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17/10/2007
Shared Honours at Abstract Securities Landor Competition 2007

Ilona Timchenko, a Crimean pianist, and English cellist James Barralet have been awarded joint first prize in the 3rd Abstract Securities Landor Competition, beating strong competition in this unique event at London's Cadogan Hall on Tuesday 16th October. Both winners receive recording contracts with Landor Records.

The two runners up were Greek/Australian soprano Elena Xanthoudakis (accompanied by John Reid) and sonic.art, a saxophone quartet from Berlin. This year's competition saw entries from over 25 nationalities and the four finalists came through three live rounds which included performing their complete proposed CD programmes in front of the panel.

The winners' debut recordings, to be released in 2008, will be made at Potton Hall Studios, Suffolk. They also receive financial awards from Abstract Securities and will perform at one or more of the competition's partner festivals (listed below).

Among Ilona Timchenko's teachers was the renowned Russian pianist Lazar Berman and she has won competitions including the Beethoven Competition in Vienna and the Liszt Competition in Utrecht, also performing in major concert halls worldwide, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Musikverein in Vienna and the Megaron in Athens.

James Barralet was the 2003 Royal Philharmonic Society's Julius Isserlis scholar, and recent and forthcoming concerts cover venues throughout Europe, in India, Korea and the USA including the Wigmore Hall and Bridgewater Hall. Recently he has also explored the fusion of British and Indian cultures in his project 'Indian Music and the Cello'.

Landor Records welcomes Ilona and James to its roster and looks forward to releasing their first CDs and seeing them perform to a wider audience.

The judging panel for 2007:
Guy Harvey, chief executive Landor Records; Jeremy Hayes, director Potton Hall Productions; Peter Cropper, violinist and director Music in the Round; Dame Anne Evans, soprano; Philippa Davies, flautist.

Runner-up Music Festival appearance awards:
Concerts at one of the following partner festivals: Brighton Festival, Buxton Festival, Cambridge Summer Music Festival, Music in the Round, Newbury Spring Festival, Northern Aldborough Festival, Ryedale Festival.

Background information to the Abstract Securities Landor Competition:
The Abstract Securities Landor Competition is an annual international search for recording talent, whether a solo singer, instrumentalist or an ensemble. There is no age limit, and no preconceptions about the type of repertoire or artist we wish to record. The aim is purely to find a perfect marriage of talent and repertoire that will enrich the world of classical recording for many years.

Ilona Timchenko's website
James Barralet's website