32nd International Piano and Orchestra Competition “Città di Cantù” 2024: Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano chosen as the official piano for the competition

© Nino Monti

The 32nd International Piano and Orchestra Competition “Città di Cantù” 2024 was held in Cantù, Italy, from May 5 to 11, and the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano was chosen as the official piano for the competition.

Kawai’s most esteemed piano technicians, also known as MPA (Master Piano Artisans), participated in the competition as piano tuners. Yoshifumi Sato from Kawai Japan worked diligently late into the night to ensure that the pianos were finely tuned, striving to maximize the pianists’ performance capabilities.

32nd International Piano and Orchestra Competition “Città di Cantù” 2024: Final Result

Comments from prize winners

■ David Khrikuli

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– How do you feel about winning the prize?

It was my pleasure to be the participant of Cantù competition. Thanks to the jury members for their professional and hard work, it is a honour for me to receive the 1st prize in both categories. And, of course, many thanks to the audience of Cantù for their warm welcome.

– What are your impressions of the SK-EX full concert grand piano?

“Dolce” sound, full control over the instrument, variety of possibilities to improvise, that’s what comes to my mind about Kawai pianos. It was a wonderful experience.

■ Alica Müller

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– How do you feel about winning the prize?

All the pianists who passed the preliminary round gave wonderful performances. Therefore, I felt extremely honored when my name was called as a finalist. In the final, I paid attention to the hall’s acoustics, the orchestra’s timing, and the piano’s tone to deliver an authentic Mozart sound to the audience who are accustomed to hearing it.

– What are your impressions of the SK-EX full concert grand piano?

I felt very relieved when I found out that the piano at the competition venue was a Shigeru Kawai. Thanks to the adjustments made with the hall’s balance in mind, I was able to produce the Mozart tone I envisioned. While I had various concerns about the Cantu competition, I was able to perform my best on a piano that was perfectly prepared for each round until the finals. I am deeply grateful to the Kawai piano technicians.

■ Phoebe Papandrea

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– How do you feel about winning the prize?

It was an absolute dream to perform Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini op 43 in the Final of Città di Cantù International Piano and Orchestra Competition 2024! I love performing with orchestra and it was a privilege to work with the wonderful musicians of the Mihail Jora Philharmonic Orchestra of Bacău and Maestro Ovidiu Balan. I am honoured to win my award. 

– What are your impressions of the SK-EX full concert grand piano?

It was such a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to perform on the stunning Shigeru Kawai at the competition, it is my favourite piano of all time! I love its touch and tone and its infinite colours and that is why I would always choose to perform on a Shigeru Kawai!!

■ Rei Harada

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– How do you feel about winning the prize?

First of all, I was truly delighted to be selected as a finalist and to have the opportunity to perform again with the orchestra and Kawai’s piano. Although I couldn’t play exactly as I had hoped, I used all the energy within me to make music in that moment.

– What are your impressions of the SK-EX full concert grand piano?

I found the piano to be very responsive and capable of reflecting the performer’s unique style. The tone and resonance sounded completely different depending on the competitor, and I felt the wide range of musical possibilities that Kawai’s SK-EX holds.

About the International Piano and Orchestra Competition “Città di Cantù” 

The Città di Cantù International Piano Competition is an international competition for young pianists held in Cantù, Northern Italy. It started in 1991 and has been held annually since then. The competition is organized by the Nuova Scuola di Musica di Cantù, a music school that has been offering music education, masterclasses, and cultural events since 1986, in collaboration with the Cantù city administration. The competition is also supported by local businesses, the Rotary Foundation, and cultural associations. This unique Italian international piano competition requires all pieces in the competition to be concertos. Winners are selected in both the Classical and Romantic categories.

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nuovascuoladimusicacantu

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cantupianocompetition/

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.