Chopin 2025: Piotr Alexewicz among finalists of Warsaw's Chopin Competition
Piotr Alexewicz is the only Pole who advanced to the finals of the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition following a decision of the jury chaired by American pianist Garrick Ohlsson.
In addition to the Polish representative, this year's competition finalists include three pianists from China, two each from Japan and the United States, and one each from Georgia, Canada, and Malaysia.
Late Thursday evening, the director of the competition and the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, Dr Artur Szklener, read out the names of the seven male and four female pianists who had qualified for the final round. The jury selected 11, not 10 as stipulated in the regulations, because the 10th and 11th place winners received the same number of points.
The final round of this year's contest will feature, apart from Alexewicz, Kevin Chen (Canada), David Khrikuli (Georgia), Shiori Kuwahara (Japan), Tianyou Li (China), Eric Lu (United States), Tianyao Lyu (China), Vincent Ong (Malaysia), Miyu Shindo (Japan), Zitong Wang (China) and William Yang (United States).
The finalists will perform Fryderyk Chopin's Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61, and a selected Piano Concerto, accompanied by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.
The auditions in the final part of the competition will begin on Saturday at 6:00pm and continue until Monday and the name of the winner of the 19th Chopin Competition will be announced on the evening of that day.
The six highest-scoring finalists will be awarded main prizes and the title of laureate. The first prize winner will receive EUR 60,000 and a gold medal, the second prize winner will receive EUR 40,000 and a silver medal, and the third prize winner will receive EUR 35,000 and a bronze medal. The fourth, fifth, and sixth prize winners will receive EUR 30,000, EUR 25,000, and EUR 20,000, respectively. The remaining finalists will receive equivalent prizes of EUR 8,000.
The awards gala will be held on October 21, followed by a concert by the first prize winner. Two more prize winners will perform on October 22 and 23.
In 2021, two pianists from Poland advanced to the finals, and, in 2015, one Pole reached the final stage.
The 19th edition of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, organised by Poland's Fryderyk Chopin Institute, runs from October 2 to October 23.
The Polish Press Agency is a media partner of the competition. (PAP)
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