1st International Piano Competition - 1999 - Towarzystwo Ferenca Liszta we Wrocławiu
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1st International Piano Competition - 1999

I International F. Liszt Piano Competition (Wroclaw, 1-10 Oct. 1999) was organised and realised by the Ferenc Liszt Society in Poland in co-operation with the State Philharmonic Orchestra and the Academy of Music in Wroc³aw. It was held under the auspices of professor Jan Waszkiewicz - the President of the Lower Silesia Province. Juliusz Adamowski - the President of the F. Liszt Society, was the artistic and organising director of the Competition. It was the first international piano competition in the history of the Lower Silesia region and also of western territories of Poland as a whole.

Taking into account the exploitation of the Philharmonic Concert Hall for 16 hours per day, the organisers were able to admit the maximum number of 38 competitors out of 40 applicants. The pianists represented 13 countries (i.e. Chile, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Japan, Kazachstan, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, USA and Uzbekistan). Some of them had already had considerable artistic achievements on the international field. They were prize-winners of numerous piano competitions in Europe, Japan and USA (such as the M. Long and J. Thibaud Competition in Paris, the F. Liszt ones in Utrecht and Los Angeles, and one entitled "Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam" in Bydgoszcz). There were also laureates of latest nationwide F. Liszt piano competitions organised by the F. Liszt Society since 1991.

Eventually, 32 pianists participated in the Competition. Six competitors were unable to come due to health problems or unexpected problems with visas.

The Jury included Prof. Victor Merzhanov (Russia) - chairman, Juliusz Adamowski - secretary, Prof. Andrzej Jasinski (Poland), Prof. Alexander Jenner (Austria), Prof. István Lantos (Hungary), Prof. Wlodzimierz Obidowicz (Poland) and Alexei Orlovetsky (Russia). Mostly they are artists of wide international fame and respect.

The Competition was characterised by all the Jurors, participants and press-reviewers as one of very high artistic level. It has become a considerable artistic event presenting new quality of music life. Next competition is planned for the year 2002.

 

Competition results

1st place - Evelina Borbei (Russia)


Prizes: $5,000 awarded by the Minister of Art and Culture.
20,000 zlotys awarded by the Regional Branch of "PKO BP" Bank in Wroc³aw.
The recital in F. Liszt Museum in Budapest on 6th May 2000.
The recital in Chopin Centre in Szafarnia in September 2000, awarded by the Philharmonic Society in Bydgoszcz.
An invitation issued by Elzbieta Penderecka to give a symphonic concert or recital in the cycle of "Elzbieta Penderecka presents Great Talents" in the season 1999/2000.
A series of recitals within the cycle of "Liszt Evenings" organised by the F. Liszt Society in Poland in the season 1999/2000 or 2000/2001.

2nd place - Maciej Pabich (Poland)

Prizes: 25,000 zlotys awarded by the President of the Lower Silesia Province.
An invitation issued by the Hungarian Ministry of National Heritage to symphonic concerts organised by the Philharmonic Society in Budapest.
An invitation issued by Elzbieta Penderecka to give a symphonic concert or recital in the cycle of "Elzbieta Penderecka presents Great Talents" in the season 1999/2000.
An invitation to concerts by the Polish Concert Office in Warsaw in the season 2000/2001.
A series of recitals within the cycle of "Liszt Evenings" organised by the F. Liszt Society in Poland and in Sankt Petersburg in the season 1999/2000 or 2000/2001.

3rd place - Aleksiej Komarov (Russia)

Prizes: 15,000 zlotys awarded by the Municipality of Wroc³aw.
A series of recitals within the cycle of "Liszt Evenings" organised by the F. Liszt Society in Poland in the season 1999/2000 or 2000/2001.

4th place - Tatiana Larionova (Russia)

Prizes: 10,000 zlotys awarded by the Lower Silesia Investment Company in Lubin
(Holding Group of KGHM Polska Miedz S.A.).
A series of half-recitals within the cycle of "Liszt Evenings" organised by the F. Liszt Society in Poland in the season 1999/2000 or 2000/2001.

5th place - Hanna Holeksa (Poland)

Prizes: 5,000 zlotys awarded by Bank Zachodni S.A.
Participation in concerts in Sankt Petersburg organised by M. Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in Sankt Petersburg in co-operation with the F. Liszt Society in Poland.

Additional award - Michal Szczepanski (Poland)

Prizes: 1,000 zlotys awarded by "Piano-Fiks" - Piano Renovation Company in Nowe Skalmierzyce for the best Polish competitor excluding finalists.
Participation in concerts in Sankt Petersburg organised by M. Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in Sankt Petersburg in co-operation with the F. Liszt Society in Poland.

Additionally, the State Philharmonic Society in Poznan, the State W. Lutoslawski Philharmonic Society in Wroc³aw, and the one in Zabrze will invite one of the laureates to symphonic concerts in the season 2000/2001. The organisers make endeavours so as to get invitations for the winners of the highest prizes to perform with the National Symphonic Orchestras in Warsaw and of Polish Radio, and with the symphonic orchestras in Katowice, Kraków (Cracow), Rzeszow and Gdansk.

 

 

CONDITIONS and REGULATIONS

1. The Competition is open to pianists of all nationalities. The candidates should be no older than 30 on the date the Competition starts (born not earlier than on 1 October 1969). Stateless candidates must send a copy of the identity issued by the country of residence or by Polish authorities.

2. The Application Form must be sent by registered letter to arrive not later than on 1 July 1999 to:
Panstwowa Filharmonia im. W. Lutoslawskiego
ul. J. Pilsudskiego 19
50-044 Wroc³aw, POLAND

Application must be sent on the enclosed Application Form or it's copy (original size), together with:

a) a copy of birth certificate,

b) one photograph, minimum size 9x13 cm, free of copyright, black and white if possible,

c) artistic biography including information about music education and artistic achievements,

d) a copy of entrance fee voucher (see clause no.3),

e) copies of received diplomas. Candidates may enclose copies of press reviews and references of outstanding musicians.

3.Before sending the application, entrance fee of 250 zlotys (PLN) or 75 USD or its equivalent in exchangable currency should be payable to:
Towarzystwo im. F. Liszta account no. 11201665-9609-132-1000 Bank Zachodni SA, II Oddzial we Wroc³awiu, Poland

Operation costs outside Poland are covered by the candidates themselves.

4. The board of the Competition will decide which applicants will be admitted to the Competition, basing on the data that have been submitted. In case of a very large number of candidates, exceeding time limits for audition of I stage, the board of the Competition reserves the right to qualify the candidates also in order of the applications' arrival. The decisions will be finals and beyond appeal. The candidates not admitted, will receive their entrance fees back (reduced by the bank or post fees). There will be no refund on any other basis.

5. By signing the Application Form, candidates agree to be bound by the conditions and clauses in this brochure.

6. All applicants will be informed by fax or registered letter about their acceptance or rejection not later than on 1 August 1999. If admitted, the candidate will receive information about exact day and hour of audition of I stage and practicing time with the chosen instrument, as well as other information such as e.g. hotel booking.

7. All the participants are given 20 minutes to choose a piano before beginning of I stage and to test it. The possibility of free access to other pianos, in order to rehearse during the Competition, is assured for all participants.

8. All the participants are obliged to arrive in Wroc³aw early enough to choose and test the instrument and to perform at the time fixed.

9. The participants in I and II stages perform in alphabetical order starting with the letter drawn by lot by the Jury. For the final stage a different order may be suggested by the conductor of the Orchestra. The final audition will be held with a participation of the State Philharmonic Orchestra led by Marek Pijarowski and will be preceded by two rehearsals with the Orchestra.

10. A participant, who, due to some unexpected important reasons, will delay his or her arrival, could be admitted to audition at the time fixed by the Jury.

11. All the auditions are public and the board of the Competition has rights to visual and sound recordings for the Competition's records. The final auditions and the concert of winners might be broadcast or transmitted by radio and television and no fee is payable on account of that.

12. Pianists participating in the winners concert are obliged to perform gratuitously. Immediately after the end of II stage and having judged its results, the Jury will announce the names of the participants chosen for the concert of winners, along with the concert's suggested program. Participants of the Competition are ceding to the organizers of the Competition all the copyrights for recordings and radio and TV direct or delayed broadcast programs made during the competition (including the winners concert).

13. The participants will perform, from memory, a program consisting of the following pieces:

I STAGE

a) Ferenc Liszt: one of the following etudes d'execution transcendante (Transcendental Studies):
A minor, Mazeppa, Feux follets, Eroica, Wilde Jagd, F minor, Chasse-neige (S.139 no. 2,4,5,7,8,12)
or one of the Grandes etudes de Paganini: G minor, E flat major, G sharp minor, A minor (S.141 no. 1,2,3,6)
or Tarantella from "Venezia e Napoli" (S.162)
or Gnomenreigen (S.145)

b) Ferenc Liszt: one of the following etudes: Vision, Ricordanza, Harmonies du soir (S.139 no. 6,9,11), Il lamento, La leggierezza, Un sospiro (S.144), Waldesrauschen (S.145)

c) Chopin-Liszt: the transcription of the F. Chopin's song "My darling" to the A. Mickiewicz's lyrics, issued as op.74 no.12 (from 6 chants polonais S.480)

d) one or more pieces of any composer chosen by the candidate The competitor might be obliged to submit the score of the chosen piece, and if so, he or she will be informed about it along with the confirmation of acceptance.

Total time of the pieces performed in I stage must be between 25 and 30 minutes. Program shorter than 25 minutes will not qualify the competitor to II stage.

II STAGE - SEMI-FINAL ROUND

a) F. Liszt - Sonata B minor (S.178);
or F. Liszt - Apres une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi sonata plus the 1st Mephisto Waltz (S.161 no. 7 plus S.514)
or one of the following pieces:
Bellini-Liszt - Reminiscences de Norma (S.394),
Bellini-Liszt - Reminiscences des Puritains (S.390),
Meyerbeer-Liszt - Grande fantasie sur des themes de l'opera Les Hugenots (S.412),
Mozaer-Liszt - Reminiscences de Don Juan (S.418),
F. Chopin - Sonata B flat minor op. 35,
F. Chopin - Sonata B minor op. 58,
J. Reubke - Sonata B flat minor,
R. Schumann - Sonata F sharp minor op. 11,
R. Schumann - Carnaval op. 9,
R. Schumann - Symhonische Etuden op. 13 (basic version - 12 etuden),
R. Schumann - Phantasie C minor op. 17;

b) one transcription of the following songs of F. Schubert: Auf den Wasser zu singen, Erlkonig, Die Junge Nonne, Gretchen am Spinnrade, Standchen (Horch, Horch die Lerch ...), Ave Maria (S.558), Aufenhalt, In der Ferne, Liebesbotschaft (S.560), Die Post (S.561), Madchens Klage (S.563), Die Forelle - second version (S.564).

III STAGE - FINAL ROUND

One of the following works for piano and orchestra:
F. Liszt - Concerto no. 1 E flat major (S.124),
F. Liszt - Concerto no. 2 A major (S.125),
F. Liszt - Totentanz. Paraphrase on the Dies Irae (S.126),
F. Chopin - Concerto no. 1 E minor op. 11,
F. Chopin - Concerto no. 2 F minor op. 21.

14. Competitors performing during the I and II stages may change the order of pieces specified on the Application Form. This must be passed to organizers not later then half an hour before coming on the stage.

15. Acting on the bases of their own regulations, the Jury will decide about admittance to II and III stages and about statutory awarding. The decisions of the Jury will be final and beyond appeal.

16. All the competitors of III stage will receive diplomas of the I International Ferenc Liszt Piano Competition in Wroc³aw. All pianist admitted to the II stage will receive participation diplomas.

17. The list of prize winners and praiseworthy participants, as well as the full list of awards sponsors, will be announced on October 10th 1999. The sponsors funding awards or helping the organizers to curry out the competition in any other way will be mentioned in the Competition program.

18. At a candidate request, the board of the competition will book a place in the higher standard hotel (****) - about 120 zl (equal to 34 USD) per night for single room or in the middle standard hotel (**) - about 55 zl (equal to 15 dollars) for a place in a double room and without breakfast.
At a candidate request, the organizers can book a place for relatives and other accompanying persons as well. For competitors admitted to II stage and the concert of winners, accommodation costs for the period 4-11 October will be refunded. Other participants will pay the costs directly at the hotel. The costs of maintenance will not be covered by the organizers.

19. Any questions concerning the competition can be posted by letter to:

Panstwowa Filharmonia im. W. Lutoslawskiego
Biuro I Miedzynarodowego Konkursu Pianistycznego im. F. Liszta
ul. J. Pilsudskiego 19
50-044 Wroc³aw, POLAND

or sent by fax : (+48 71) 51 97 35

or by telephone in Polish, German or Russian :
(+48 71) 51 97 35 or (+48 602) 46 97 23.

Attention: It might be necessary to add 3 preceding 519735 telephone and fax numbers.

THE JURY OF THE COMPETITION

Victor Merzhanov (Russia) - chairman pianist, professor at the P. Thaykovsky State Conservatory in Moscow,

Juliusz Adamowski (Poland) - secretary pianist, pedagogue at the K. Lipinski Academy of Music in Wroc³aw, president of the Ferenc Liszt Society in Poland,

Andrzej Jasinski (Poland) pianist, professor at the K. Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice,

Alexander Jenner (Austria) pianist

Istvan Lantosz (Hungary) pianist, organist, professor at the F. Liszt Academy of music in Budapeszt,

Wlodzimierz Obidowicz (Poland) pianist, professor at the K. Lipinski Academy of Music in Wroc³aw,

Alexei Orlovetsky (Russia) pianist, pedagogue and composer from Sankt Petersburg

Marek Pijarowski (Poland) conductor, professor at the K. Lipinski Academy of Music in Wroc³aw, artistic and executive director of the State W. Lutoslawski Philharmonic Orchestra in Wroc³aw.

PRIZES

1) The total sum of cash awards will be at least 100 000 zl (PLN).

I prize is expected to be approximately 40 000 - 50 000 zl (equivalent to about 11 000 - 14 000 USD) is funded by the Minister of the Culture and Art,

II prize will be about 30 000 zl and is offered by the Lower Silesia Province authorities.

There will be 3-5 statutory cash awards for winners of the successive highest positions and the statutory prizes for the best performance of the compulsory work and for the best performance of the composition for piano and orchestra.

The Jury decides about the number and exact amounts of cash awards.

The Wroc³aw Municipality, The Bank Zachodni S.A. and others are expected to offer some sponsoring support.

2) The Competition admits an unlimited number of not statutory prizes (awarded after consulting them with jurors opinions).

3) The winners of the highest prizes are guaranteed by the organizers to get invitations to perform with Polish orchestras in several different cities, as well as to give piano recitals organized by the F. Liszt Society in Poland in the frame of the cycle entitled "Liszt evenings", to participate in other musical events, and - for the best prize winners - to perform in Budapeszt and in Sankt Petersburg.