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12th Hamamatsu International Piano Competition: Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano selected by 2nd, 4th and 6th prize winners
(From left) Noriko Ogawa (Chairperson), Robert Bily, JJ Jun Li Bui, Jonas Aumiller, Manami Suzuki, Kaito Kobayashi, Korkmaz Can Sağlam, Yusuke Nakano (The Mayor of Hamamatsu)
At the 12th Hamamatsu International Piano Competition held from November 8th to 25th, 2024, in the city of Hamamatsu, Japan, three of the six finalists performed using the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano.
Kawai has provided instruments for official selection in the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition since the inaugural event was held in 1991, with top prize winner Victor Liadov selecting the Kawai EX concert grand piano at the 2nd competition held in 1994, and top prize winner Can Çakmur selecting the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano at the 10th competition held in 2018.
At this year’s 12th competition, with 87 participants selected to perform. Following three stages of qualifying, the final round was contested by 6 participants, with the second prize awarded to German pianist Jonas AUMILLER, who selected the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano throughout the competition. Fourth place prize winner JJ Jun Li BUI (Canada) and Sixth place prize winner Robert BILY (Czech Republic) also selected the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX throughout each round of the competition.
12th Hamamatsu International Piano Competition: Final Results
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1st Prize Chamber Music Award Audience Prize The Mayor of Sapporo Award The Mayor of Warsaw Award |
Manami Suzuki (Japan) | Other |
| 2nd Prize | Jonas Aumiller (Germany) | Shigeru Kawai SK-EX |
| 3rd Prize | Kaito Kobayashi (Japan) | Other |
| 4th Prize | JJ Jun Li Bui (Canada) | Shigeru Kawai SK-EX |
| 5th Prize | Korkmaz Can Sağlam (Turkey) | Other |
|
6th Prize Best Performer of the Japanese Work |
Robert Bily (Czech Republic) | Shigeru Kawai SK-EX |
| Diploma of Outstanding Merit | Valère Burnon (Belgium) | Other |
2nd Prize winner: Jonas Aumiller
4th Prize winner: JJ Jun Li Bui
6th Prize winner: Robert Bily
As one of three piano manufacturers' instruments available for official selection, the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX proved popular among contestants throughout the competition. In the first round, 37 of the 87 participants selected Kawai, followed by 10 out of 24 contestants in the second round. Of the remaining 12 participants that reached the third round, 5 pianists selected Kawai, while the final was contested by 6 individuals, 3 of whom performed using the SK-EX.
About the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition
Established in 1991 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Hamamatsu’s inauguration as a city, the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition is held every three years, and seeks to promote the unique musical history and tradition of the region. The competition provides an opportunity for young pianists from all corners of the globe to exhibit their technical skill and artistic ability, while advancing international exchange through world music culture.
Official website: https://www.hipic.jp/en/
About the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano
Unveiled in 2001 as the flagship instrument of the Shigeru Kawai line, the SK-EX concert grand piano is hand-crafted in limited numbers following a unique ‘prototyping’ creation process. In order to achieve the supreme range of expression required in a concert piano, each instrument utilizes a variety of carefully selected materials, with premium aged spruce soundboards. Shigeru Kawai instruments adopt the advanced Millennium III keyboard action, featuring extended wooden keys and advanced ABS Carbon action parts, providing superior speed and responsiveness than conventional wooden action parts, allowing pianists to express a greater range of feeling and emotion in their performance.
Official website: https://www.shigerukawai.jp/en/