Fifty pianists from 22 countries, including six Israelis, have gathered in Israel for the start of the sixth Artur Rubinstein international piano masters competition, regarded as one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the world.
Of the 160 applicants who applied this year, 136 met the strict criteria for the selection: past musical experience, previous awards and enthusiastic recommendations. From them, 50 contestants were chosen.
They are competing for a gold medal and $10,000 in first-prize money, as well as guaranteed appearances with leading world orchestras and recording contracts.
Established in 1973, the international competition, named in honor and now memory of the late maestro Artur Rubinstein, aims to encourage young talent. It is open to pianists of all nationalities between the ages of 18 and 32, and is held in Israel every two or three years.
The prize winner will perform at a concert with the Israel Philharmonic on April 12.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
