1st prize: Anton Yashkin (Russia)
As at the last Liszt Competition in 2015, Anton Yashkin, a student of the State Conservatory Peter I. Tchaikovsky Moscow, reached the finals again. Born in 1998, this Russian first attended the Conservatory's Central Music School as a young student before taking up regular studies there two years ago. In addition to playing the piano, which has captivated him since his 5th birthday, he is also a chess and technology enthusiast. In 2017 Anton Yashkin took part in piano competitions in Spain and Latvia and won 2nd prize at the Jazep Vitola Competition in Riga. He gained his first orchestral experience with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Baltic Orchestra.
2nd prize: Ruben Micieli (Italy)
Ruben Micieli has been faithful to his instrument since the age of five, made his debut as a 13-year-old with solo recitals, won many 1st prizes - and is delighted that he has now made it to the finals in his first "really big" competition. Born in 1997 in Ragusa (Italy), he has been learning since 2006 under the wing of Prof. Giovanni Cultrera at the Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali Vincenzo Bellini in Catania where he is currently doing his master's degree. Ruben Micieli has already played solo and orchestral concerts throughout Europe in places such as the Salle Cortot in Paris and in the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, among others. Most recently he won the 1st prize at the Coimbra World Piano Competition in Portugal in February.
3rd prize: Grigoris Ioannou (Greece)
The Sonata in B minor and the Piano Concertos are his favourite works by Franz Liszt, so it was all the better for Grigoris Ioannou that he was able to perform both of these in the semifinals and the finals before an audience. Born in Greece in 1995, the young pianist has not been unknown in his home country for a long time: he was recently celebrated with the Athens State Orchestra for his interpretation of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 KV 466. Concerts and recitals have also taken him to France, Great Britain, Russia, Hungary and many other European countries. He graduated from the Royal College of Music in London and is currently studying at the Academia Internacional de Musica in Coimbra (Portugal).
Special prizes
For the best interpretation of the sonata in B minor by Franz Liszt | Ruben Micieli |
For the best interpretation of a sonata by Joseph Haydn | Maria Khokhlova |
For the best interpretation of a work by Claude Debussy | Yoshito Kitaba |
For a particularly talented participant | Tamta Magradze |
Scholarship for one semester at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar | Viktoria Baskakova |
Audience Award | Anton Yashkin |