Press releases

2 Dec 2014

Minsk 2014 competition receives applications from 11 countries

MINSK, 2 December (BelTA) – Applications to participate in the international competition of pianists Minsk 2014 have been received from 70 performers representing 11 countries, art director of the Belarusian State Philharmonic Professor of the Belarusian State Academy of Music Honored Artist of Belarus Yuri Gildyuk told a press conference on 2 December, BelTA has learned.

Performers aged under 30 have come to the Belarusian capital from Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, the UK, Morocco, Latvia, China, Moldova, Belgium and France. A big part of contestants will represent Belarus.

The competition will be divided into three parts. Audition events will be held on 3-10 December. About half of the pianists will be able to advance into the second round. The best pianists will play at the final round on 12 December.

The finalists will be assessed by a professional jury. These are musicians from Belarus, Russia, Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania. The chairman of the jury is Professor of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, People’s Artist of Belarus, holder of the Belarusian State Award Igor Olovnikov.

Entry is free to all the concerts except for the gala concert scheduled for 13 December and a concert of prize-holders.

According to deputy head of the department for educational establishments and the work with talented youth of the Culture Ministry of Belarus Anatoly Mukalov, the ministry supports events aimed at searching new and bright names. The holder of the first prize gets €10,000. Second place is entitled to €8,000, third place – to €5,000. Three prizes, €2,000 each, are envisaged for diploma winners.

The first competition for pianists named Pianoforte Minsk-96 was held in 1996. According to Rector of the Mussorgsky Ural State Conservatory Professor Honored Artist of Russia Honored Figure of Art of the Russian Federation Valery Shkarupa, the Belarusian competition is of a high level. “Belarus has a strong school, strong pianists and strong professorship. There are competitions which are anticipated by many. Only strong performers partake in such competitions. The Belarusian competition is one of them,” he said.