Preparing for the XV Paloma O’Shea Santander International Piano Competition

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The XV Paloma O’Shea Santander International Piano Competition, to take place from July 27th through August 7th, 2005, has arisen great expectation in the world of music. 210 registrations from 35 countries were received. Inscriptions from Russian pianists prevail, followed by Koreans, Northamerican, Spanish and Chinese.
 
Judging by the applications received, it is expected that XV Competition will have a very high artistic level. Winners of other important international competitions are candidates to the Santander First Prize, as well as pianists educated in prestigious schools and universities.
 
The preselection will be made through audio-video recordings to be carried out by the Competition’s own technicians during the month of March under equitable and impartial technical conditions. These recordings will be later reviewed by members of the Jury at meetings to be held in Madrid at the Royal Academy for the Fine Arts during the second week in April. Then the names of the twenty pianists finally selected to come to the Palacio de Festivales in Santander will become known.
 
A slight reorganization of the initial phases will take place during this Competition. Twelve of the pianists selected after the first phase will participate in the chamber music stage rather than twenty as heretofore. Additionally, the participants will have to play not only two but three recitals throughout Competition. These changes were suggested by the Jury of the of 2002 Competition and will result in having better judging elements on which to base the awarding of prizes. The performances with orchestra will remain unchanged.
The task of assigning the prizes to the artists will fall on the Jury, composed of prestigious personalities. The Jury will be presided by the conductor Antoni Ros-Marbà. Other members are: Albert Attenelle, Bruno Canino, Philippe Entremont, Peter Frankl, Ralph Gothoni, Piotr Palecny, Menahem Pressler, Riccardo Risaliti, Jacques Rouvier, Dubravka Tomsic, Eliso Virsaladze and Ramzi Yassa.

The following invited artists will accompany the participants during the different phases to be held in Santander: Ysaÿe Quartet, chamber music; Sinfonia Varsovia, conducted by Maestro Péter Csaba, classical concerts; and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid (Titular del Teatro Real) under the baton of its Principal Conductor, Maestro Jesús López Cobos for the finals.
 
The prizes of the Santander Competition are endowed with important cash amounts – approximately 125,000 euro, including the most important presentations – to be distributed among the First, Second and Third Prizes, Audience Prize as well as Laureates’ Prizes for the Semifinalists and the prizes for the participants of both, the first and second phase. The importance and number of the performances being offered constitute a first step in a professional career rather and can represent an initial springboard. Thus, the organization is very pleased to see the upward direction of Boris Giltburg career  (Moscow, 1984), Second Prizewinner of the XIV edition, when the First Prize was declared void. Young Giltburg is being represented by the well known London based Artist Management, Intermusica. Boris’ future concert schedule includes tours with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Christoph von Dohnyani.