Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva, winner of the prestigious 2010 Chopin Piano Competition, will perform a unique recital at Seoul Arts Center on Sunday, featuring works by both Frédéric Chopin and Dmitri Shostakovich. Avdeeva made history as only the fourth woman to win the renowned competition and the first in 45 years, following Martha Argerich's legendary victory in 1965.
The accomplished pianist will showcase Chopin's complete 24 Preludes, Op. 28, alongside selected pieces from Shostakovich's Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87. This programming choice reflects Avdeeva's deep exploration of what she considers one of the greatest cycles in piano literature. "Learning Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues was a great project for me," she explained in a recent email interview.
The timing of this performance holds special significance, as 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich's death, inspiring numerous festivals and commemorative events worldwide, including the Shostakovich Festival Leipzig at the Gewandhaus. For Avdeeva, the pairing of these two seemingly disparate composers is rooted in a fascinating historical connection that she discovered during her preparation.
The link between the composers traces back to 1927, when a young Shostakovich competed in the very first Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. "He was very young and didn't win, but his approach was very unorthodox and individualistic," Avdeeva noted. This historical detail provides the foundation for her unique programming decision, bridging what might otherwise seem like incompatible musical worlds.
"Pairing Shostakovich and Chopin may seem unusual – they are different worlds, times and musical languages – but if Shostakovich performed at the first Chopin competition, he must have worked on Chopin's music and knew the language," she explained. Both cycles also share a common ancestry in Johann Sebastian Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier," though their expressions differ dramatically. "They have a common source, though the expression is very different," she observed.
This deeper understanding has enriched Avdeeva's interpretation of both composers' works. "Knowing Shostakovich worked on Chopin's music lets me see some pieces from this aspect; for instance, the A-sharp major prelude reminds me of Chopin's A-sharp major prelude," she said. "It enriches how I see Shostakovich – not only constructivist or realistic, but also influenced by the Romantic era."
Beyond the concert hall, Avdeeva has expanded her artistic reach through digital platforms. She created the AvdeevaShostakovichProject, which documents her comprehensive journey through Shostakovich's complete cycle and shares it with global audiences online. This initiative represents part of her broader commitment to connecting with audiences through technology.
The pandemic catalyzed Avdeeva's digital engagement when she launched "Yulianna's Musical Dialogues," a weekly livestream series that explored composers' lives and works in unprecedented depth. "Concerts had stopped, so I started weekly livestreams every Thursday, and I was amazed by the response," she recalled. The series proved remarkably successful, ultimately spanning 60 episodes that covered both Book I and II of Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier," encompassing all 48 preludes and fugues.
This online interaction has proven mutually beneficial for both artist and audience. "The online interaction lets me learn about the audience – many who didn't know me before now come to my concerts. I'm happy to learn how they listen and what inspires them; that exchange is fantastic for me," she remarked. As Avdeeva prepares for her new role as one of 17 jury members for the 19th Chopin Piano Competition scheduled for October 2-23, 2025, her Seoul recital represents another chapter in her ongoing musical dialogue with audiences worldwide.
