Natasha Dukan
The Croatian House, The Croatian Embassy and the AMAC-North
Capitol are pleased to present:
NATASHA DUKAN, Croatian pianist
"Dukan played with refined touch, reveling in Scriabin's exotic sonority
and disquieting harmonic trickery" R. Broun, Washington Post, 2001
With a special guest
Ante Jelincic, clarinet (young talent from the Music Academy of Split, Croatia).
When: FEBRUARY 21, 2003 at 7:30 PM
Where: Austrian Embassy Concert Hall
More detailed information about the concert in my next announcement.
Srdacno,
Danica Ramljak
A Pianist
In pianist Natasha Dukan we see a rare combination of passion, intimacy, sensuality, refinement, a powerful differentiated sound and brilliant technique. Her career roots lie in the last turbulent years of the former Yugoslavia, and her Slavic temperament and fire are always in evidence in her performances. She has the rare capacity to play with utter abandon yet maintain absolute control over the myriad complex elements of pianistic craft which lie behind a truly mature technique. Critics have praised her from Moscow to Maryland and audiences are unanimous in their warm appreciation of her gifts.
Critical Response
Ronald Broun, critic for the Washington Post, claimed "Dukan played with [a] refined touch, reveling in Scriabin's exotic sonority and disquieting harmonic trickery...her rhythmic pulse was pleasurably elastic, and she threaded limpid legato lines through densely scored commotions." (Washington Post, 2001). Critics in Croatia have said that " In Scriabin her music making reached those interpretive heights where pianistic demands are realized with such ease, assurance, affability and affect that in the end it gives the impression of utmost simplicity" (T. Alajbeg, Dalmatian Free Press, 1999). At the Warsaw competition in 1995 A. Sulek wrote "One of the most distinctive and unusual pianists to appear at the competition ... strong emotions, exquisite pianissimos, towering crescendos..." On a more personal note, Philip Schnering of Broadmead Community Concert Series writes, "Broadmead residents are still talking about your concert. Your performance was exotic and masterful. We were charmed with your youth and spirit, not only with your mastery of your art. With all its excellence, it seemed as if you were having fun. We can't begin to thank you enough."
Background
Born in Split on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, Natasha Dukan won many National competitions before entering the Art Academy of Novi Sad, former Yugoslavia's premier music school. She studied with Jokuthon Kadirova-Mihailovich (an Uzbeki from Tashkent who had studied at Moscow Conservatory in its heyday when Heinrich Neuhaus roamed the halls), and later with virtuoso Kemal Gekich. During her university years she had numerous appearances with national orchestras and in recitals. After appearing at the Tchaikowsky Competition in Moscow 1986 she went on to win first prize in Stresa, Italy, and her appearance at the 1995 Chopin Competition in Warsaw led to numerous subsequent concert engagements throughout Poland. Her festival appearances include the Split, Ohrid, Skopje and Hvar summer festivals, and she has given concerts in Germany, Spain, Poland and Russia. She has recorded for radio and television in her native country and Italy.
In 1996 Ms. Dukan received a full scholarship to study with Julian Martin at the Peabody Institute, Baltimore. She graduated with a Graduate Performance Diploma in 1998 and was immediately admitted (on full scholarship) to the prestigious Artist Diploma Program. Her North American appearances include the 1998 American Liszt Society Festival in Hamilton, Canada and the Texas Festival of Young Artists, where she first appeared in 1997 and was immediately invited to return in 1998. Ms. Dukan recently appeared in the Church of the Epiphany's Tuesday Concert Series and the Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center Summer Concerts in Washington DC as well as the Fairfax Concert Series in Virginia.
Selected Recitals
Washington DC, Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center Summer Concerts , August 2001
Washington DC, Musicians Resource Council Concert Series, February 2000
Fairfax, Virginia, Rising Stars Concert Series, January 2000
Split, Croatia, 45th Split Summer Festival, August 1999
Washington DC, Church of the Epiphany, Tuesday Concert Series, March and October 1999, April 2002
Baltimore, Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall, Francis Poulenc Centenary Celebration, January 1999
Hamilton, Canada, Central Presbyterian Church, The Great Romantics Festival, October, 1998
Plano, Texas, John Anthony Theatre, Texas Conservatory for Young Artists, June 1997 and June 1998
Poland, Concert Tour, October 1995
Selected Concerto Appearances
1989 P. I. Tchaikowsky, Concerto in b-minor with Croatian National Orchestra
1988 S. Rachmaninov, Concerto No. 2 with Croatian National Orchestra
1982 E. Grieg, Concerto in a-minor with Croatian National Orchestra
Selected Recordings
CD Recording with Palexa, Montreal, supported in part by the Peabody's Career Development Grant (in progress)
CD Live Recording of recital in Texas (1998):
-A. Scriabin: Preludes, op. 16; Two Poems op.32
-S. Rachmaninov: Sonata No. 1
Radio Milan, Italy: E. Pozzoli: Piano Pieces (1985)
Radio Split, Croatia: L.v.Beethoven: Sonata op. 31, No. 3; F. Chopin: Balade op. 52 (1986)
Selected Competition Appearances
2000 Russel C. Wonderlic Memorial Recital Competition, Baltimore, second prize.
1999 Concert Artist Guild Competition, New York, semifinalist
1997 Harrison Winter Concerto Competition, Baltimore, second Prize
1995 Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition, Warsaw, Poland
1986 International Piano Competition, Stresa, Italy, First Prize
1986 P. I . Tchaikowsky International Piano Competition, Moscow
Professional Appointments/Teaching Experience
2000-present, Piano Teacher (part-time) at the The Academy of Music in Gaithersburg, Maryland
1999-2000, Piano Teacher (part-time) at the Musicians Institute of Baltimore
1998-2000, Teaching Assistant in Piano Performance in studio of Julian Martin, Peabody Conservatory
1997-1998, Graduate Teaching Assistant in Accompanying, Peabody Conservatory:
1996-1997, Graduate Assistant in Opera Couching, Peabody Conservatory:
1993-1994 Graduate Assistant at the European Piano Teacher Association (EPTA)
1984-1990 Teaching Assistant in Accompanying, University of Novi Sad, Yugoslavia
Academic Background
2001 Artist Diploma, Peabody Conservatory, class of Julian Martin
1998 Graduate Performance Diploma, Peabody Conservatory, class of Julian Martin
1988 Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, University of Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, class of Yokuthon Mihailovich
Natasha Dukan
The Croatian House, The Croatian Embassy and the AMAC-North
Capitol are pleased to present:
NATASHA DUKAN, Croatian pianist
"Dukan played with refined touch, reveling in Scriabin's exotic sonority
and disquieting harmonic trickery" R. Broun, Washington Post, 2001
With a special guest
Ante Jelincic, clarinet (young talent from the Music Academy of Split, Croatia).
When: FEBRUARY 21, 2003 at 7:30 PM
Where: Austrian Embassy Concert Hall
More detailed information about the concert in my next announcement.
Srdacno,
Danica Ramljak
A Pianist
In pianist Natasha Dukan we see a rare combination of passion, intimacy, sensuality, refinement, a powerful differentiated sound and brilliant technique. Her career roots lie in the last turbulent years of the former Yugoslavia, and her Slavic temperament and fire are always in evidence in her performances. She has the rare capacity to play with utter abandon yet maintain absolute control over the myriad complex elements of pianistic craft which lie behind a truly mature technique. Critics have praised her from Moscow to Maryland and audiences are unanimous in their warm appreciation of her gifts.
Critical Response
Ronald Broun, critic for the Washington Post, claimed "Dukan played with [a] refined touch, reveling in Scriabin's exotic sonority and disquieting harmonic trickery...her rhythmic pulse was pleasurably elastic, and she threaded limpid legato lines through densely scored commotions." (Washington Post, 2001). Critics in Croatia have said that " In Scriabin her music making reached those interpretive heights where pianistic demands are realized with such ease, assurance, affability and affect that in the end it gives the impression of utmost simplicity" (T. Alajbeg, Dalmatian Free Press, 1999). At the Warsaw competition in 1995 A. Sulek wrote "One of the most distinctive and unusual pianists to appear at the competition ... strong emotions, exquisite pianissimos, towering crescendos..." On a more personal note, Philip Schnering of Broadmead Community Concert Series writes, "Broadmead residents are still talking about your concert. Your performance was exotic and masterful. We were charmed with your youth and spirit, not only with your mastery of your art. With all its excellence, it seemed as if you were having fun. We can't begin to thank you enough."
Background
Born in Split on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, Natasha Dukan won many National competitions before entering the Art Academy of Novi Sad, former Yugoslavia's premier music school. She studied with Jokuthon Kadirova-Mihailovich (an Uzbeki from Tashkent who had studied at Moscow Conservatory in its heyday when Heinrich Neuhaus roamed the halls), and later with virtuoso Kemal Gekich. During her university years she had numerous appearances with national orchestras and in recitals. After appearing at the Tchaikowsky Competition in Moscow 1986 she went on to win first prize in Stresa, Italy, and her appearance at the 1995 Chopin Competition in Warsaw led to numerous subsequent concert engagements throughout Poland. Her festival appearances include the Split, Ohrid, Skopje and Hvar summer festivals, and she has given concerts in Germany, Spain, Poland and Russia. She has recorded for radio and television in her native country and Italy.
In 1996 Ms. Dukan received a full scholarship to study with Julian Martin at the Peabody Institute, Baltimore. She graduated with a Graduate Performance Diploma in 1998 and was immediately admitted (on full scholarship) to the prestigious Artist Diploma Program. Her North American appearances include the 1998 American Liszt Society Festival in Hamilton, Canada and the Texas Festival of Young Artists, where she first appeared in 1997 and was immediately invited to return in 1998. Ms. Dukan recently appeared in the Church of the Epiphany's Tuesday Concert Series and the Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center Summer Concerts in Washington DC as well as the Fairfax Concert Series in Virginia.
Selected Recitals
Washington DC, Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center Summer Concerts , August 2001
Washington DC, Musicians Resource Council Concert Series, February 2000
Fairfax, Virginia, Rising Stars Concert Series, January 2000
Split, Croatia, 45th Split Summer Festival, August 1999
Washington DC, Church of the Epiphany, Tuesday Concert Series, March and October 1999, April 2002
Baltimore, Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall, Francis Poulenc Centenary Celebration, January 1999
Hamilton, Canada, Central Presbyterian Church, The Great Romantics Festival, October, 1998
Plano, Texas, John Anthony Theatre, Texas Conservatory for Young Artists, June 1997 and June 1998
Poland, Concert Tour, October 1995
Selected Concerto Appearances
1989 P. I. Tchaikowsky, Concerto in b-minor with Croatian National Orchestra
1988 S. Rachmaninov, Concerto No. 2 with Croatian National Orchestra
1982 E. Grieg, Concerto in a-minor with Croatian National Orchestra
Selected Recordings
CD Recording with Palexa, Montreal, supported in part by the Peabody's Career Development Grant (in progress)
CD Live Recording of recital in Texas (1998):
-A. Scriabin: Preludes, op. 16; Two Poems op.32
-S. Rachmaninov: Sonata No. 1
Radio Milan, Italy: E. Pozzoli: Piano Pieces (1985)
Radio Split, Croatia: L.v.Beethoven: Sonata op. 31, No. 3; F. Chopin: Balade op. 52 (1986)
Selected Competition Appearances
2000 Russel C. Wonderlic Memorial Recital Competition, Baltimore, second prize.
1999 Concert Artist Guild Competition, New York, semifinalist
1997 Harrison Winter Concerto Competition, Baltimore, second Prize
1995 Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition, Warsaw, Poland
1986 International Piano Competition, Stresa, Italy, First Prize
1986 P. I . Tchaikowsky International Piano Competition, Moscow
Professional Appointments/Teaching Experience
2000-present, Piano Teacher (part-time) at the The Academy of Music in Gaithersburg, Maryland
1999-2000, Piano Teacher (part-time) at the Musicians Institute of Baltimore
1998-2000, Teaching Assistant in Piano Performance in studio of Julian Martin, Peabody Conservatory
1997-1998, Graduate Teaching Assistant in Accompanying, Peabody Conservatory:
1996-1997, Graduate Assistant in Opera Couching, Peabody Conservatory:
1993-1994 Graduate Assistant at the European Piano Teacher Association (EPTA)
1984-1990 Teaching Assistant in Accompanying, University of Novi Sad, Yugoslavia
Academic Background
2001 Artist Diploma, Peabody Conservatory, class of Julian Martin
1998 Graduate Performance Diploma, Peabody Conservatory, class of Julian Martin
1988 Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, University of Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, class of Yokuthon Mihailovich