Chopin Salon @ Home: Alexander Agate
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There is part of a famous quote by Calvin Coolidge that concludes with “persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” For musicians who enter competitions, this mindset is a must. Jon Nakamatsu, who won the Gold Medal at the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth in 1997, as well as first prize at the Fifth National Chopin Piano Competition in Miami in 1995, is quick to point out that he has lost far more competitions than he has won. And there are so many competitions available these days, including virtual events (since the pandemic is also persistent), that it is important for young musicians not lose sight of their artistic development by focusing solely on competition results.
As one of the only piano competitions that was able to be held live last year, the Chopin Foundation was super fortunate to get to know 25 of America’s top young pianists who came to Miami exactly one year ago this week. For this episode of the Chopin Salons @ Home, we got together with Alexander Agate, a semi-finalist at last year’s competition, and enjoyed listening to his quarter final performance from February 25, 2020. Alex is currently at home in California and finishing his DMA from the Manhattan School of Music.
A Journey of Discovery
We invited Alexander to tell us a bit about the music he selected for the Quarter Finals. “This round of the competition felt, for me, the most successful,” he said. “I had survived the first cut and had proven to myself that I competed at a high enough level. I also found support among my teachers, family, and friends...and to top it off this round contained some of my favorite works by Chopin. If I could only choose one Chopin piece to play it would likely be the Barcarolle; for me, one of his most imaginative and fantastic works. The drama, tenderness, harmonic language, etc. really cement it as a work I can return to time and time again and still discover new things. The Polonaise Op. 44 may have been my favorite performance of mine in the whole competition; I saw the finish line and decided to lose myself in the music completely...the results are somewhat mixed (I think there are sections I play too vigorously etc.) but I do hope that my musical intentions came though.” Let’s give a listen and enjoy Alexander’s exquisite journey!
Building on Experience - Lasting Impressions
Alexander Agate is one of a handful of pianists who have been able to participate in two National Chopin Piano Competitions. We asked him to compare his experience at the 2015 Competition with last year’s event:
“As a pianist I often base my satisfaction on my performances, and 2020 certainly proved an improvement over 2015. In 2015 I was blissfully unaware of the level of competition in the piano world, and the results certainly ‘kicked me into gear’ so-to-speak. I started piano at 11—relatively late, I think, in the music world—and didn’t really have much experience outside of the smaller musical circles I operated in. Hearing people like Eric Lu, Rachel Naomi Kudo, George Li, etc. definitely helped me realize the high standard necessary for this career path. Given that I better understood the necessary preparation, Chopin 2020 seemed all set to go smoother, and for the most part, it did, until that unfortunately semi-final round wherein I crashed and burned in the Sonata. (That still keeps me up at night, occasionally.)
The highlight of my experience outside of the playing certainly involves those I met down in Miami, both audience members—some of whom I maintain contact with—and fellow competitors, especially my house-mates during the first rounds Stanley DeLage and Bill Davidson. I also participated in an escape room with some other competitors my final days down there and will cherish those memories.”
Influences and New Developments
When we caught up with Alexander this week, he was hard at work mastering new pieces and preparing for future events. We asked him about his major musical influences: “Certainly my teachers Robert Thies, Dmitry Rachmanov, and Andre-Michel Schub, all of whom deeply influenced my approach to music—each in their own way. There have also been those I’ve worked with outside of regular private lessons that I found particularly impactful, such as John Perry and Jeremy Denk. Really there are countless people whom I’ve interacted with that left marks on my life, and those marks certainly find their way into my performances, somehow.” Here is a exciting example of his newer material:
The year that has passed since the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition has been nothing if not unusual - and that of course is an understatement. We asked Alexander how he has been spending his time during the pandemic: “In practice bliss! I confess that I’m practically built for the pandemic given most my activities are solitary; reading, writing, studying, exercising, and, of course, practicing. Originally in 2020, I was to compete in competitions after National Chopin such as the Seoul International Piano Competition, but they have been delayed due to the pandemic. Thus, I am mainly practicing repertoire for competition pre-screens and the eventual live rounds at various competitions. The Prokofiev etude I play in the program today is something I have been working on (and it’s quite a beast!).”
Fun Fact!
We enjoy ending our episodes by asking our featured guests to share a fun, perhaps little known fact about themselves. The following revelation prompted some “Google” research for confirmation:
“It’s a closed chapter of my life (and sometimes a cringe-inducing one)...but I think I peaked at age twelve when I starred in a number of commercials and films as a child actor.”
True enough! Here is a link to the Official Trailer of “Half-Life: (2008), starring Alexander Agate!
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Chopin Foundation programs are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; and the City of Coral Gables. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Funding Arts Broward; the Miami Salon Group; and scores of generous donors.