MEETING AT RADZIEJOWICE - 2015
The first meeting of representatives of Chopin competitions worldwide took place between 21 and 23 April 2015 in Warsaw, as well as in the beautiful Palace in Radziejowice near Warsaw. It was the perfect opportunity to meet and discuss different issues concerning the various Chopin competitions. No less than 15 competitions from 13 countries (and 4 continents) visited Poland. Three other organizations (including the Alink-Argerich Foundation) were guests at our summit. During the conference, participants had the perfect chance to meet each other, as well as to become familiar with our activities, achievements and problems. The conference was held in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, which fostered the exchange of ideas and a willingness to cooperate across borders.
The detailed results of our deliberations can be found in the Minutes, but what should be emphasized is a common desire to intensify collaboration among the Chopin competitions, facilitate information exchange and create a worldwide Chopin competition system under the leadership of The Fryderyk Chopin Institute (the organizer of the Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw). The Conference of Chopin Competitions (CCC) will provide a platform for such a system and for teamwork among its membership. The next conference is planned for the spring of 2016, and our ambition is to double the number of competitions participating in the CCC.
First Meeting of the Organizers of Chopin Piano Competitions
Warszawa/Radziejowice 21–23 April 2015
Plenary meeting
chair Artur Szklener, NIFC Director
- Official greeting by Artur Szklener,
- Official address of prof. Elżbieta Artysz by Mrs Jadwiga Gewert,
- Gustav Alink, Director of Alink-Argerich Foundation
Piano competitions worldwide: their position and functioning. Attention for some critical moments for the organizers
First working session: Chopin Competitions Worldwide. Self-presentations of competitions participating at the conference
chair Wojciech Marchwica, NIFC Deputy Director
- Australian International Chopin Piano Competition,
- Aguimucla Special Chopin Competition,
- Beijing International Fryderyk Chopin Competition for Young Pianists
- Canadian Chopin Competition,
- Darmstadt International Chopin Piano Competition,
- The International Chopin Piano Competition in the Podkarpackie Region for Children (Rzeszów, Poland),
- The International Chopin Piano Competition in Asia,
- International Chopin Piano Competition in Budapest,
- The International Chopin Piano Competition in Mongolia Frederik Chopin and Mongolia in the 21st Century, Ulaanbaatar
- International Competition of Young Pianists dedicated to the Work of Fryderyk Chopin, Narva,
- The International Fryderyk Chopin Competition for Amateur Pianists (TiFC),
- International Klavierwettbewerb der Chopin Gesellschaft Hannover,
- International Polish Grand Piano Music Comp. – festival dedicated to F. Chopin (Vilnius),
- National Chopin Piano Competition of the USA, Miami,
- The Siberian International Chopin Piano Competition, Tomsk, Russia.
- discussion
Second working session: Competition’s quality development
chair W. Marchwica, NIFC Deputy Director
- Stanislaw Zielinski (Alink-Argerich Foundation Board Member):
The role of piano competitions in promotion of young, talented artists, - Janet Lopinski (Canadian Chopin Competition):
Education and mentoring opportunities within the Chopin Competitions, - Dmitri Vergun (International Competition of Young Pianists..., Narva):
Competition development & promotion, - Jerzy Michniewicz (NIFC):
Transparency of jury’s opinion – credit systems used worldwide, - Ingrida Milasiute (International Polish Grand Piano Music Competition..., Vilnius):
Promotion opportunities for the International Piano Competitions, - Jerzy Ossowski (TiFC, Warsaw):
Competition for amateurs – assumptions, objectives, relevant issues, questions, - discussion
Third working session: International collaboration of competitions
chair Jerzy Michniewicz, Chief of the Organisation of the Piano Competitions, NIFC
- Joanna Sell (International Klavierwettbewerb der Chopin Gesellschaft, Hanover):
Possible way of collaboration of Hanover Chopin Competition with Chopin Competition in Warsaw, - Jill Rabenau (Darmstadt International Chopin Piano Competition, Darmstadt): Criteria for top-prize winners of other Chopin Competitions to gain automatic acceptance to Warsaw Competition,
- Przemysław Lechowski (The Siberian International Chopin Piano Competition, Tomsk):
International cooperation during organization of Chopin Competitions – lights and shadows, - Akiko Tani (International Chopin Competition in Asia, Tokyo):
Competitions’ collaboration, - Adolphe Lorcin Maloh (Aguimucla Special Chopin Competition, Cameroon):
Chopin Competition as product in Central Africa, - discussion
Wrap-up session
chair W. Marchwica
- Artur Szklener Presentation of Polish program of long-term supporting the Chopin competitions worldwide – proposal.
- Minutes of the CCC,
- discussion on possibilities of integration the Chopin competitions worldwide
presentation of web-site prepared by Alink-Argerich Foundation