The event will continue until September 13 with the participation of
63 contestants from the Republic of Korea , Japan , Malaysia ,
Thailand , Indonesia , the Philippines , Canada , Russia , Taiwan
and host Vietnam .
The biennial competition, with
categories for pianists aged 10-13, 14-17, and 18-25, is being
co-sponsored this year by Techcombank and Vietnam Airlines, said VNAM
director Ngo Van Thanh.
"Contestants in the youngest
age group who make it to the final round will have to play a piece by
Chopin, followed by the first, second and third movements of sonatas by
either Mozart, Haydn, or Kuhlau," Thanh said.
Pianists in the 14-17-year-old group will play two 15-20-minute pieces
by Chopin in addition to one work by a romantic or 20th century
composer, while the oldest contestants will have to compete playing
Chopin's Concerto No 1 or No 2 with Polish conductor Jacek Rogala and
the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra.
The winner in each
category will receive a cash prize of 1,000 USD, 1,500 USD and 2,000
USD, respectively, with lesser awards for second and third place
finishers. The youngest contestant in the final round will also receive a
special prize.
"The competition can be regarded as
the largest in the region," said VNAM faculty member Tran Thu Ha, who
will chair the jury panel. "Playing an entire concerto in 30-40 minutes
with a conductor and an orchestra is really a challenge for an artist".
Ha has served on the juries of several regional
piano competitions. She graduated from the Kiev Conservatory in Russia
in 1975 and earned a doctorate from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in
Moscow in 1978.
Many of her students have been
winners or finalists in competitions in Italy , Australia , Indonesia
, Japan and the Republic of Korea .
The
remaining members of the jury include Michel Bourdoncle ( France ), Hae
Won-chang (the Republic of Korea ), Teruko Hakuta ( Japan ), Kyunghee
Lee ( Australia ), Ruvim Ostrovsky ( Russia ) and Snezana Panovska
(Macedonia/Malaysia).
Vietnamese pianist Dang Thai
Son, the first Asian to win a gold medal at the International Chopin
Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1980, will be the competition's
honourable president and art director.
Son has
served on the juries of a number of Chopin competitions in 2010, marking
the 200th birthday of the Polish composer. In this competition, the
best performer of Chopin's music will receive a special prize.
Competitions are open to the public and will take place at 9am-2pm
everyday during September 6-12 at VNAM, 77 Hao Nam street , in
Hanoi . The competition winners will perform at a gala concert on
September 13 at the Hanoi Opera House./.
