of the world’s foremost piano composers, from the first great master Johann Sebastian Bach, to Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Chopin, through to the twentieth-century with French composers Debussy and Ravel and the Russian firebrand Kabalevsky and his virtuosic Rondo. Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue No.10 in E Minor, Book 1, BWV 855 Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op.14 No.1 (Movements 1 & 2) Fryderyk Chopin: Étude Op.25 No.11 (Winter Wind)
Yoki He Johann Sebastian Bach: French Suite no.2 in C minor BWV 813 Felix Mendelssohn: Presto from Fantasy in F sharp minor op.28 Orlaith O’Sullivan Maurice Ravel: Menuet Antique Claude Debussy: Etude pour les arpèges composés Dmitry Kabalevsky: Rondo Op. 59 Martin Chavdarov About the Musicians
Yoki He is a 19-year-old pianist from Cork, Ireland, who began her musical journey at the age of nine under the guidance of her first piano teacher, Douglas Ladd. Her passion for music developed quickly, and she continues to nurture it through her studies at the Cork School
Of Music. Currently, Yoki is refining her technical skills and expressive abilities under the mentorship of Dr. Gemma O’Herlihy. Over the years, Yoki has earned several awards. She received the Nina Dalby Sight-Reading Award at the Cork School Of Music, highlighting her ability to perform unfamiliar music with precision. Her competitive spirit led her to success at Feis Maitiu, where she was awarded The Pigott Centenary Perpetual Challenge Cup. She has also participated in competitions including The Roycroft Perpetual Cup (Senior Piano) and The Pigott Centenary Perpetual Cup (Advanced Piano). At the Cork School Of Music, Yoki continues to expand her musical knowledge, determined to reach new heights in her musical journey. With a clear aspiration to pursue a professional career in music, she remains committed to continuous growth and development, embracing opportunities to enhance her performance and deepen her understanding of music.
Órlaith O’Sullivan is 22 years old and is from Killorglin, Co. Kerry. She is currently a fourth year pharmacy student at Trinity College Dublin. She began learning piano at the age of 6 at the Kerry School of Music, where she also studied violin. Alongside classical music, Órlaith also enjoys playing traditional Irish piano. At 13, she started attending Cork School of Music to study piano under the guidance of Timothy Cooper, with whom she continues to study. She has participated in masterclasses with visiting lecturers at CSM and was a scholarship winner in the annual grade exams for grades 5, 6, 7 and 8. Órlaith has competed in national feiseanna, where she has been a multiple prize-winner. This includes first prize in the ‘Senior Pianoforte Solo’ at the Feis Ceoil Dublin (2021), where she was awarded the Caroline Elizabeth Reilly Memorial Cup. She was also a recipient of the Theo. Gmur Memorial Bursary at Feis Maitiu. Most recently, Órlaith won the Advanced Concerto Competition in CSM (2024). This gave her the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the CSM Symphony Orchestra. While pursuing a career in pharmacy, she remains deeply committed to her musical development and looks forward to future opportunities to perform.
Martin Chavdarov began his piano studies in Burgas, Bulgaria. He moved to Ireland and enrolled in the MTU Cork School of Music in 2018 when he was 12 and has been studying piano performance under Nicholas O'Halloran since then. He has received many awards in CSM winning the Junior Recital Competition and being highest placed pianist in the Senior Recital and at Feis Maitiú Corcaigh including !st Prize in the Sonata, Sight-Reading and Prize Winners competitions. He studies composition under Dr Séamas de Barra and has studied duo repertoire with Gregory Ellis. Martin is currently a 1st year student in the BMus programme at MTU CSM.Cork PianoFest 2025 Recital Series at Triskel in association with MTU Cork School of Music “Following on from last year’s Cork PianoFest, we are delighted to present another three-concert series at Triskel as part of the 2025 festival with performances from students and lecturers from MTU Cork School of Music, including our first collaborative concert with singers and a special focus on the music of Maurice Ravel to mark his 150th anniversary this year.”Michael McHale & Gabriela Mayer
