International Tchaikovsky Competition
The
International Tchaikovsky Competition is one of the most prestigious
classical music competitions in the world. Named after
Russian
composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, it takes place in
Moscow every four years since
1958. In
2002, the most recent year, 627
musicians applied from 54 countries, of whom 272 were accepted: 65
pianists, 52
violinists, 63
cellists and 92
vocalists.
Originally the competition was for pianists and violinists only. Cellists were added starting with the second competition in
1962, and vocalists with the third in
1966. No other categories have been added since then.
The competition is organized by a committee of prominent Russian musicians and managed by the
Russian State Concert Company (Sodruzhestvo). International
juries of notable
soloists, music
professors,
music directors and prior Competition winners are selected to judge the performances and choose the prize winners.
Three
elimination rounds are held throughout the month of June. Currently, 26 prizes are awarded: six in each instrumental category and four each for male and female vocalists. Sometimes, however, no one wins first prize, or it may be shared between competitors. This can also occur with the lesser prizes. In earlier years, up to eight prizes were awarded.
Winners of the top prize awarded in the given year and category (first prize, unless otherwise noted).
Piano
* 1958:
Van Cliburn* 1962:
Vladimir Ashkenazy and
John Ogdon shared first prize.
* 1966:
Grigory Sokolov* 1970:
Vladimir Krainev and
John Lill shared first prize.
* 1974:
Andrei Gavrilov* 1978:
Mikhail Pletnev* 1982: No first prize awarded.
Peter Donohoe and
Vladimir Ovchinnikov shared second prize.
* 1986:
Barry Douglas* 1990:
Boris Berezovsky* 1994: No first prize awarded.
Nikolai Lugansky won second prize.
* 1998:
Denis Matsuev* 2002:
Ayako UeharaViolin
* 1958:
Valery Klimov* 1962:
Boris Gutnikov* 1966:
Viktor Tretyakov* 1970:
Gidon Kremer* 1974: No first prize awarded.
Eugene Fodor,
Ruben Agaranyan and
Rusudan Gvasaliya shared second prize.
* 1978:
Elmar Oliveira and
Ilya Grubert shared first prize.
* 1982:
Viktoria Mullova and
Sergei Stadler shared first prize.
* 1986:
Raphaël Oleg and
Ilya Kaler shared first prize.
* 1990:
Akiko Suwanai* 1994: No first prize awarded.
Anastasiya Chebotareva and
Jennifer Koh shared second prize.
* 1998:
Nikolay Sachenko* 2002: No first prize awarded.
Tamaki Kawakubo and
Chen Xi shared second prize.
Cello
* 1962:
Natalia Shakhovskaya* 1966:
Karine Georgyan* 1970:
David Geringas* 1974:
Boris Pergamenshchikov* 1978:
Nathaniel Rosen* 1982:
Antonio Meneses* 1986:
Mario Brunello* 1990:
Gustav Rivinius* 1994: No first, second and third prize awarded.
Eileen Moon and
Georgi Gorjunov shared the fourth prize.
* 1998:
Denis Shapovalov* 2002: No first prize awarded.
Johannes Moser won second prize.
Vocal, male
* 1966:
Vladimir Atlantov* 1970:
Yevgeny Nesterenko* 1974:
Ivan Ponomarenko* 1978: No first prize awarded.
Valentin Pivovarov and
Nikita Storozhev shared the second prize.
* 1982:
Paata Burchchuladze* 1986:
Grigory Gritsyuk* 1990:
Hans Choi* 1994:
Yuan Cheng-ye* 1998:
Besik Gabitashvili* 2002:
Mikhail KazakovVocal, female
* 1966:
Jane Marsh* 1970:
Yelena Obraztsova* 1974: No first prize awarded.
Lyudmila Sergienko,
Sylvia Sass and
Stefka Evstatieva shared the second prize.
* 1978:
Lyudmila Shemchuk* 1982:
Lidiya Zabilyasta* 1986:
Natalia Erasova* 1990:
Deborah Voigt* 1994:
Marina Lapina.
Hibra Gerzmawa won the Grand Prize.
* 1998:
Mieko Sato* 2002:
Aitalina Afanasieva-Adamova*
List of classical music competitions*
International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, an unrelated competition with a similar name
*
list of violinists*
Official page
