Robert Schumann International Competition

31/10/2024

Are you getting your applications ready? Don't forget that the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

More information about what you need to register here:
https://schumann-competition.com/registration/

30/10/2024

Meet Our Jury: Zhe Tang - China

Zhe Tang is one of the leading pianists and pedagogues of his generation in China. He has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras and has collaborated with eminent conductors. Graduated from the Eastman School of Music where he taught and served as teaching assistant to Barry Snyder, Tang is Professor of Piano in Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He has also been appointed as the Vice Dean of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Director of Teaching and Research for the Piano Department, Chair of the Piano Department for the Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Chair of Shanghai Professional Pianists’ Society, Artistic Director of Shanghai Spring International Piano E-Competition, Artistic Director of Shanghai International Piano Festival & Institute, among others.

He has been a jury member of international competitions such as Belgrade Jeunesses Musicales, Gina Bachauer, Bonn Beethoven, Cleveland, Enescu, and many others. Many of his pupils have won first prizes in almost all Chinese national competitions, as well as major and special prizes from International Piano Competitions. He was given the “Grand Award for Excellence in Teaching” by the Chinese government and was featured on the cover of “Piano Artistry”，the most important piano magazine in China.

Don't forget the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

29/10/2024

Meet Our Jury: Joanna Ławrynowicz - Poland

Joanna Ławrynowicz-Just was born in Warsaw in a family with multigenerational musical traditions. She took up piano lessons at the age of four under Hanna Lachertowa. She graduated with honours from the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, class of Professor Teresa Manasterska. After graduation she continued her studies under Professor Halina Czerny-Stefańska until the death of this legendary pianist in 2001.

She is a laureate of numerous prestigious international piano competitions: the “Steinway&Sons” Competition in Berlin (1990), the Chopin Competition in Darmstadt (1999), the Halina Czerny-Stefańska Competition in Ajigasawa, Japan (2000), the “Art Livre” Competition in Sao Paulo, Brasil (2001).

For many years she has run very vivid concert activity as a soloist and a chamber musician all over the world (in Europe, Asia, both Americas, New Zealand and others).

She has made over 30 CD recordings for Acte Préalable. Most of the pieces recorded by the artist are world phonographic premieres. Her albums are highly valued by music lovers and critics, they gain great reviews and awards in renowned music magazines all over the world.

The pianist runs seminars and courses in Poland and abroad, e.g. in the USA (University in Bloomington), China (Conservatories in Shanghai, Guangdong, Daijing), Japan (Conservatory in Kyoto), in Lithuania, France (Paris, the Boulogne Billancourt Conservatory). She has also been a juror at numerous national and international competitions in Varenna, Italy, in Lutsk, Ukraine, and others.

Currently the artist runs teaching activity holding the post of Professor in piano class at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. In September of 2013 she obtained a post-doctoral degree.

Don't forget the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

28/10/2024

Meet Our Jury: Wolfgang Manz - Germany

Wolfgang Manz is prizewinner of many prestigious international piano competitions such as the Leeds Piano Competition (1981), Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels (1983), Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Competition in Berlin and others. Manz has been influenced by two very different traditions, by the Czech pianist Drahomir Toman, and by Prof. Karlheinz Kämmerling. He has been much in demand as soloist with orchestras, in solo recitals and chamber music. His repertoire includes more than 50 piano concertos with orchestra and an extensive solo and chamber music programme ranging from Bach to contemporary music. He has performed with orchestras such as: the English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra and many more. Apart from his career as soloist Wolfgang Manz has gained much recognition as a pedagogue. He regularly gives masterclasses in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Italy and South Korea. From 1994-1998 Manz held a teaching position at the University of Music in Karlsruhe. In 2000 Manz was appointed as guest professor at the Ferris – University in Yokohama / Japan. In the same year he was appointed professor for piano at the University of Music Nürnberg. From 2011 to 2014 Manz was guest visiting professor at the Leeds College of Music in Great Britain. Wolfgang Manz is a sought-after jury member in national and international piano competitions throughout Europe. Many of his students have won major prizes at international piano competitions such as the Leeds Piano Competition, Rhodes International Competition, Vienna Beethoven Competition, the Cleveland Piano Competition, etc.

Don't forget the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

25/10/2024

Meet our jury: Justas Dvarionas - Lithuania

Justas Dvarionas is an Associate Professor at the Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy and has been a significant figure in the international music community. He has conducted numerous masterclasses across five continents, mentoring many students who have won top honours at prestigious piano competitions.

With a wealth of experience, Justas has served as a jury member at various international competitions, including the Aarhus International Piano Competition in Denmark, the Liszt Junior Piano Competition in Germany, the International Radio Competition for Young Musicians ‘Concertino Praga’ in the Czech Republic, the Volodymyr Krainev Competition in Ukraine, the Gina Bachauer Piano Competition in the USA, the Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz in Ukraine, the Santa Cecilia International Competition in Porto, Portugal, the PIANALE Competition in Germany, and the Robert Schumann Competition in Düsseldorf, Germany, among many others.

Justas’ musical journey began in Lithuania and led him to the Moscow P. Tchaikovsky Conservatoire, where he completed his graduate and post-graduate studies with the highest honours (CUM LAUDE) under the guidance of Prof. Lev Vlassenko and Mikhail Pletnev. His pianistic and musical skills were further enriched through interactions with renowned pianists Sviatoslav Richter and Elisso Wirssaladse.

Justas continues to be actively engaged in concerts, teaching, and jury activities across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

Don't forget the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

24/10/2024

Meet our jury: Pavel Gililov - Austria

Pavel Gililov was born in Donetsk in Southeastern Ukraine where his parents fostered his obvious musical genius from a young age. The boy received his first piano lessons from his father, a music lover and amateur musician. Soon young Pavel was playing in public. He made his first appearance with an orchestra at age eight and by his 11th year performed the third piano concerto of famed composer Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky with such aplomb that the grand master invited him to study in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) at an academy for highly gifted children. The school has produced such talent as Boris Pergamenschikow, Gidon Kremer, Mischa Maisky, Grigory Sokolov and many others. In addition to his solo concerts, Pavel Gililov is a lover of chamber music. Along with his schoolmate and friend, the late Boris Pergamenschikow, he created a duo that gained international renown. He also founded the Gililov Piano Quartet (formerly the Philharmonic Piano Quartet Berlin). Despite his hectic concert schedule, Pavel Gililov continues to guide and instruct promising young musicians. He is a Professor at the Cologne University for Music and Dance, and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg where he has instructed a long list of international award-winning musicians. Many of these have gone on to stellar careers. Pavel Gililov travels the world giving masterclasses to young pianists and for years has supervised the Summer Academy in Lausanne. In addition, he is a jury member in many international competitions. In 2005, Pavel Gililov founded the Telekom Beethoven Competition in Bonn where he is currently artistic director and jury president.

Don't forget the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

23/10/2024

Meet our Jury: Michael Becker - Germany

The musician and journalist, Michael Becker is the musical director of the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra and the Tonhalle Düsseldorf since September 2007. With his visionary System „Tonhalle 0-100“ he achieved a unique program structure. Since the Season of 2015/2016 Becker engaged the Hungarian conductor Adam Fischer as principal conductor of the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra and the French conductor Alexandre Bloch as principal guest conductor.

Michael Becker, was born in 1966 in Osnabrück in a family of musicians.

After ending his education in Hannover, where he was also member of an international extraordinary boys choir of the city of Hannover, he studied Viola with Jürgen Kussmaul in Düsseldorf. Michael Becker was also a member of the Chamber Orchestra Cologne, German Philharmonic Youth, European Community Youth Orchestra and Orchestra of the City Stages Krefeld/Mönchengladbach. After finishing his studies at the “Institute for Journalism and Communication science” in Hannover , he worked for newspaper such as Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung or Rheinischer Merkur as well as broadcasting institutions such as Mitteldeutscher and Norddeutscher Rundfunk.

From 1994 until 2006 Michael Becker was the musical director of the Niedersächsischen Musiktage. Michael Becker worked closely with the Michael Radiophilharmonie. He es as well the musical director of the Schumannfestival in Düsseldorf, Member of the Theater and Orchestra conference in NRW, trustee of the Girl choir in Hannover, Senator of the Niedersachsen Foundation, chairman of the orchestra academy of the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra and the alliance of friends of the Tonhalle Düsseldorf.

Photo: Susanne Diesner

Don't forget the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

22/10/2024

Meet Our Jury: Barbara Szczepanska - Germany (Chair)

Barbara Szczepanska, born and raised in Warsaw, studied piano at the Frederic Chopin Academy. After graduation, she continued her studies with Professor Viktor Merzhanov at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Szczepanska’s core pianistic repertoire includes the piano sonatas of Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven as well as the piano oeuvres of Frederic Chopin and Claude Debussy. Concert tours have taken the pianist through her native Poland as well as Hungary, the former Soviet Union, Spain, Italy and Germany. After teaching at the Warsaw and Munster conservatories, she was appointed professor at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf in 1989. From 1999 to 2008 she held the position of prorector for artistic practice there.

Barbara Szczeparska has a special affinity for working with young students. Since 2008, she has expanded the study program for young students and developed the Schumann Junior Center for Gifted Students, which she directed until 2016.

In 2017, Barbara Szczeparska founded a piano competition for young pianists, the Robert Schumann Competition Düsseldorf. The competition will be held in February 2025 for the fifth time.

Photo: Susanne Diesner

Don't forget the registration deadline is 20 November 2024!

04/10/2024

You can register for the 2025 Robert Schumann Competition in Düsseldorf in three age categories:

Category A - until 13 years (born after 17 February 2011)
Category B - 14 to 17 years (born after 17 February 2007)
Category C - 18 to 20 years (born after 17 February 2004)

Registration is open until 20 November 2024. More information about what you need to register through the link in comments.

01/10/2024

Ready, set, go! Registration is now open for the 2025 Robert Schumann Competition in Düsseldorf. Click on the link in comments to find out more.

05/09/2024

We are overjoyed to announce that we will be opening the application period for the 5th International Robert Schumann Competition in Düsseldorf on 1 October 2024. Find out more about the requirements through the link in comments and get ready to apply!

26/02/2023

We had an unforgettable week filled with wonderful music! Huge congratulations to all participants in the Robert Schumann Competition 2023, for all of their hard work, courage and amazing performances! An enormous Thank You to our Jury for their tireless cooperation.

26/02/2023

Last night our finalists were joined on stage by the Kölner Kammerorchester - Cologne Chamber Orchestra and conductor Christoph Po**en, for a very thrilling evening at the Robert-Schumann-Saal. These are the winners of the 2023 Competition:

25/02/2023

The Finals are starting in 15 minutes! Toi toi toi to all of our wonderful finalists!

International Robert Schumann Competition Düsseldorf 2023Final Concert 25 February 2023, 18:00 CETLive from the Robert Schumann Saal Düsseldorf

25/02/2023

Contestants of Category C after Round II of the competition, receiving feedback from the Jury. Finals start today at 18:00 CET. Tune in to our Youtube channel to watch live.

Photos by Gotthard Moseler

25/02/2023

Tune in at 18:00 CET today to watch the Final Round of the 2023 Robert Schumann Competition Düsseldorf. The finalists will be joined on stage by Kölner Kammerorchester - Cologne Chamber Orchestra and conductor Christoph Po**en. Beautiful music and amazing playing are on the menu!

International Robert Schumann Competition Düsseldorf 2023Final Concert 25 February 2023, 18:00 CETLive from the Robert Schumann Saal Düsseldorf

24/02/2023

Our finalists are rehearsing for Round III with .kammerorchester and conductor . We can’t wait to listen to them tomorrow at the Robert-Schumann-Saal, Kunstpalast. The Finals will also be live streamed on our Youtube channel. Go to the link in bio at 18:00 CET tomorrow (25 February) to listen to the performances live.

24/02/2023

These are the contestants from Category C admitted in the 3rd round of the competition. We are extremely excited for the Final Round tomorrow, taking place at the Robert-Schumann-Saal, Kunstpalast at 18:00. You can also watch it on our website or Youtube channel.