International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz
International competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz is an international competition that is held every two years in Kiev (Ukraine).
The competition was founded in 1995 by Kiev City State Administration, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine and R.M.Glier (Glière) Kiev State Music College (now it’s R.M.Glier Kiev Institute of Music).
The Competition is a biennial one. Since its foundation eight competitions have taken place.
738 young musicians from 32 countries have taken part in the competition so far. Victory in the Competition is honourable and high recommendation for a performer. It’s confirmed by the further success of the Competition’s laureates who became winners of the prestigious world musical contests such as Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Japan) – Alexej Gorlatch; Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Japan) and Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition (Israel) – Olexandr Gavrylyuk; Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (USA) – Olexej Koltakov; ARD International Music Competition (Germany) – Denys Proshchaiev; Maria Callas Grand Prix (Greece) – Vadym Kholodenko, Maria Kim; Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia – Yevgen Ukhanov; Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists (Germany) – Kostiantyn Tovstukha; the International Tchaikovsky Competition (Russia) – Dmytro Onishchenko; Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition (USA) – Cheung Wai Ching Rachel; International piano competition Ettore Pozzoli (Italy) - Alexandr Pirojenko; Competition in Shanghai – Olexij Grynyuk; “George Enescu” International Festival and competition (Rumania) - Eduard Kunz.
In 2000 the Competition became one of the founders of the Association of academic musical competitions (Ukraine) which consists of the most recognized competitions of our country.
In 2002 the Competition became a member of the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth (EMCY) and in 2004 the Competition was accepted as a member to the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC).
In August 2005 the General Assembly of Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) admitted the International Charitable Fund of Vladimir Horowitz Competition to JMI.
Concert tours of prize and diploma winners of the Competition
Numerous concert tours of prize and diploma winners promote development of the Competition. The Competition Direction provides organization of prize winners’ concert appearances in Ukraine and abroad. The work is held actively and, what is more important, creatively. The main aim of the activity is to support the talented youth, wide popularization of the Competition in memory of glorious pianist of the 20th century, and also an active entering of gifted young musicians into world musical space.
Talented pianists have been applauded in Ukraine, USA, Australia, Israel, France, Russia. Great Britain, Rumania, Germany, Czech, Hungary, Malaysia, China, Croatia, Japan, Greece, South Korea, Yugoslavia, Switzerland, Turkey, Poland, Italy, Lithuania, Belarus, the Netherlands, Serbia. From 1995 to 2006 about 300 concerts were held in 26 countries of the world.
Ironically, Vladimir Horowitz stated he was "absolutely against" musical competitions, and Horowitz's Will stated that he did not want any competitions in his name.[1]