Pianists battle it out as town hosts international competition

This year's Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition reaches its climax at the White Rock Theatre this Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5, when six young hopefuls compete in front of an international jury in the two-evening final for the first prize of £10,000.
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Each will play the whole of the concerto they have chosen from the competition’s list with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Three will play on Friday night, the other three will play on Saturday. The winner will be announced soon after nine o’clock on Saturday.

The competition has been in full flow since Thursday of last week, February 25. 38 young pianists from all over the world, all aged between 16 and 30, started out in Stage One, when they played excerpts from their chosen concerto.

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Their numbers were reduced by nearly a half for Stage Two, when they were asked to play the first movement of both a Mozart and a Beethoven concerto.

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They were then reduced by half again for the semi final on Wednesday, when they played music of their own choice.

Six were then chosen to go forward to this weekend’s final. As well as the cheque for £10,000, the winner will also be given the chance to play as a soloist in concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Total prize money this year is £23,800.

Please go to www.whiterocktheatre.org.uk to check what tickets are still available for the two evenings of the final.

Pictures by Richard Grebby.

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