Catherine Peake talks with the keyboardist, composer and researcher
Andrei Hadap, who has a wide-ranging knowledge of keyboard instruments, and corresponding experience in performing on them, studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He began his orchestral career in 2018 with Brahms’ First Piano Concerto, playing with the Penrith Symphony Orchestra, and is also a composer, scholar and teacher. Winner of the 2025 2MBS Stefan Kruger Scholarship, Andrei says, ‘This incredible opportunity will allow me to dedicate myself to composing, performing and recording major works for piano and organ.’
You are a keyboard specialist, can you tell us about some of the instruments you play?
I trained as a classical pianist and I have always been interested in historical keyboards and the way they reveal a certain aspect of composers’ works and their associated performance practices. Throughout my study I have made it a mission to experience and perform on a variety of historical keyboard instruments that have etched their place in Western music history.
The harpsichord, with its plucking action, is well-suited to the relentless rhythmic drive that underpins the Baroque repertoire. Contrast this with the clavichord, a much smaller and more intimate instrument that requires the clearest touch. The delicate nature of the instrument reveals the performer’s control (or lack thereof!) of the sound quality.
I have also played on fortepianos of the classical era such as the Viennese Graff, Stein and Walter. The shallower key depth and rapid attack allow the performer to have full control of the articulation to obtain a speaking-like quality from the instruments. Each register of the piano has a unique quality, ranging from the growling, bassoon-like low register to the delicate, flute-like sounds in the upper register.
Pianos of the 19th century such as the Erard and Pleyel are very different. They possess greater key depth, a more singing-like quality and a more homogenous range than their Viennese counterparts – perfect for playing the works of Chopin and Liszt.
The pipe organ is the most recent addition to my repertoire, presenting a different set of challenges from the other keyboard instruments I have played. They include knowledge and combination of different stops as well as the use of the feet to play a separate keyboard (or manual). Unlike with other instruments, articulation is an important factor to consider, especially the release of the key, which is often overlooked in previous instruments due to their fast decay [the note disappears rapidly].
Playing on these various keyboard instruments has transformed me into a more versatile keyboardist. Though it is necessary to strive for authenticity in performance, I aim to communicate the qualities of the composition regardless of the instrument in use, just as the composers of the past would have done – rather than trying to impose the sounds and playing style of one instrument onto another.
You are currently studying for your PhD at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Which areas of research are you concentrating on?
My research deals with the training of pianist-composers in the 19th century, who excelled in performance, improvisation, composition and conducting. By examining historical pedagogy, particularly from the Italian conservatories and the Paris Conservatoire, we gain insight into their training. The study explores treatises on and methods of harmony, counterpoint and piano technique, highlighting the interconnected skills of sight-reading, extemporaneous arranging, ornamentation, preluding, improvising cadenzas and composition. By studying the education and role of pianist-composers, my research aims to reassess contemporary pedagogy, theory, performance and composition practices.
You are interested in historical performance. How does this affect your approach to a performance?
When I was introduced to historical performance as a high school student I was in awe of the performance practices beyond the written score that were expected of the performer. This awareness has been pivotal to my development as an artist, and I often make my own students aware of such practices. However, rather than aiming for absolute authenticity in my performances – an impossible task – I use my knowledge of performance practice to provide me with a multitude of expressive techniques that I can apply.
In what ways do your compositions reflect your multiple interests as composer, performer and researcher?
Composition is an application of my work in performance, teaching and academia. Five years ago I trained myself using historical methods, which have been essential to my development as both a performer and composer, with my curiosity fuelling my research endeavours. When I compose I write what I like to hear and play, trying to avoid writing music purely for the sake of being original or developing a unique voice. As a pianist-composer myself, my research also advocates for historical composition as a valid practice (beyond merely an exercise), not only to understand the works of past composers and their creative processes but also to meet the industry’s demand for common practice works. More revealingly, these historical methods valued technique and craft rather than the individuality of the composer, which ought to come naturally. I have adapted this viewpoint in my teaching and composition philosophy.
What are you planning to concentrate on during your time at 2MBS Fine Music Sydney?
My time at 2MBS couldn’t have come at a more opportune point in my career. As my thesis is due to be submitted later this year I want to establish my career as a pianist-composer. My project consists of the recording, performance and promotion of my own works for piano and organ to establish myself as an artist. The recording facilities and advertising opportunities provided by 2MBS will accelerate this process. I aim to become better known on the classical music scene as a composer and performer both nationally and internationally. I would also like to attract the attention of chamber orchestras around Australia, particularly period instrument ensembles, which I think would be interested in a collaborative project featuring premieres of historical-style compositions. I have already been in contact with an orchestra that would be interested in taking me on as a composer in residence and will use this opportunity to premiere my own works. More details to come!
What else lies ahead for you with your music?
Where do I even begin? I am involved with so many projects this year and it is difficult to know exactly what lies ahead and where my specialities are. What I do know is I am in the fortunate position that my hobby and work are one and the same. As a freelance musician I am grateful to be involved in many facets of the classical music industry around Sydney. Of course, there is always room to grow and develop, but there is no better time for my career than now.