International Shchedrin Piano Competition

Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory
Victor Popov Academy of Choral Art
Creative Initiatives Development Fund

The 1st International Shchedrin Piano Competition

Rodion Shchedrin is one of the greatest and most prominent composers of our time. His work is diverse and covers many genres: operas, ballets, cantata-oratorios, symphonies, choral works and instrumental concerti. Works for piano and pieces featuring the piano form a special field. Rodion Shchedrin has had a taste for this instrument ever since he was a child. At first, he was sent to the Central School of Music of the Moscow Conservatory to study the piano. But the events of the Second World War changed the course of his biography: first the family was evacuated to Samara, then in early 1945 he returned to Moscow at the invitation of Alexander V. Sveshnikov who had opened a new school — the Moscow Choral School. His father, Konstantin M. Shchedrin was invited to teach music history and music theory, and in his turn, he asked to enroll his son.

«There was a great passion for music at our school, including the piano,» Rodion Shchedrin recalled. By the time he graduated, his repertoire included Bach’s fugues, virtuoso pieces by Chopin and Liszt and Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. His prodigious talent, already evident at that time, was recognized when he enrolled at the Moscow Conservatory. He studied at two faculties in parallel — the composition faculty under Yuri Shaporin and the piano faculty under the renowned Professor Yuri Fliera. On the latter, as Rodion Shchedrin would later write, he placed so much trust that he was the first to whom he presented his new works, both as a student and in later years. According to the composer, Flier’s grand piano bore the «blows» of all of his major works. Shchedrin remained a professional pianist throughout his life, successfully performing on the concert stage as an interpreter of many of his works. And despite all the novelty of his language and technical complexities, his piano music is written in a comfortable manner, with the subtlest knowledge of the instrument’s capabilities.

It is symbolic that the Victor S. Popov Academy of Choral Art — which includes the Alexander V. Sveshnikov Choral School — is announcing the First International Piano Competition, dedicated to the anniversary of the outstanding Russian composer Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin, now an honorary professor at the Academy. Aimed at identifying and supporting talented young pianists and refining their professional skills, the competition also aims to draw the attention of teachers to the piano work of Rodion K. Shchedrin and his contemporaries, and to stimulate public interest. We sincerely hope that the competition will help the voice of the Master, with its unique intonation, truly so charismatic, charming and recognizable, to sound with particular intensity in the contemporary cultural space. We are confident that the competition will bring inspiration and connect us through the music of our remarkable contemporary!

I. Terms of the Competition

1. The 1st International Shchedrin Piano Competition (hereinafter referred to as «the Competition») will be held from 17 to 23 April 2022. Round I and II competition auditions shall be held in the Concert Hall of the Victor Popov Academy of Choral Arts.
Gala concert and Award ceremony are to be held on April 23 in Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
2. The Competition will be held in two age categories: Group A — up to and including 17 years old; Group B — up to and including 25 years old. The age of the contestant is as on 01.04.2022.
3. It is the competitor’s responsibility to comply with the programme requirements. If a contestant violates the rules of the Competition, the Jury reserves the right to suspend the contestant’s Competition programme.

II. Сonditions for participation

1. Students of music universities, colleges, specialized schools, children art schools and musical schools shall be invited to take part in the contest.
2. The competition shall be held in the nomination «piano solo». Auditions are held in public. All works must be performed by heart.
3. Competition auditions shall be held in two rounds.
4. The order of performance shall be determined by a draw, which takes place on the opening day of the competition by age category.
5. The participants shall be provided with classrooms for practice and a concert hall for acoustic rehearsals.
6. The use of phonograms is not permitted.
7. Applications must be sent to vicerector_axu@mail.ru no later than March 15, 2022. A receipt of payment of the registration is to be sent together with the application.
8. Travel costs of participants (travel, accommodation and other expenses) shall be at the expense of the sending party.
9. The registration fee is 3,000 rubles.
In case of cancellation of participation in the competition the entry fee is not refunded.

III. Objectives of the contest

1. Aiming at preserving the best traditions of the Russian musical culture and its development in the context of the modern trends.
2. Drawing attention to the 20th−21st century piano art.
3. Searching for interaction between classical traditions and trends of 20th−21st centuries piano music.
4. Preserving the cultural heritage for the benefit of development of piano performing art.

IV. Competition objectives

1. Discovering and supporting talented pianists and teachers contributing to the development of contemporary musical culture.
2. Sharing creative experience in the field of music art which promotes the enhancement of professional skills.
3. Strengthening international and interregional creative connections in the field of musical art.
4. Creating conditions for building professional careers of young pianists.
5. Maintaining close creative ties between educational institutions of the Russian Federation, establishing and developing professional contacts with musicians from other countries, exchanging performing and teaching experience.
6. Putting forward new names of gifted young performers in order to nurture their talent.

V. Competition programme requirements

Group A (age of the participants up to and including 17 years)
1 round:
1. Bach Invention (BWV 772-786, 787-801).
2. Prelude from the «Polyphonic Notebook» or Two-Part Invention by Rodion K. Shchedrin.
2 round:
1. Composition for piano solo by Rodion K. Shchedrin.
2. Piano solo composition by a composer of the 20th−21st centuries.

Group B (age under 25)
1 round:
1. Prelude and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach (from Volumes 1 or 2 of Well-Tempered Clavier) BWV 846-869, BWV 870-893.
2. Prelude and Fugue by Rodion K. Shchedrin (from the 24th Preludes and Fugues).
2 round:
1. Large format composition for solo piano or piano and orchestra by Rodion K. Shchedrin (full sonata or concerto).
2. Composition for piano solo by a composer of the 20th−21st centuries.

VI. Jury

An international jury will be formed of respected performers, pedagogues, prominent musicians and public figures.

HONORARY JURY PRESIDENT
Rodion SHCHEDRIN

CHAIRMAN OF THE COMPETITION ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Alexander SOLOVEV — Rector of the Victor Popov Academy of Choral Art, Professor, laureate of the Moscow Government Prize, member of the Russian Composers“ Union

FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE COMPETITION
Olga KRASNOGOROVA — First Vice-Rector, Vice-Rector for Educational Work and Development of the Victor Popov Academy of Choral Art, Head of the Piano Department, Professor

VII. Awarding the participants

1. Winners and prize-winners of the Competition shall be awarded the titles of Laureates and Diploma holders.
2. Winners, prize-winners and participants of the Competition may be awarded special prizes from the organizers and sponsors.
3. Teachers who trained laureates and diploma holders shall be awarded diplomas «For Pedagogical Excellence».
4. In each age category, there is a special prize for the best performance of a work by Rodion Shchedrin.