The 17th Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition returns to Hastings this week from February 22 – March 2 at the White Rock Theatre.
Two fabulous nine-foot model D grand pianos have been delivered to the White Rock Theatre in preparation and six more grand pianos have been installed in the White Rock hotel nearby for rehearsals. The pianos have been provided by the competition’s generous sponsor, the world’s leading piano manufacturer, Steinway & Sons. The competition begins on Thursday, February 22 and continues until Saturday, March 2 when five finalists will compete for a first prize that has the potential to launch their career as a concert pianist. All rounds take place at the White Rock Theatre, and will be streamed live for a worldwide audience via the website thanks to streaming company UCanPlay.
Tickets for the two finals on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 are now in short supply, particularly for the second final which will include performances by two of the finalists and by the 2022 winner, Shunta Morimoto, who will perform while the judges are making their final decision as to which of the five finalists will be awarded first prize. Tickets for stages one and two are free, thanks to the generous support of the Isabel Blackman Foundation. Tickets for all rounds can be obtained from the White Rock Theatre: https://whiterocktheatre.org.uk/whats-on/event/hastings-international-piano-concerto-competition-3/
Local pianists who don’t happen to be world-class artists can also participate via our Music in the Meadow programme. Anyone who enjoys playing the piano is invited to book a slot to play a Bechstein grand piano that will be situated in the Priory Meadows shopping centre from Thursday, February 22 until Sunday, February 25. Bookings can be made via our website: https://www.hastingsinternationalpiano.org/2024/02/05/music-in-the-meadow/
40 of the world’s best young concert pianists were selected to take part in the competition from among almost 250 applicants from 37 countries. Competitors must be aged between 16 and 30 at the time of the competition to be eligible to take part. For the first time, the Southbank Sinfonia – a chamber orchestra that is formed anew each year by recruiting 33 promising music graduates – will accompany the 10 semi-finalists in the classical concertos they choose, and the full force of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will play once again for the five finalists. Both rounds will be conducted by Rory MacDonald.
The Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition has become one of the world’s pre-eminent international piano competitions and is unusual in that it offers competitors the opportunity to play concerto movements (accompanied by another pianist) from the very first rounds rather than only at a later stage in the competition. Competitors enter the competition prepared to play two contrasting concertos and a solo recital programme devised by the competitor. Recital programmes must include a new piece by the Austrian- American composer Lera Auerbach, specially commissioned for the competition.
Find us online
Visit our website: www.hastingsinternationalpiano.org
X: @HIPCC
Facebook: @hastingsconcertocompetition
Instagram: @hastingspianoconcerto
The Competition
Hastings International Piano is the independent charity that promotes the biennial Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, but its roots go back more than a century to the Hastings Musical Festival which has been taking place in Hastings since 1908. The concerto competition was revived in 2005 and has evolved into an internationally-renowned competition for young concert pianists from around the world. In recent years its reputation has grown steadily and it is now considered to be one of the top piano competitions in the world, and one of the only ones that asks competitors to play complete concertos from the first round. It now enjoys partnerships with both the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Southbank Sinfonia.
Prizes
First Prize: The Sophia Guo Award – a £15,000 cash prize
The Hastings Fellowship: an artist development and professional coaching package provided by Lydia Connolly from one of the UK’s leading agencies, Harrison Parrott, and Trudy Wright.
Professional engagements: including concerts in Hastings and London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as engagements in the UK and Europe.
Other prizes: There will be prizes for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places, as well as the Pascal Escande award, an orchestra prize and a concert live-streamed from Perivale in London. See website for details.
Stage One – February 22 – 24
Extracts from two concertos accompanied by another pianist, all competitors.
Stage Two – February 25 and 26
30-35 minute solo recital programmed by the competitor, including the new commission. 20 competitors.
Semi-Finals – February 28 and 29
A complete concerto from list A accompanied by the Southbank Sinfonia. 10 semi-finalists
Finals – March 1 and 2
A complete concerto from list B accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 5 finalists.
Image Credits: Hastings International Piano .