(Click here to see which places
and countries Gustav visited in 2009)
(2008) (2007)
(2006) (2005)
(2004) (2003)
(2002) (2001)
2010
Gustav is nearly always travelling. This is necessary in order to hear the latest news and to have reliable information and details from the international competitions, and to keep in touch with many people in the Piano World, such as the contestants, the jury members and organisers.
The year 2010 is a very special year, being both a Chopin and a Schumann year. In the same year, both the famous Queen Elisabeth Competition (AAF) and the Chopin Competition (AAF) will take place.
August 2010: Gustav will do his best to attend five different competitions this month. First on the list is the one in Ettlingen (AAF) (Germany), followed by a brief visit to the Chopin Competition in Marianske Lazne (Czech Rep.), where AAF will financially support a reception for all the participants. A few days later, Gustav hopes to arrive in Crans-Montana (Switzerland), to see how the "Virtuoses du Futur" Competition (AAF) is organised. Later in the month, Gustav will be in Munich for the ARD Competition (AAF) which will be open for Piano Duo this year, and where AAF also supports a reception for all the piano candidates. His trip to Munich can relatvely easy be combined with a few days in Bolzano, where the first phase of the 58th Busoni Competition (AAF) will be held during the last week of August. Gustav has also been invited to attend the very special Prinsengracht concert in Amsterdam on August 21st, and where Jean-Yves Thibaudet will play outside on a boat in open air on one of Amsterdam's canals. This traditional concert has become a huge event, attended by thousands of music lovers. Depending on his schedule, Gustav must still see if he can be there as well.
July 2010: Gustav travelled to Porto (Portugal), where he was invited to attend the international piano competition. This has been held there already since 1984. Later in the month, he also went to Aachen (Germany), for the international piano competition "Prix Amadeo" (AAF). Unfortunately, this competition took place at the same time as the 2nd Rosario Marciano Competition (AAF) in Vienna, which he had also considered to visit.
June 2010: Gustav worked at home, and went to Brussels, for a special concert by Jean Dube at the European Parliament which was organised by the European Piano Competition (AAF) in Normandy (France), which Jean had won in October 2009. Apart from several important updates for the AAF website (including a competition calendar for 2011) and a lot of administration, research and correspondence which needs to be done, Gustav is also preparing for a few trips he will make in July.
May 2010: Gustav went back to Brussels, to hear the performances on the last days of the first round of the Queen Elisabeth Competition (AAF). He also saw Martha Argerich again, and they kept in touch after the results of the finals were announced. In between, much information had to be collected from many other competitions that are taking place in different cities around the world. Right after May 20th, which was a special day for Gustav, he was briefly in France and Belgium. The end of May, Gustav was back in Brussels again for the conclusion of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, on which occasion he also gave comments on the Belgian television.
April 2010: Gustav was in England, for the first Sussex International Piano Competition (AAF), which had the first stage at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Later in the month, Gustav travelled to Poland, to witness several days of the preselections for the Chopin Competition (AAF) in Warsaw. Due to the problems with the disrupted air travel, he took the night train. He also considered to attend the Baltic International Piano Competition (AAF) in Gdansk (Poland) and visiting the first "Neue Sterne" International Piano Competition (AAF) in Wernigerode (Germany). Both competitions will hold a special reception for all the contestants, supported by AAF. However, there was not enough time to go to these places. Instead, Gustav made a one-day trip to Brussels, to be present at the draw which decides the order of appearance of all the contestants in the Queen Elisabeth Competition (AAF) in Brussels, the end of April. Afterwards, he also visited Martha Argerich, who had to practice for her upcoming concerts in Italy, but they could spend some good time, catching up with the latest news. Unfortunately, there was no time left this month for a visit to the competitions in Rhodes (AAF) (Greece), the one in Vietri (AAF) (Italy) and the Horowitz Competition in Kiev (although the latter two also hosted the special AAF reception for all the contestants).
March 2010: Gustav was in Orleans for the International Piano Competition for Contemporary Music (AAF). He was also invited to the Pinerolo Competition (AAF) in Italy, but could not schedule this visit. Instead, Gustav attended the competition in Hohen Limburg (Germany). Later in the month, Gustav was back in Germany: in Wiesbaden and Frankfurt for the Musikmesse and in Wuerzburg for the J.S. Bach Competition (AAF).
February 2010: Gustav was in Dortmund (Germany, from where hundreds of AAF catalogues were sent. He had his suitcase packed for his trip to Pontoise (France), as he had planned to attend Piano Campus Competition (AAF). However, due to the extremely bad weather and traffic conditions due to the large amount of snow and temperatures below zero (Celsius), he had to cancel his trip, much to his regret. A few weeks later, he will pack again and travel to Orleans for the International Piano Competition for Contemporary Music (AAF). In every place he visits, he will bring and distribute the new AAF catalogues, and of course, talk with the contestants and jury members.
January 2010: in the early hours of the New Year, Gustav was still in Brussels, talking and toasting with Martha Argerich and with many of their mutual friends, such as Karin Lechner, Lily Maisky, Lyl Tiempo, Martin Lechner, Alysa Margulis, Mauricio Vallina, Alexander Gurning and Geza Hosszu. Still much work had to be done to finish the new AAF catalogue, but then, it went to the printer: 156 pages full of information. For this special year, extra copies of the catalogue were ordered: 8,000. The end of the month, the catalogue came out. It will be distributed to many pianists, teachers, organisers and competitions all over the world as well as music colleges, conservatories, festivals and embassies. The end of January, Gustav attended the EPTA International Piano Competition in Waterloo (Belgium), organised by Diane Andersen, where he could already hand out copies of the new catalogue.
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You may leave a message for Gustav Alink at his home tel.: (+31) 70 - 3634760 which he will check frequently, or send a fax to: (+31) 70 - 3652513.
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