Thirty-two young contenders at 15th Liszt International Piano Competition in September

The young contenders have been pre-selected from among 72 entries, director general of Filharmonia Hungary told a press conference. This year’s event will mark the 210th birth anniversary of Ferenc Liszt and the 100th birth anniversary of renowned Hungarian pianist Gyorgy Cziffra, an eminent interpreter of Liszt’s works, Szabolcs Szamosi said.

The head of the international jury for the competition will be Finnish pianist and composer Olli Mustonen and will have as its members Russian classical pianist Olga Kern, Chinese pianist Wu Ying, US pianist professor Boaz Sharon and French-Cypriot virtuoso Cyprien Katsaris. The Hungarian pianist members of the jury include Janos Balazs, Gabor Farkas and veteran musician Tamas Vasary.

In his video message, Balazs said that “in the Cziffra 100 anniversary year I consider it particularly important for the young contenders to get to learn Gyorgy Cziffra’s piano technique. This is why several of Cziffra’s transcripts reflecting on Liszt’s works have been included in the competition material”.

The competition final will be held at the Budapest Liszt Music Academy on September 18 with the first prize winner receiving 30,000 euros.

Andrea Vigh, the rector of the Music Academy, said that the Liszt Piano Competition was first organised in 1933 and was won by Annie Fischer.

For the September event’s details, visit www.lisztcompetition.hu.