It’s Episode 6 of Season 1 of The Talent 2022, and it’s an all-piano special tonight! Performing this week are pianists Ayana Fridkin and Anna Gao. You’ll hear them perform live to air a wonderful programme with works including Brahms’ Intermezzo, Poulenc’s Toccata, Chopin’s Étude op. 25 no. 4 and then receive immediate feedback on air from professional industry mentors.

Want to listen? Make sure to tune in every Tuesday night at 7pm to 103.5FM 3MBS Fine Music Melbourne. You can also stream the live broadcast at 3mbs.org.au or catch up later on our podcast! Just search for “The Talent 3MBS“ in your favourite podcast app and subscribe.

Scroll down to find out more about Ayana and Anna, and more details about what they’ll be performing.

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Pianist Ayana Fridkin

11-year-old Ayana Fridkin (born in Melbourne) is a year 7 student at Caulfield Grammar School Wheelers Hill Campus and studies piano with Dr Tamara Smolyar since 2019. Her musical talent began very early – at age one she used to wake the family up at midnight singing the ‘Alphabet Song’. From age 6 she studied piano with Miss Majella Drew.Ayana enjoys performing because it allows her to share her feelings and emotions with other people in ways that words cannot. She believes that music is the most intimate form of communication, one that we can all understand. In 2021, Ayana achieved AMEB AMusA piano with distinction. Ayana has won multiple local and international competitions including first prize at Eisteddfod by the Bay “18 years and under” Pianoforte, Des Stevenson Award by the Musical Society of Victoria and 2nd prize in the ENKOR International Music Competition. Ayana also enjoys composing, singing and drumming. She was a finalist in the 2021 ACMF Songwriting Competition (year 7~12 group) for Midnight Fantasy. She has won 2nd prize at Boroondara Eisteddfod for both musical theatre and classical singing competitions (18 years and under). Her other interests including reading, coding in C++, making phone apps with Flutter and animating with Blender. 

Ayana will perform:

• J.S.Bach: Toccata in E minor, BWV 914
• Johannes Brahms: Intermezzo in B flat minor, Op. 117 No. 2
• Francis Poulenc: Toccata, No.2 from Trois Pièces, FP. 48

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Pianist Anna Gao

Anna Gao began studying piano at the age of 9. She made her debut concerto appearance with Preston Symphony Orchestra performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto. Anna loves performing and has participated in various competitions, receiving many awards, including the Margaret Schofield Memorial Prize in 2019. She was also a major prize winner in the 2021 Australian Youth Classical Music Competition.  

Anna is currently a student at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, studying under Glenn Riddle. She aspires to travel abroad and take her music studies overseas to Europe in order to further her knowledge.  

Anna will perform:

• Mozart: Mvt. 1 & 2 from Sonata in C minor, k. 457
• Chopin: Étude Op. 25, no. 4

Tune in to The Talent every Tuesday night at 7pm to 103.5FM 3MBS Fine Music Melbourne. You can also stream the live broadcast at 3mbs.org.au or catch up later on our podcast! Just search for “The Talent 3MBS“ in your favourite podcast app and subscribe.