Les Grands Amateurs de Piano International Competition for Outstanding Piano Amateurs

Paris, 25th January 2008

Dear Sir, Madam and Friends,

It is our pleasure to announce the opening of the 19th International Competition for Outstanding Piano Amateurs:

• Preliminaries: Wednesday, 9th and Thursday 10 th April 2008, 11 am to 7 pm
  Venue: Institut Hongrois - 92, rue Bonaparte - 75006 Paris (metro Saint Sulpice)

• Semi-finals: Friday, 11th April 2008, 7 pm
  Venue: Sorbonne - Amphi Richelieu, 17 rue de la Sorbonne - 75005 Paris (metro Saint Michel)

Finals: Saturday 12th April 2008, at 4 pm

Grand Amphi Sorbonne - 45, rue des Ecoles - 75005 Paris
-broadcast by Radio Classique, Tuesday 22ndApril, at 9 pm

A panel consisting of twenty music critics from the main international media will present the International Press Award. And you will be asked to vote for the Audience Award on 12 th April at the Sorbonne University (a ballot sheet will be provided).
As in past years, we would like the competition to take place in a friendly, non-competitive spirit. We look forward to seeing you on 9th or 10th April, or at the finals on 12 th April 2008, at the Sorbonne.

All sessions are open to the public:

Preliminaries: 10 (valid all day)
Semi-finals: 13 (valid all day)
Finals: 20

It is not possible to reserve for the preliminaries, only for the semi-finals and finals.
Reservations for the finals can be made up until 1st March, as seats are rarely available in March (cheque to the order of Concours des Grands Amateurs de Piano) by writing to Concours des Grands Amateurs de Piano, 23 rue Raynouard, 75106 Paris. If you send a stamped addressed envelope, the tickets for the finals will be sent to you by mail. The Association has 800 well-located places. Candidates from foreign countries and their partners, who have a lot of expenses to meet, will be invited free of charge to all the sessions, provided they apply in writing by 1st March at the latest.

INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION FOR OUTSTANDING AMATEURS

PRESS RELEASE ... PRESS RELEASE ... PRESS RELEASE ...

100 candidates from 25 countries will be participating in the 19th International Competition of Outstanding Piano AmateursR: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Scotland, South Corea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The semi-finals will take place on Friday 11th April 2008 at 7 pm at the Sorbonne University (Richelieu Amphitheatre).

The Finals will be held on Saturday 12th April 2008 at 4 pm at the Grand Amphitheatre- Sorbonne University.

The jury will include professional pianists and key figures from the music world:
Idil Biret, Genevieve Joy-Dutilleux, Germaine Deveze, Sabine Lacoarret, Reiko Nakaoki, Marc Laforet, Eric Heidsieck, Christian Debrus, Desire NKaoua, Pierre Cheremetiev, Karol Beffa, Siheng Song (1st prize, Marguerite Long Competition).

The International Piano Competition of Outstanding AmateursR is sponsored by Radio Classique, the French Ministry of Culture and BNP Paribas Investment Partners. It is aimed at top level amateurs from all walks of life V doctors, office workers, engineers, students, pensioners, and many others. A second jury, consisting of music critics from the main regional dailies and international media, will present the Press Award. The jury will include Les Dernieres Nouvelles dAlsace, Neuemusikzeitung (Germany), Pianiste, Klassik heute (Germany), Le Dauphine Libere, Piano Magazine, Le Figaro, La Lettre du Musicien, La Tribune, Le Quotidien du Medecin, Le Republicain Lorrain, NHK (Japan), Mainichi (Japan), Tokyo Schimbun, Valeurs Actuelles, RTBF (Belgium), AFP, Ongaku Tendai (Japan), Chunichi Schimbun (Japan), Pianist Magazine (United Kingdom,) the International Piano Magazine (United Kingdom) and Radio Classique.

The audience at the finals will vote for the Audience Award.

Information: (33 1) 47 55 45 20 - Reservations: FNAC - Entry: 20 euros

訪談 Gerard Bekerman