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She may not e my cup of tea, but Lisitsa deserves better than this title!!
In preparation of her upcoming concert at the Royal Albert Hall, some brilliant critic, or is it her new recordl label, Decca, came up with this insulting descriptive. Sad really.


Article in Telegraph



One of the internet's great musical sensations, Kiev-born virtuoso pianist Valentina Lisitsa, is about to break into the big time with a major record deal and a concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Predictably marketed as 'The Justin Bieber of the classical world', the talented 39-year-old has been a star on YouTube, with various online performances of Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Schubert attracting more than 44 million views in total.

Lisitsa, who trained at the Kiev Conservatory, said: “I could not have done this without all my online fans around the world. Their reactions tell me every day that I am doing the right thing and that’s the best reward for my hard work. Now I want to say thank you and give them a great concert live and online.”

Lisitsa will be the third classical pianist Decca has signed on in the past year - Benjamin Grosvenor, British ex-prodigy, is already something of a star (and reappearing in the BBC Proms this year), while Behzod Abduraimov has also stirred headlines. Their repertoire complement each other to some extent: Grosvenor likes to take on quirky stuff like Cziffra transcriptions as well as Chopin Scherzi and Ravel's Gaspard, while Abduraimov is mersed in heavyweight Russian repertoire like Prokofiev Sonatas.

And Lisitsa? Maybe Decca will issue her Rachmaninoff Concertos. She's already partnered Hilary Hahn in Ives's Violin Sonatas, so how about the Concord Sonata from her?

I think more pianists who first became known on YouTube will be getting recording contracts: HJ Lim was one, having recorded all the Beethoven Sonatas for EMI already. At least they already have a following (and therefore guaranteed CD/download sales)......

When I saw the title I thought of Lang Lang...

Let's find that critic and shoot him.

i actually like justin bieber well enough but i'm at a loss with the comparison.

She should shoot her publicist. Even my 11 year thinks Justin Bieber is "pathetic".

Silly, really...

And also at a loss why it's so fashionable to dump on Justin Bieber.

The comparison is that each gained quite a bit of fame through Youtube.

if that's the criteria then they should have compared her to the keyboard cat (24 million views):

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=J---aiyznGQ[/video]

Exactly. Calm down, everybody.

The mere mention of a pop star shouldn't get all of you in such a fuss, particularly when the comparison is spot-on: they both got famous after being discovered through their own postings on YouTube. I'm surprised at the knee-jerk reaction here-this is why the rest of the world see us as elitist snobs.

I thought the same. I'm not a fan of hers, but that is really an insulting comparison. She deserves much better.

+1.

I'm no fan of many types of music, including pop. But everyone's entitled to enjoy whatever gets them through the day.

I don't think everyone got "in such a fuss" did they? Some didn't like the comparison, for various reasons. Others didn't seem to care. Like another poster, I didn't get the point of the comparison, because I didn't even know that either Bieber or Lisitsa gained their fame through Youtube. The mere mention of a pop star doesn't affect me one way or the other. I don't think I've actually ever heard Bieber, but that doesn't make me an elitist snob does it?

Justin Blabber vs. Bang Bang

Who wins?

Bang Bang wins. He doesn't use autotune. But as far as making faces goes I thing he's got Justine beat hands down

Sorry, but THIS is the Justin Beiber of the classical music world, and as you can see, he has had the label for a while now...

http://thestar.blogs.com/soundmind/2010/07/teenage-canadian-pianist-jan-lisiecki.html

Part of the Bieber phenomonon has been is youth. They are many grandmothers in this world the same age (or younger) as the 39 yr old Lisitsa.

come to think of it, the comparison might be accurate for reasons other than the youtube thing as well -- both seem very grounded and accessible to their fans, both are very talented in their respective ways, and both have risen to prominence thru grassroots campaigns.

I have a confession to make. I am secretly Justin Bieber.

The reference to Bieber didn't bother me in the least and I understood the comparison they were trying to make. I have an extraordinary amount of respect and admiration for Ms. Lisitsa. What she has accomplished on her own is amazing, and from what I've read on this forum by those who have met here, she is a warm, generous and authentic human being.