Pianist Hoping for Australian National Piano Award

Pianist Nadia Koudasheva is nervous about competing in front of audiences at next week’s prestigious Australian National Piano Award in Shepparton, Victoria.

“You’re always nervous, but you learn to get over it,” Ms Koudasheva, of Kellyville, said.

Thirteen pianists will perform for the experience, the applause and cash and prizes valued at $65,000.

Radio ABC Classic FM will also record the finals on September 13 and air them the next day.

Ms Koudasheva began studying the piano when she was four, and later studied at the Conservatorium High School — the secondary arm of the Conservatorium of Music, where she is currently completing an honours degree.

“It’s on rare transcriptions of works by J S [Johann Sebastian] Bach and Russian pianists,” Ms Koudasheva said.

She will play some of these works as part of her competition program at the piano award, where three international judges will scrutinise her every note. Ms Koudasheva will play between two and four recitals, depending on how far she progresses in the competition.

Each goes for a maximum of 45 minutes.

She said she couldn’t honestly say how many hours she had been practising.

“I only practise, teach, and do my thesis,” Ms Koudasheva said.

Her most recent achievement was the Audience Prize at the Australian Youth Classical Music Competition.