Yesterday the first semi-final of the jubilee edition of the XX Santander International Piano Competition took place. The jury convened after the third listening session following the First Round of the Competition, held from 25 to 27 July in the Sala Pereda of the Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria, and announced the names of the 12 participants who would advance to the next stage of the Competition. The twelve semi-finalists are eligible for the "Special Award to the Best Chamber Music Performer".
The names of the selected pianists are as follows:
- David Khrikuli (Georgia, 20 years old)
- Hao Wei Lin (Taiwan, 17 years old)
- Callum McLachlan (United Kingdom, 23 years old)
- Yu Nitahara (Japan, 31 years old)
- Matyáš Novák (Czech Republic, 23 years old)
- Mariamna Sherling (Norway, 21 years old)
- Alexandra Stychkina (Russian Federation / Greece, 18 years old)
- Marcel Tadokoro (France / Japan, 28 years old)
- Xiaolu Zang (China, 22 years old)
- Jiarui Cheng (China, 23 years old)
- Domonkos Csabay (Hungary, 31 years old)
- Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (Canada, 22 years old)
From 29 July at 4 p.m., the semi-final of the Competition takes place, and the public can enjoy the solo recitals of the 12 young musicians and the chamber music concerts with the guest artist, Cuarteto Casals. During the final on 3 and 4 August, which forms part of the 71st Santander International Festival, the six pianists selected by the jury will be accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra of Radiotelevisión Española under the direction of maestro Pablo González.
All stages of the competition are broadcast live on RTVE Play and the Competition's YouTube channel. The final will be broadcast on Radio Clásica of Radio Nacional de España and TVE's La 2. The prize-giving gala will also be broadcast on TVE2.
In this stage of the competition, the twelve semi-final pianists are eligible for the "Special Award to the Best Chamber Music Performer", worth 3,000 euros and a concert with the members of the Cuarteto Casals. This prize will also be presented during the Closing Ceremony Gala on 5 August.
The jury that will select the participants for each stage and award the prizes is made up of major international figures, headed by Joaquín Achúcarro; Claudio Martínez Mehner and Rena Shereshevskaya (vice-chairs); Péter Csaba, Barry Douglas, Akiko Ebi, Ana Guijarro, Márta Gulyás and Hüseyin Sermet.
The First Round is sponsored by El Diario Montañés; Grupo Tirso, Café Dromedario, Universidad de Cantabria and Cámara de Comercio de Cantabria sponsor the concerts of the Semi-Final; Fundación Botín and Fundación Banco de Santander respectively sponsor the two Final concerts with the Symphony Orchestra; and El Diario Montañés sponsors the cocktail in honour of the laureates.
The Santander Competition offers significant cash prizes. In addition to the aforementioned "Special Prize for the Best Chamber Music Player", there are First, Second and Third Prizes, the Grand Prize of Santander, the Audience Prize, Laureate Prizes and Diplomas - together amounting to 90,000 euros - and the recording of a CD on the Naxos label, awarded to the winner of the First Prize. In addition, the competition offers the winner and the finalists a series of performances in prestigious concert halls around the world. Given their number and importance, these performances go far beyond the notion of a springboard and form a substantial first part of a professional career.
Bergé will sponsor the second prize for the second time, and Canon España the Audience Prize, which was first awarded in 1998 and is based on the votes of the audience in the Sala Argenta of the Palacio de Festivales. The audience will be able to designate the winner after each of the concerts that make up the final of the Competition, on 3 and 4 August. Voting takes place only in the hall.