From 17 to 24 September 2019, the European Foundation for Support of Culture hosted the “Armenia” International Piano Competition in Yerevan, capital of Armenia.
Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world. Last year, the capital of Armenia turned 2800 years old. The city is dominated by the famous pink tuff buildings boasting majestic Soviet-era architecture. The city’s main street is home to the Matenadaran Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, where thousands of ancient Armenian manuscripts are stored. The centre of Yerevan’’s architectural ensemble is Republic Square, with its singing fountains and a colonnaded government building.
The jury included such eminent musicians as Vladimir Ovchinnikov (Russia), winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Leeds International Piano Competition, Professor of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, musical director of the Association of the Laureates of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, People’s Performer of the Russian Federation; Stepan Simonyan (Germany), Professor at Hamburg University of Music and Theatre; Vag Papian, Professor of Conducting and Piano at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music of Tel Aviv University; Alexander Mndoyants (Russia), leading teacher at the Central Music School (Moscow), Professor at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Honored Artist of Russia, and many others.
The “Armenia” International Piano Competition was held at Yerevan’s best music halls. The competition programme included obligatory performance of works by Maltese composers. At the end of the event, a gala concert was held with the winners, as well as prominent classical music performers.
The total prize fund of the contest amounted to 17,000 euros.