The first China International Music Competition – newly created by the China Conservatory of Music and Global Music Education League – recently announces the details of the 12 pianists who will progress to the semi-final rounds of the competition. They are competing for the chance to win unprecedented cash prizes, international management, and the chance to perform in the final concert with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra on Monday, May 20. The awards ceremony will take place Tuesday, May 21.

Among the pianists going through are three from Russia, two from South Korea, two from USA, and one each from Canada, China, Georgia, Italy and Kazakhstan. The two youngest competitors in the Competition have been selected for the semi-final round. The pianists taking part were selected by the world’s foremost international music authorities, several competitors currently attend the world’s leading conservatories, and many have already won prizes at major international piano competitions.

The Semi-Finalists are (in alphabetical order):

• Alim Beisembayev, Kazakhstan, Age 21

• Leonardo Colafelice, Italy, Age 23

• Anna Hann, USA, Age 23

• Honggi Kim, South Korea, Age 27

• Alexander Malofeev, Russia, Age 17

• MacKenzie Melemed, USA, Age 24

• Sandro Nebieridze, Georgia, Age 18

• Linzi Pan, China, Age 24

• Hans H Suh, South Korea, Age 28

• Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev, Russia, Age 25

• Anastasia Vorotnaya, Russia, Age 23

• Tony Yun, Canada, Age 17

Each will now perform another recital and collaborate in a vocal recital for a chance to be among the six pianists chosen to progress to the first phase of the Final Round,  where they will perform a classical concerto with the China Academia Orchestra. Three finalists will then be chosen to play a Final Round concert at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts with The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by its music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin. All performances apart from the Final Round concert will take place in the concert hall of the China Conservatory.

Music lovers in China and around the world can follow the progress of competitors and enjoy performances from every round thanks to filming and live-streaming on Amadeus.tv and Youku.com.

The Competition will award a first prize of US$150,000 and a gold medal, a second prize of US$75,000 and a silver medal, and a third prize of US$30,000 and a crystal award. In addition to this unprecedented purse, the gold medalist will gain representation by two major international artist management companies: Opus 3 Artists in the United States and Armstrong Music and Arts in China, which, combined, will coordinate three years of international concert tours.

The Competition is led by Richard Rodzinski, who is also president emeritus of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and former general director of the International Tchaikovsky Competition. The distinguished international jury of the inaugural Competition includes: Li-guang Wang, president of the China International Music Competition, chairman of the Global Music Education League, and president of the China Conservatory of Music; Yoheved Kaplinsky, chairman of the jury and artistic director of the Competition; Dmitri Alexeev; Jan Jiracek von Arnim; Lydia Artymiw; Boris Berman; Michel Béroff; Ronan O’Hora; Warren Jones; Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń; and Arie Vardi.

For details of events and competitors, visit the China International Music Competition website.