With a program full of diversity and color which reveal their assured technique and soulful expression, South Korean Grace Jee Eun Oh and Romanian Dragoș Andrei Cantea, both educated in Norway, are keen to demonstrate their exceptional ability at our next Enescu Soiree, organized with the support of Music Norway and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prepare for an evening of exuberance and passion fueled by some of the most irresistible piano compositions of all time.
Program:
Grace Jee Eun Oh:
Geirr Tveitt (1908-1981) – Velkomne med æra (Welcome with honour) (1954)
Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) – Sonata Reminiscenza, op. 38, no. 5 from Forgotten Melodies (1922)
George Enescu (1881-1955) – Appassionato, op. 18, no. 5 (1916)
Nikolai Kapustin (1937-2020) – Eight Concert Etudes, op. 40, no. 7 – Intermezzo (1984)
Dragoș Cantea:
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) – Arietta(op. 12, no. 1) & Lonely Wanderer (op. 43, no. 2)
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1770-1827) – Valsa da dor(1822)
Leos Janacek (1854-1928) – Piano Sonata 1. X. 1905 (1905)
George Enescu (1881-1955) – Carillon Nocturne (1916)
Constantin Silvestri (1913-1969) – Bacchanale(1933)
Born and raised in Iaşi (Northern Romania), Dragoș Cantea spent the first eighteen years of his artistic education under the guidance of Ioana Stănescu – a partnership that led to international awards and concerts with top philharmonic orchestras in the country. After his move to Oslo in 2016, he had debuts in Norway, Finland, Switzerland, UK, Austria, collaborating with a variety of conductors, such as Radu Popa, Fergus MacAlpine, David Marcian, Ovidiu Bălan, Ștefan Novak to world renowned musicians such as Cristian Mandeal or Kathryn Stott. The year 2018 marked his first experiences as an Artistic Director, managing the cultural celebrations of Romania’s Centenary Year in Norway. In 2019 he had his first release for Grappa / Simax and performances as soloist in Grieg & Mozart Piano Concertos have been broadcasted on Romania’s National Television (TVR) on several occasions. As of 2020, he holds a Doctor of Musical Arts title with highest distinctions, after a 3-year research on the piano oeuvre of Leoš Janáček, advised by VOCES String Quartet cellist, Dan Prelipcean. He was invited to be a Jury member in the 2021 QMYPC Competition in Singapore. He also taught masterclasses during the competition and is often invited to Finland and Romania for teaching. He is also a cultural entrepreneur, representing DAC Music Performance as a Norwegian partner in EU projects in the arts and culture sector. Dragoș is an alumnus of the Norwegian Academy of Music under Kathryn Stott and Håvard Gimse, and as of 2020 is the co-Founder and Artistic Director of Classix Festival, the largest independent classical musical festival in Eastern Europe.
Born in South Korea, Grace Jee Eun Oh developed her musical path in the United Kingdom, first as part of the Wells Cathedral School, then moving on to Bachelor studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London and completing her Master Degree at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Since 2018 she has been based in Scandinavia, after polishing her studies at the prestigious Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo under Håvard Gimse and Marianna Shirinyan. Grace is a recipient of the 2015 Charity of Mary Barnes and Leverhulme Trust Scholarships and was invited to perform in prestigious venues such as London’s St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Milton Court and Barbican Centre and in festivals such as Bloomsbury Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Oslo Kammermusikkfestivalen a.s.o. Promoting her roots, Grace was the first ever Korean pianist to be invited to perform at the 41st Presentation Ceremony of H. R. H. Princess Benedikte of Denmark. She often premieres contemporary works in festivals such as Classix and recently debuted with George Enescu Philharmonic performing Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2. As of today, Grace is actively engaged in a solo artistic research entitled Borderless Ends of the East and the West. The 2022/2023 season will highlight several orchestra appearances in Eastern Europe with Poulenc Piano Concerto. She is also currently part of the academic staff of Oslo International Piano School.
