Yesterday, the award ceremony for the 20th Santander International Piano Competition took place in the Sala Argenta of the Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria.
The names of the selected pianists are as follows:
- Jaeden Izik-Dzurko wins the first prize and gold medal of the 20th Santander International Piano Competition.
- Xiaolu Zang, second prize sponsored by Bergé and silver medal
- Marcel Tadokoro, Third Prize and Bronze Medal
- Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, Special Prize for Best Chamber Music Player
- Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, Canon Audience Prize
- Yu Nitahara, Matyáš Novák and Domonkos Csabay, Finalists Diplomas
The event was attended by the mayor of Santander, Gema Igual; the minister of Public Health of the regional government of Cantabria, Raúl Pesquera; the director-general of INAEM (National Institute for Performing Arts and Music), Joan Francesc Marco; and the president of Fundación Albéniz and of the Santander International Piano Competition, Paloma O'Shea.
At the beginning of the Gala, after viewing a commemorative video of 50 years of Competition and words from Paloma O'Shea, the Finalists Awards were presented to Yu Nitahara (Japan), Matyáš Novák (Czech Republic) and Domonkos Csabay (Hungary).
Luis Olaya-González, Canon Product Printing and Business Services Director General, together with notary Rafael Segura Báez, presented the Canon Audience Prize to Jaeden Izik-Dzurko. The prize consists of a range of high-quality Canon products and was determined by those present at the final, which was held on August 3 and 4 in Sala Argenta of the Palacio de Festivales.
The president of the jury, Joaquín Achúcarro, then announced the winner of the special prize for best chamber music player, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, who will have the opportunity to perform a concert with the Cuarteto Casals, guest artists in this edition of the competition and one of the chamber groups of international reference.
Joaquín Achúcarro also led the jury's decision and awarded the First, Second and Third Prizes to:
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (Canada, 23 years old), First Prize and Gold Medal. Wins 30,000 euros, a concert tour in Spain and beyond, as well as the recording of a CD under the Naxos label.
Xiaolu Zang (China, 22 years old), second prize, sponsored by Bergé, and silver medal. Wins 20,000 euros and a concert tour in Spain and beyond.
Marcel Tadokoro (France/Japan, 28 years old), Third Prize and Bronze Medal. Wins 10,000 euros and a concert tour in Spain and beyond.
The three prize winners offered the audience a brief word of thanks, and it was possible to hear Tadokoro, Jean-Philippe Rameau with Le rappel des oiseaux; Zang chose "Precipitate" from Sonata no.7 by Sergei Prokofiev, and the first prize, Izik-Dzurko, by composer Nikolai Médtner and his Fairy Tales, op.26 parts I. "Allegretto fresh" and II. "Molto vivace".
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