SAN MARINO INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION 2008

The Republic of San Marino Third International Piano Competition will take place from September 18th through 28th. The Chair of the Jury will be French pianist and conductor Philippe Entremont. Contestants’ programmes will include the performance of three new piano works expressely written for the occasion by Chick Corea. The competition presents prizes for a total amount of 60.000 euros. The winner will also be provided with a two years contract with the management The Republic of San Marino Third International Piano Competition will take place from September 18th through 28th. The Chair of the Jury will be French pianistagency StudioMusica.

Since its foundation in 2004, The Republic of San Marino International Piano Competition, this year at its third edition, has attracted pianists from all around the world and invited them to compete in the beautiful city of Mount Titano. Among the winners of its outstanding palmares, the Ukranian Sofya Gulyak, awarded with the Busoni Prize in 2007, and Evgeny Brakhman, formerly winner of Dino Ciani Competition held in Teatro alla Scala in Milano.

The competition is held biennially, it will take place this year between September 18th and 28th at the Teatro Concordia in Borgo Maggiore, San Marino. The event is promoted by Associazione Musicale Allegro Vivo with the support of Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio of the Republic of San Marino – S.U.M.S. and Ente Cassa di Faetano, the patronage of San Marino’s Governement, the Eccellentissimi Capitani Reggenti, and of the Secretary of State for Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Foreign Affairs, and the collaboration of the Istituto Musicale of San Marino. The competition presents unique features, such as its partition in three sections, “Junior” for children up to the age of 12, “Soloists” and “Duos” for adults till the age of 32. The jury will therefore listen to and examine performers of different ages presenting a wide variety of programmes and thus have the opportunity to discover a new slice of international music life.

The jury will be chaired this year by world famous pianist and conductor Philippe Entremont. It has featured in the past years great musicians and intepreters such as Charles Rosen, Andreas Groethuysen, Boris Bloch, Valentin Gheorghiu, Idil Biret, Elisso Virsaladze, Michel Beroff and the Italians Dario De Rosa, Pier Narciso Masi, Enrico Pace and Giuseppe di Chiara.

The competition has presented since its foundation important prizes, which will total in 2008 the amount of 60.000 euros, 18.000 of which are offered to the “Soloist” category winner, 9.000 to the two “Duos” winners and 3.000 to the winner of the “Junior” category. Considerable prizes (from 750 up to 8.000 euros prizes depending on the category) and special awards will be offered to the lower ranks as well, among them, the Special Award “Repubblica di San Marino 2008” of 2.000 euros to the best interpretation of Chick Corea’s work.
The competition’s most original feature is in fact the request, addressed to all contestants, to perform one of the piano compositions expressely written by Chick Corea for this occasion: “Afterthought” and “Reflections” for the solo categories and “Contest” for the “Duos” category contestants. These two works have been performed first ever by Mr. Evgeny Brakhman, winner of the competition former edition, in Milano, during the presentation press conference.

The winner of the competition will also be provided with two years of management service by the management agency StudioMusica srl in Modena, which will guarantee engagements for at least 10 concerts to be held in Italian and international world-class concert halls, and will be invited to perform with the Orchestra Sinfonica della Repubblica di San Marino, by the Istituto Musicale Sammarinese.

Among the prestigious features of the competition, last but not least, the exceptional quality of the instruments (Steinway & Sons) provided to the contestants, which will be furnished this year, as in the past by “Angelo Fabbrini Pianoforti” in Pescara.

Solo categories contestants will perform their final round with the Orchestra Sinfonica della Repubblica di San Marino, conducted by the exceptional pianist and musician, Dino Ciani award winner, Maurizio Zanini, who will watch over young performers’ needs while playing piano concerts chosen among Beethoven’s, Mendelssohn’s, Chopin’s, Schumann’s, Liszt’s, Ciaikovskij’s, Brahms’, Rachmaninov’s and Prokofiev’s.

Due to the very high number of applicants of the last years, inscriptions will be limited this year to 60 participants in the “Soloists” category, 18 in the “Duos” category and 16 in the “junior” category. Contestants will be selected on the basis of resume and DVD or VHS.

«As it was in 2006, the competition is member to the Dutch Foundation Alink-Argerich» – states Simonetta Agarici responsible with Roberto Stefanelli of the competition artistic direction – «the reference private institution for international piano competition sponsored by great Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich, which will enhance the competition www visibility. A complete hi-standard audio and video recording of all competition rounds on CD and DVD supports will be delivered and, depending on the outcome of talks in progress with important music labels, launched on the market».

Regulations, application forms and further information on the competition are available both in the music Institutions (Conservatories, Music Schools, Universities, music shops) or on the competition official web site www.pianocompetitionsanmarino.com or www.allegrovivo.org
For further information: +378 0549 906201, info@allegrovivo.org

 

Phillipe Entremont!!!

He did recordings of Satie's piano works!!!


... That's all I have to say on this topic ...

 

Now available the obligatory pieces by Chick Corea written for International Piano Competition 2008 and edited by Boosey & Hawks.
See http://www.allegrovivo.org/focus_eng/default.asp?id=925

 

Chick Corea is awesome.

 

The members of the jury of the “Third International Piano Competition of the Republic of San Marino” have been defined:

Philippe Entremont - President-
Michele Campanella
Arnaldo Cohen
Laura De Fusco
Valentin Gheorghiu
Alexei Lubimov
Joseph Paratore

http://www.allegrovivo.org