The contestants, hailing from Spain, Japan, Italy, Belgium, and Israel, will participate in this qualifying phase held at the Infanta Leonor Theater in Jaén. The round, starting this afternoon at 4:30 PM, can be followed live via the YouTube channel of the Diputación de Jaén.
Following a second elimination round held between April 13 and 14, the jury, chaired by Albert Attenelle, selected Laura Ballestrino (Spain), Anaïs Cassiers (Belgium), Ruggiero Fiorella (Italy), Ayumu Ibaraki and Yusuke Suzuki (Japan), and Alexandra Segal (Israel) for this semifinal.
Chamber music will be the central theme of this stage, where pianists will be accompanied by the Cuarteto Cosmos, composed of Bernat Prat, Helena Satué, Lara Fernández, and Oriol Prat. This quartet, formed in 2014, is recognized for its trajectory and appeal in the current music scene.
“"The participants will be accompanied by the young Cuarteto Cosmos, a musical ensemble that, in its short professional career, already boasts important international awards."
The aspiring finalists must perform a work by composers such as César Franck, Brahms, Schumann, Shostakovich, or Dvorak's Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81. The pianist who excels in this interpretation will receive the Chamber Music Prize, sponsored by the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) and endowed with 8,000 euros. Additionally, each participant will complete their performance with a significant romantic piano work, chosen from pieces by Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Franck, and Mussorgsky, with a total duration of between 50 and 75 minutes per performance.
From the six pianists under 32 years old, the jury will select three finalists to perform on April 18 in the grand final. In this final stage, contestants will play alongside the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Salvador Vázquez. Tickets for this closing concert are priced at 10 euros and can also be followed live on the Diputación's YouTube channel.
