Participants from 16 countries: 10th International FRANZ LISZT Piano Competition Weimar - Bayreuth in October and November 2021
A total of 37 pianists have been invited to the 10th International FRANZ LISZT Piano Competition Weimar - Bayreuth
After a preliminary selection by video, the jury has nominated a total of 37 pianists for the 10th International FRANZ LISZT Piano Competition Weimar - Bayreuth, which will be jointly organized by the FRANZ LISZT Weimar University of Music and the City of Bayreuth from October 27 to November 7, 2021. The participants will travel from 16 different countries around the globe, including China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Mexico, Canada, the USA and various European countries.
Budapest, Utrecht - and Weimar: The Liszt Competition, organized in cooperation with the City of Bayreuth, has long been one of the three most important international competitions focusing on the works of Franz Liszt. For the tenth time, the FRANZ LISZT University of Music Weimar and the city of Bayreuth are inviting participants to take part: While the first round will be held in the city of Wagner, the competition will move to Weimar for the other rounds and the final.
The opening concert of the competition will take place on October 27 at the Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth with the Hungarian piano duo Dezső Ránki and Edit Klukon. After the first round in the Richard Wagner Hall of the Bayreuth Music School (Oct. 29 to 31), the competition will continue with the second round (Nov. 2 and 3) and the semifinals (Nov. 4) in the Festsaal Fürstenhaus of the FRANZ LISZT University of Music in Weimar.
The final concert on November 6 in the Weimarhalle with the Staatskapelle Weimar is also the last, final round of judging with orchestra. It will be followed by the prize-winners' concert at the Bayreuth Center on November 7.
The international jury, chaired by Weimar piano professor Gerlinde Otto, will then decide who gets to perform Liszt's piano concertos or the "Dance of Death" in the final with the Staatskapelle Weimar. In addition to the chairperson Gerlinde Otto (Germany), the jury also includes Boris Bloch (USA/Germany), Dana Borsan (Romania), Wolfgang Döberlein (Germany), Carsten Dürer (Germany), Gábor Farkas (Hungary), Pasquale Iannone (Italy), Eugene Skovorodnikov (Canada) and Zhu Xiao-Mei (China/France).
The jury is also responsible for deciding to award the prizes with a total value of 25,000 euros to the greatest talents. The 1st prize of the competition, worth 12,000 euros, is donated by the NEUE LISZT STIFTUNG (New Liszt Foundation). A 2nd prize (8,000 euros) and a 3rd prize (5,000 euros) will also be awarded, plus special prizes and follow-up concerts.
The required competition repertoire clearly focuses on the piano works of Franz Liszt in all rounds. Exceptions are works by Bach and Saint-Saëns in the first round and Haydn and Beethoven sonatas as well as another work by Saint-Saëns in the second round.
Works from Liszt's oeuvre will include song transcriptions, etudes, and other works of the composer's choice. Liszt's majestic B minor Sonata is the sole program item in the semifinal, while the finale will feature his piano concertos and the "Dance of Death".
The competition, which was launched 27 years ago by the Weimar University of Music, is largely financed by the Free State of Thuringia and the City of Bayreuth. Support is also provided by the NEUE LISZT STIFTUNG WEIMAR, with Prof. Gerlinde Otto as artistic director.
For more information:www.hfm-weimar.de/liszt
[26.08.2021]