Sydney, 29th March 2023 – To coincide with World Piano Day, the Sydney International Piano Competition (The Sydney), today announces the 32 competitors taking part in the world-renowned competition from 5th to 22nd July, alongside the support of globally acclaimed maestro Zubin Mehta, who joins the competition as Artistic Patron for 2023.
32 of the finest young pianists from around the globe, selected from 250 applicants, will travel to Sydney to compete for top honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, culminating in the Finals on one of the world’s finest stages, the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, with results announced there on Saturday 22nd July.
Tickets are on sale for what will be a return to live performances for this major competition.
Established in 1977, The Sydney is one of the main international events of its kind, attracting the very best talentsfrom acrossthe world, asthey compete for prestigious prizes. Recent winners have included Alexander Gadjiev (2021), Andrey Gugnin (2016), Avan Yu (2012) and Konstantin Shamray (2008).
The list of competitors for the 2023 competition includes three from Australia, eight from China, four from Russia, two from Belarus, Germany, Japan and South Korea, and one competitor each from America, Britain, Canada, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. The competitors range in age from 18 to 32.
The competitors for the 2023 competition are: Leanne Jin (AUS), Robbin Reza (AUS), Alexander Yau (AUS), Sergey Belyavsky (RUS), Anfisa Bobylova (UKR), Junyan Chen (CHN), Xuehong Chen (CHN), Antonio Chen-Guang (CHN), Yungyung Guo (CHN), Rafael Gutierrez-Velez (MEX), Carter Johnson (CAN), Uladzislau Khandohi (BLR), Jeonghwan Kim (DEU), Jinhong Li (CHN), Dzianis Linnik (BLR), Pedro Lopez-Salas (ESP), Jiaqing Luo (CHN), Philipp Lynov (RUS), Andrea Molteni (ITA), Shunta Morimoto (JPN), Shion Ota (JPN), Kyoungsun Park (KOR), Korkmaz Can Saglam (TUR), Vitaly Starikov (RUS), Sergei Tanin (RUS), Yinuo Wang (CHN), Yong gi Woo (KOR), Jun-Lin Wu (CHN), Yuanfan Yang (GBR), Jun-Ho Gabriel Yeo (DEU), Seho Young (USA) & Lixin Zhang (NZL).
All sessions of the competition are open to audiences. The competition will consist of three stages – preliminary, semi-final and final – comprising of 28 competitive rounds and a Gala Opening Night concert given by the judges on Wednesday 5th July.
Concert pianist Piers Lane AO, Artistic Director of The Sydney, said “The general level of the 250 applicants for this year’s competition was higher than ever before. The 32 selected to be flown to Sydney in July from four continents and 16 countries represent some of the world’s finest emerging artists. All of them have already won other international prizes and regard The Sydney as one of the handful of ‘master’ competitions in the world. Bringing this previously quadrennial competition back as a live event for the first time since 2016 means Sydney audiences will once again experience in person the thrill of the most internationally significant piano event in Australia. “
Hailed as one of the greatest contemporary conductors, Zubin Mehta has had a long and distinguished career conducting many of the world’s best orchestras, including the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics, the Israel Philharmonic, which appointed Mehta Music Director for life, and more recently, the Australian World Orchestra. Mehta is delighted to support the famous Sydney International Piano Competition as Artistic Patron, helping to promote rising stars in the world of classical music.
Zubin Mehta said, “It gives me great pleasure to accept the invitation to become the Artistic Patron of the Sydney International Piano Competition. This event is globally important and provides springboard opportunities for some of the world’s greatest emerging pianists as they embark on their professional careers. I am honoured to support such exceptional work and hope to inspire other lovers of music, and in particular the piano, to add their own support to this unique Australian world event.”
Tickets for the Sydney International Piano Competition are available via The Sydney’s website: https://www.thesydney.com.au/.
