It will take place from 14 to 17 January 2016 in the concert halls of the partner music schools and at the Municipal Cultural Centre in Zgorzelec.
The 15th edition of the competition is part of this year’s celebrations of the triple anniversary of the Zgorzelec music school, which is why several new features will be introduced. This musical celebration of young pianists in Zgorzelec will last one day longer. The competition will be preceded by a ceremonial Opening Concert performed by Justyna Chmielowiec, taking place on 14 January at 5:00 p.m. at the Municipal Cultural Centre.
As the competition’s popularity grows, the organizers are expanding the list of sponsors. This year, for the first time, the competition is supported by the Centre for Artistic Education and Gmina Zgorzelec. Attractive prizes are therefore already guaranteed, which will certainly delight the young artists!
For us, the residents of Zgorzelec, the opportunity to watch reports on the competition, as well as broadcasts of the Opening Concert and the Winners’ Concert on local television, will be important.
Our Zgorzelec competition has gained a high standing and become a respected musical event among pianists. Its great popularity long ago exceeded the organizers’ expectations, and this year, too, an enormous number of applications were received—nearly 300 candidates. However, in accordance with the regulations, 100 pianists were accepted in the solo category, along with 40 musicians in the duet and chamber ensemble category.
The fifteenth edition will feature instrumentalists from Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Ukraine and Russia. They will compete in six age categories for attractive prizes funded by local authorities, companies and organizations.
The competition aims to promote piano music, particularly among children and young people. It is held in three categories: piano solo, piano duets and chamber ensembles. Participants will be assessed by distinguished professors from music academies in Poland and Germany. The international jury will deliberate simultaneously on both sides of the border. In this year’s edition, the older groups will perform in Zgorzelec, while the younger participants will play in Görlitz.
The 15th International Piano Competition will conclude with the Winners’ Concert on 17 January 2016 at 3:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Municipal Cultural Centre in Zgorzelec. The main prizes and a number of special prizes will then be presented, including the traditional Special Prizes of the Starosta of Zgorzelec County and the Special Prizes of the Mayor of Zgorzelec. During this year’s edition, the Head of Gmina Zgorzelec will present a prize for the first time, having joined the group of sponsors.
The competition is open to the public. Admission to the Opening Concert on 14 January, the Winners’ Concert on 17 January and all competition auditions on 15 and 16 January is free!
We warmly invite you to the concert halls of the Music Schools in Zgorzelec at 29 Langiewicza Street and in Görlitz at Fischmarkt 6, as well as to the Municipal Cultural Centre in Zgorzelec, from 14 to 17 January 2016.
Dorota Adaszewska/PSM