Contemporary Piano Etude

Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition, Bolzano, Italy

The Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition was founded in 1949 by Cesare Nordio, the then Director of the "Claudio Monteverdi Conservatory of Music" of Bolzano to honor the 25^th anniversary of Busoni’s death. In 2002 the Busoni Competition changed its traditional structure extending its duration from one to two years. The first year features a preliminary round to select 24 candidates who are then able to participate in the following year’s final. Since 2009 a special focus has been placed on contemporary piano music. Initiated by the pianist Nicolas Hodges composers are commissioned here to write new piano etudes for the final rounds for soloists ‑ the EvS Music Foundation is funding composition commissions issued to Mark Andre, Beat Furrer, Toshio Hosokawa, Michael Jarrell, Matthias Pintscher, Bent Sørensen and Charles Wuorinen. In preparation for the performance of contemporary piano works finalists were able to attend Nicolas Hodges’ workshop that focused on playing techniques, an explanation of the different notation methods and approaches for dealing with scores unrehearsed in the concert setting. After a concert premiere by Nicolas Hodges as part of the piano competition the finalists will each play at least three of the contemporary etudes. A special prize will also be awarded for this repertoire part of the competition. Following performances of the etudes are planned from Autumn 2011 in Tanglewood, at the BBC in London and at Vienna’s Wien Modern. 

August 26^th 2011 Concert Premiere

August 27^th and 28^th 2011 Final Soloist Exams

Claudio Monteverdi Conservatory of Music, Bolzano, Italy

Further Information:

www.concorsobusoni.it