The 2009 Leeds winner performs at Philamlife

MANILA, Philippines - Sofya Gulyak will perform in Manila on Oct 14 at the Philamlife Auditorium at 8 p.m. The concert is a presentation of the Heritage Institute Center, ROS Music Center and Philamlife Insurance Company.

Gulyak was awarded the first prize and the Princess Mary Gold Medal at the Sixteenth Leeds International Piano Competition in September 2009, becoming the first woman to ever do so since the competition began in 1961. The Leeds, as the competition is informally and affectionately called, is acknowledged to be among the world’s top 10 piano competitions including the Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Rubinstein and America’s Van Cliburn. Held every three years, The Leeds is held in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is acclaimed as a prestigious cultural event, celebrating and inspiring pianistic excellence and world-class musicianship. 

Gulyak is a native of Kazan (Russia) where she studied in a Special Music College, and then in Kazan State Conservatoire under professor Elfiya Burnasheva. She graduated from Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot with the highest distinction. She later studied at the Piano Academy Incontri col Maestri in Imola, Italy, with Boris Petrushansky and in Royal College of Music with Vanessa Latarche.

French pianist Pascal Roge performs on Oct. 18 at the Philamlife Auditorium. Roge exemplifies the elegance and subtlety said to distinguish French pianism in his interpretation of the works of compatriot composers Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Debussy, Ravel, Satie, and Poulenc, among others. However, his repertoire also covers the German masters Haydn, Mozart, Brahms, and Beethoven.

For ticket, call ROS Music Center at 440-1021 and 0917-5077343 and the Heritage Institute Center at 453-7918 and 0919-8324020. Tickets may also be purchased before curtain time on at the day of the concert at the Philamlife Lobby.