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BBC Cardiff Singer Of the World 2009 - Song Prize Winner: Czech Bass Jan Martiník wins the song competition (MS)

Song Prize Winner Jan Martinik

The young Czech bass Jan Martiník won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize 2009 final last night (Friday) at St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

After being presented with his Welsh crystal trophy this modest artist said, “I am very tired and very happy and feel wonderful. It could have been better but it was okay, I now need to get some sleep before Sunday’s concert.” Jan is also taking part in the main prize final on Sunday, along with competitors from Japan, Ukraine, Russia and Italy.

He then joked with Julian Smith, the Competition’s musical adviser who had selected him for the Competition in auditions held in Berlin, where Jan is based with the Komische Oper, “This is all your fault - you are responsible!”.

Afterwards, Adam Gatehouse, Editor of Live Music at BBC Radio 3, said the Competition reflected the growth in interest and standing of song. “Song has been the Cinderella of the singing world but over the last two decades has been transformed and that change has been seen over this week with the attention of the audiences. We have heard more than 160 songs over six days and that is quite something.”

The other contestants in the final at a packed St David’s Hall, Cardiff were Javier Arrey, aged 27, baritone, from Chile; Eri Nakamura, aged 31, soprano, from Japan; Yuriy Mynenko, aged 30, counter-tenor, Ukraine and Natalya Romaniw, aged 22, soprano, Wales.

Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Welsh National Opera and Chairman of the  international panel of judges John Fisher,  made the announcement after  exhaustive deliberations about who should win the competition and its £5,000 prize.  He said the judges had heard wonderful singing this week in what he had earlier in the Competition described as “such a demanding art form”. 

Judging the Song Prize were Adam Gatehouse, Editor Live Music BBC Radio 3, John Fisher, singers Kurt Moll and Ann Murray and accompanist and lieder specialist Helmut Deutsch. John Fisher also chairs the Main Prize Jury. The official accompanists for the Song Prize were Phillip Thomas, Simon Lepper and Llŷr Williams.
 
Three of the Song Prize  finalists will also compete on Sunday June 14h for the title BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009. For that Jan Martiník, Eri Nakamura and Yuriy Mynenko will be joined by 21-year-old Italian tenor Giordano Lucà and Russian soprano Ekaterina Shcherbachenko, aged 32. Both competitions are organised by BBC Cymru Wales.

Coverage of he Song Prize Final will be broadcast this evening (Saturday) at 8.15 pm on BBC Radio 3  presented by Fiona Talkington with commentary from Catherine Bott. Next Friday 19th June, on BBC Four at  7.30pm,  Petroc Trelawny and Josie D'Arby  will present extensive coverage of the Song Prize final with expert comment and analysis from Barbara Bonney.

Mike Smith

Picture © Brian Tarr

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