Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

 

The 14th international piano competition EUREGIO PIANO AWARD took place in Geilenkirchen, Germany, from July 27th to August 2nd, with the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano selected as the official piano for the competition. The SK-EX was chosen by eventual 1st Prize winner Kazusa Sagawa, who praised the instrument's familiarity, responsiveness, and outstanding preparation throughout the event.

 

One of Kawai’s most esteemed piano technicians, MPA (Master Piano Artisan) Kazuya Ohara from Kawai Japan, served as the official piano technician at the 14th international piano competition EUREGIO PIANO AWARD. He carefully prepared and refined the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX to meet the artistic demands of each stage, ensuring that the instrument performed at its highest potential under the hall’s unique acoustic conditions. And a piano technician apprentice from Japan, Atsuki Ikeda, also supported the event as Artist Services, assisting competitors throughout the competition.

 

 

■ 14th international piano competition EUREGIO PIANO AWARD: Final Results

 

1st prize winner - Kazusa Sagawa

Congratulations on winning 1st Prize at the Euregio Piano Award International Competition. Could you share your thoughts on participating in the competition and receiving the top prize?

I am currently studying in Germany, so I had always wanted to challenge myself by participating in a competition held here. Although the Euregio Piano Award may not yet be widely known in Japan, I was very impressed by the range of opportunities offered to the prizewinners. In addition to numerous concert engagements throughout Germany, there are also performances scheduled in the Netherlands and Belgium. I felt it would be the perfect opportunity to present the results of my studies in Berlin and to share my music with audiences in Germany. At the same time, I wanted to see how my playing would be evaluated while studying abroad, so I decided to enter.

I was truly aiming for first prize, so when the results were announced, my immediate reaction was, “Yes!” However, the competition itself was extremely demanding. Train delays made it difficult to keep to my practice and travel schedule, and the selection process was especially challenging. The field was reduced from 15 semifinalists to only three finalists, which created tremendous pressure. The concert hall also had very distinctive acoustics, so I had to listen carefully and constantly adapt my playing to achieve the sound I wanted.

Despite all these challenges, I feel that I was able to give my very best in every round. Of course, there is always an element of luck in competitions, but in the final I truly delivered the performance I had hoped for. When I left the stage, I honestly felt that I had played well enough to win first prize, and I am incredibly happy that the jury recognized my performance in the same way.

 

Could you share your impressions of performing on the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano?

When I applied the competition, I did not remember seeing the Kawai logo on the competition website. I had known about the competition for some time and even watched part of last year's livestream, where the competitors performed on a different piano brand. Because of that, I naturally expected the same instrument this year. Arriving at the venue and discovering that a Shigeru Kawai had been prepared for the competition was a wonderful surprise.

Seeing the SK-EX immediately became a source of motivation. I have performed on this instrument many times before, so having the opportunity to play it here in Germany gave me a tremendous sense of confidence and familiarity. It truly became my musical partner throughout the competition.

With each round, I developed a deeper understanding of the instrument, and by the final I felt that I was able to give my finest performance of the entire competition. The piano was prepared in outstanding condition, and I am sincerely grateful to the piano technician for making it possible for me to perform with complete confidence.

 

 

 

 

■ Final Round Performance

 

 

 

 

■ About the international piano competition EUREGIO PIANO AWARD

 

The Euregio Piano Award International Competition is an annual international piano competition held in Geilenkirchen, western Germany. Named after the “Euregio” region, which connects Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, the competition attracts talented young pianists from around the world.

The competition consists of three rounds. Competitors perform Romantic and modern études in the preliminary round, complete Classical sonatas in the semifinal, and a piano concerto with orchestra in the final. Recognized for its distinguished international jury, high artistic standards, and extensive concert engagements awarded to prizewinners throughout Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, the competition has become an important platform for emerging pianists pursuing professional careers in Europe.

 

Official website: https://www.euregiopianoaward.com/

 

 

■ 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 utilises 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.

Shigeru Kawai official website: https://www.shigerukawai.jp/en/