With the success of the first (2010) and second (2012) competitions, the third competition held this year  had 55 contestants from 9 countries and regions (Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Ukraine, Japan, and RoK) aged from 10 to 25. Entrants were divided into three categories: A, B and C for 10 to 13 year-olds, 14 to 17 year-olds, and 18 to 25 year-olds, respectively. Contenders in each category played solo in two rounds and played a piano concerto with the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra in the final round, except for Category A, which requires only two rounds of competition.

The jury of this year’s competition were seven world distinguished pianists and piano teachers, with Prof., Dr., People’s Artist Tran Thu Ha as the Chairwoman of the Jury. Other judges included Prof. Hae Won Chang (RoK), pianist Michel Bourdoncle (France), Prof. Tamas Ungar (the US), Prof. Fumiko Eguchi (Japan), Prof. Stepan Moller (Germany-Austria), and Prof. Hamsa Al-Wadi Juris (Finland). Prof., People’s Artist Dang Thai Son continued to work as Honourable President of the contest.

The 3^rd Hanoi International Piano Competition with 55 competitors from 9 countries and regions
is highly appreciated by experts regarding quality and organisation.


Yeon Min Park (RoK), Category C’s first prize winner with Piano Concerto No. 1 (first movement) by P. I. Tchaikovsky.


Nguyen Dang Quang (Vietnam),  Category B’s first prize winner with  Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31 by F. Chopin.


Nguyen Lan Anh (Vietnam), Category A’s first prize winner, with “Deux Arbesques” by  Debussy.


Ngo Phuong Vi (Vietnam) wins Category B’s first prize
for her performance of  “Musical Moments” No. 1 and No. 4 by  Rachmaninoff.


Domestic and foreign audiences give big rounds of applause for excellent performances.

In 2012, the Hanoi International Piano Competition formally became a member of the Alink Argerich Foundation, an organisation offering details on music competitions, and the competition’s information has been posted on its website at: http://www.alink-argerich.org/, one of the two biggest websites in the world about musical competitions, ranked second to the website of the World Federation of International Music Competitions at http://www.wfimc.org/.

This competition had many improvements regarding quality and organisation. Associate Prof., Dr. Dr. Ta Quang Dong, secretary of the jury panel, said that the most obvious difference  in this year’s competition in comparison with the two former ones was the new concert room that reached international professional standards. It helped contestants deliver better performances. The room is new which the Vietnam National Musical Academy launched in January, 2015 with a seating capacity of 800 people and an audio system of international standards.

Commenting on the quality of participants, People’s Artist Dang Thai Son stated that this year’s entrants were carefully selected by celebrated experts through many rounds. They were young talents, many of whom had won major international prizes. Vietnamese contenders were also very talented, especially in Category A for people between 10 and 13 years old. However, brilliant Vietnamese pianists of older ages such as Luu Hong Quang and Luu Duc Anh were absent.

At the gala concert of the competition, audiences could enjoy and immerse themselves in various pieces of world famous classical music performed by awardees.

The organisation board and the jury pose for a photo with awardees. 


Vietnam’s Nguyen Lan Anh (red), the youngest contestant, and Singapore’s Alyssa Kok
both win the first prize of Category A.


Category C’s first prize is won by RoK’s Yeon Min Park.


Two Vietnamese entrants: Ngo Phuong Vi (left) and Nguyen Dang Quang win the first prizes of Category B.

 

Results of the 3rd Hanoi International Piano Competition I. Category A 1. The Best Classical Music Player from Bridge Future Music – Japan: Nguyen Lan Anh 2. Promising Vietnamese Contestant from the Chopin Association of Hanoi: Nguyen Chuc An 3. The Best Vietnamese Contestant from  Professor People’s Artist Dang Thai Son: Nguyen Lan Anh 4. Third Prizes: Nguyen Ba Tan and Truong Thi Ngan Ha 5. Second Prizes: Pham Le Phuong and Tran Minh Chau 6. First Prizes: Nguyen Lan Anh and Alyssa Kok II. Category B 1. The Best Classical Music Player from Bridge Future Music – Japan: Ngo Phuong Vi 2. The Best Concerto Player from the Chopin Association of Hanoi: Nguyen Dang Quang 3. Third Prize: Nguyen Ba Duy Anh 4. Second Prize: Kostenko Mariya (Ukraine) 5. First Prizes: Ngo Phuong Vi, Nguyen Dang Quang III. Category C 1. The Best Classical Music Player from Bridge Future Music – Japan: Nakamura Yui (Japan) 2. The Best Mendelssohn Music Player from the Chopin Association of Hanoi: Yoen Min Park (RoK) 3. The Best Vietnamese Contestant from  Professor, People’s Artist Đặng Thái Sơn: Vu Hoang Cuong 4. Encouraging Prize: Vu Hoang Cuong 5. Third Prize: Inagawa Mizuho (Japan) 6. Second Prize: Nakamura Yui (Japan) 7. First Prize : Yoen Min Park (RoK) 8. The Best Player on a CFX YAMAHA from Yamaha Music Company Vietnam: Yoen Min Park (RoK)

Story: Thao Vy - Photos: Tran Thanh Giang