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4th Olga Kern International Piano Competition delivers big performances but no first prize
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very three years, some of the world’s most talented pianists between the ages of 18 and 32, along with an esteemed panel of international jurors, descend on Albuquerque for the week-long Olga Kern International Piano Competition, which was recently inducted into the World Federation of Music Competitions.
The fourth iteration of the triennial contest wrapped up on Sunday, Oct. 19, with an awards ceremony and winner’s recital at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
For the first time since the competition began 12 years ago, however, no first place winner was announced. Monica Zhang from Italy shared second place with the Russian-born pianist Daria Podorozhnova. Podorozhnova also won the award for Best Contemporary Piece.
“I had another nine judges with me, so it was a group decision,” Olga Kern, the competition’s namesake and president of the jury, said. “I think it is fair for both of them, because they were on the same level. It was a little surprising for me, as well. But you never know. In the competition, you can have a surprise, and this was one of the surprises.”
The idea of withholding a first place award may strike outsiders as odd, but in the high-stakes world of international piano competitions, it’s not unheard-of. The International Chopin Piano Competition, for instance, maintained a 15-year gap between 1985 and the year 2000 when no top prize was awarded.
“I’m actually very happy that two girls are the winners, no matter which kind of prize they got,” Kern said. “It’s two very different girls, both super talented … So, I’m glad that this happened, because last time all three finalists were boys.”
Kern herself gained international prominence in 2001 when she became the first woman in over thirty years to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
One of the jurors, Enrica Ciccarelli Mormone, had flown to Albuquerque from Milan, Italy, where she serves as the president of La Fondazione La Società dei Concerti. When she spoke with the Journal earlier in the week, she said she was gratified that the competitors exhibited not just virtuosity but personal virtue.
“Of course, we are looking for a kind of virtuoso, technically speaking. But above all, these young men and women bring a lot of virtue. They have a passion for music, and of course talent, but they also have dedication. They sacrifice their lives to keep alive the great composers of the past and to give us the opportunity to listen to new competitions, as we did today,” Ciccarelli Mormone said. “Usually, adults complain about the new generation. But the most important thing this competition shows is that the young generation are full of virtues.”
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Both second place winners said they respected the jury’s decision not to award a first prize, and both were pleased with the results.
Podorozhnova, 22, had competed in other international piano competitions but had never advanced to the finals.
“For me, it was a very intense and a very interesting journey this week,” Podorozhnova said. “Very full. Almost every day, you perform a different program. But I felt so blessed to make it to the final rounds and to collaborate with the Dalí Quartet in the semifinals and the New Mexico Philharmonic orchestra, because the level of musicianship is just unbelievable.”
Competitors are judged not only on their individual talent but on how well they are able to perform with other musicians, including the NMPhil, whose executive director, Marian Tanau, also serves as the executive director of the competition.
At 18, Zhang was just old enough to compete this year and had not expected to outperform her more experienced competitors.
“This was a really life-changing experience, because it was my first big competition with so many rounds, and I didn’t expect my results,” Zhang said. “I feel grateful and really happy.”
Zhang said she hopes her win will lead to more opportunities to perform in the United States.
“I live in Europe, so I have concerts there, but now I’m starting my journey here in the U.S.,” she said.
“In this one week, I feel that I grew up a lot,” she added.
Podorozhnova and Zhang will both receive a $10,000 cash prize. The first place winner would have received a recording contract from competition sponsor Steinway and Sons and guaranteed international concert engagements for three years, in addition to a $20,000 cash prize.
Tanau said he is currently in talks with the competition’s sponsors to discuss whether any of the non-monetary benefits could still be offered to Podorozhnova and Zhang.
“A safe bet to make is that all the presenters, including Steinway with their recording, might choose one or both of the second prize winners to present,” he said.
One competitor, Huiping Cai, who is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, had already left Albuquerque and was preparing to catch a connecting flight in Chicago when she learned that she would be receiving an award. So, she flew back just in time to perform at the winner’s recital.
“I was kind of surprised, because I was not able to advance to the final round,” Cai said. “But I feel very honored that my work has been recognized. And I just want to keep bringing music to more audiences.”
Cai was one of five competitors to receive a special Aspiration Prize this year.
One New Mexican pianist and University of New Mexico graduate, Gabriel Landstedt, was chosen to participate in this year’s competition, although he did not advance to the finals.
“It was just an honor to be back, because I grew up and studied here and came to see the philharmonic a lot as a kid, so it felt like coming full circle,” Landstedt said.
Although being eliminated from the competition early in the week was disappointing, Landstedt found a silver lining in it.
“Actually, I took the opportunity to see a lot of old friends I knew when I lived here, and to just enjoy being here,” he said.
