The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a classical music competition held every four years in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia, for pianists, violinists, and cellists between 16 and 32 years of age and singers between 19 and 32 years of age. The competition is named after Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The International Tchaikovsky Competition was the first international music competition held in the Soviet Union, beginning in 1958. For the XIV competition in 2011, Valery Gergiev was appointed the competition's chairman, and Richard Rodzinski, former president of the Van Cliburn Foundation, was appointed general director. A new voting system was instituted, created by mathematician John MacBain, and used by the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and the Cleveland International Piano Competition. All rules and regulations also underwent a complete revision. Emphasis was placed on the composition of the jury, which consisted primarily of well-known and respected performing artists.[1]
The XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition was held in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia, from 14 June to 1 July 2011, under the auspices of the Russian federal government and its Ministry of Culture. The competition disciplines were piano, violin, cello, and voice (male singers and female singers). The XV competition took place in June 2015.[2] The XVI competition took place 17–29 June 2019, in Moscow and St. Petersburg; woodwind and brass competition disciplines were added.[3]
Cash prizes are awarded to the top-five competitors in each discipline of piano, violin, cello, and to each of the top four competitors in the men's and women's solo vocal categories. First prize (not always awarded) is US$30,000; second, US$20,000; third, US$10,000; fourth, US$5,000; and fifth, US$3,000. An additional prize, a Grand Prix of US$100,000, may be awarded to one of the gold medalists deemed outstanding by the juries. Additional awards are given for best performance of the chamber concertos and the commissioned new work.[4]
For the 2019 competition, the prizes[5] are as follows:
| Prize | Amount |
| Grand Prix | US$100,000 in addition to the 1st Prize amount, for a total of US$130,000 |
| 1st Prize | US$30,000 and a Gold Medal |
| 2nd Prize | US$20,000 and a Silver Medal |
| 3rd Prize | US$10,000 and a Bronze Medal |
| 4th Prize | US$5,000 and a Diploma |
| 5th Prize | US$3,000 and a Diploma |
| 6th Prize | US$2,000 and a Diploma |
| Best performance of a concerto with a chamber orchestra in Round II (in the piano, violin, and cello sections) | US$2,000 and a Diploma |
Held every four years, the first competition, in 1958, included two disciplines: piano and violin. Beginning with the second competition, in 1962, a cello category was added, and the vocal division was introduced during the third competition in 1966. In 1990, a fifth discipline was announced for the IX International Tchaikovsky Competition: a contest for violin makers, which traditionally comes before the main competition. In 2019, two new categories were added to the competition, woodwinds and brass.[6]
On 25 June 2019, at the final round of the piano category, Chinese competitor Tianxu An was supposed to play Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 followed by Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. However, the scores on the orchestra's and conductor's stands were placed in reversed order and the Rachmaninoff piece was announced first, different from what the pianist requested. Since An didn't understand Russian, he was unaware of the situation. With the piano entry in the Rachmaninoff almost immediate, the performance "began with a failure". Following the incident, jury chair Denis Matsuev invited him to perform the program again, but An declined. The competition made an official apology and the orchestra administration suspended the responsible staff after the event. An was eventually awarded a "special prize" for his confidence and courage.[7] [8] [9] [10]
In 1971, the International Tchaikovsky Competition joined the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), which had been founded in 1957. On 19 April 2022, in line with widespread sanctions in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the WFIMC decided with an overwhelming majority of member votes to exclude the International Tchaikovsky Competition from its membership with immediate effect.[11] [12]
Winners of the prizes and medals awarded in the given year and category.[13]
| 1958 | Van Cliburn (USA) | Lev Vlassenko (USSR) Liu Shikun (China) | Naum Shtarkman (USSR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Vladimir Ashkenazy (USSR) John Ogdon (UK) | Susan Starr (USA) Yin Chengzong (China) | Eliso Virsaladze (USSR) |
| 1966 | Grigory Sokolov (USSR) | Misha Dichter (USA) | (USSR) |
| 1970 | Vladimir Krainev (USSR) John Lill (UK) | Horacio Gutiérrez (Cuba) | Arthur Moreira Lima (Brazil) Viktoria Postnikova (USSR) |
| 1974 | Andrei Gavrilov (USSR) | Myung-whun Chung (South Korea) Stanislav Igolinsky (USSR) | Youri Egorov (USSR) |
| 1978 | Mikhail Pletnev (USSR) | Pascal Devoyon (France) André Laplante (Canada) | Nikolai Demidenko (USSR) Evgeny Rivkin (USSR) |
| 1982 | Not awarded | Peter Donohoe (UK) Vladimir Ovchinnikov (USSR) | Michie Koyama (Japan)[14] [15] |
| 1986 | Barry Douglas (UK) | (USSR) | Irina Plotnikova (USSR) |
| 1990 | Boris Berezovsky (USSR) | Vladimir Mischouk (USSR) | Kevin Kenner (USA) Johan Schmidt (Belgium) Anton Mordasov (USSR) |
| 1994 | Not awarded | Nikolai Lugansky (Russia) | Vadim Rudenko (Russia) HaeSun Paik (South Korea) |
| 1998 | Denis Matsuev (Russia) | Vadim Rudenko (Russia) | Freddy Kempf (UK) |
| 2002 | Ayako Uehara (Japan) | Alexei Nabiulin (Russia) | Jin Ju (China) Andrey Ponochevny (Belarus) |
| 2007 | Not awarded | Miroslav Kultyshev (Russia) | Alexander Lubyantsev (Russia) |
| 2011 | Daniil Trifonov (Russia) | Yeol Eum Son (South Korea) | Seong-Jin Cho (South Korea) |
| 2015 | Dmitry Masleev (Russia) | Lukas Geniušas (Lithuania/Russia) George Li (USA) | Sergei Redkin (Russia) Daniel Kharitonov (Russia) |
| 2019 | Alexandre Kantorow (France) | Mao Fujita (Japan) Dmitry Shishkin (Russia) | Konstantin Emelyanov (Russia) Kenneth Broberg (USA) Alexey Melnikov (Russia) |
| 2023 | Sergei Davydchenko (Russia) | George Harliono (UK) Valentin Malinin (Russia) Angel Stanislav Wang (USA) | Stanislav Korchagin (Russia) Ilya Papoyan (Russia) |
| 1958 | Valery Klimov (USSR) | Victor Pikayzen (USSR) | (Romania) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Boris Gutnikov (USSR) | Shmuel Ashkenasi (Israel) (USSR) | Nina Beilina (USSR) Yoko Kubo (Japan) | |
| 1966 | Viktor Tretiakov (USSR) | Masuko Ushioda (Japan) Oleg Kagan (USSR) | Yoko Sato (Japan) Oleh Krysa (USSR) | |
| 1970 | Gidon Kremer (USSR) | Vladimir Spivakov (USSR) Mayumi Fujikawa (Japan) | Liana Isakadze (USSR) | |
| 1974 | Not awarded | Eugene Fodor (USA) Ruben Aharonyan (USSR) Rusudan Gvasaliya (USSR) | Marie-Annick Nicolas (France) Vanya Milanova (Bulgaria) | |
| 1978 | Ilya Grubert (USSR) Elmar Oliveira (USA) | Mihaela Martin (Romania) Dylana Jenson (USA) | Irina Medvedeva (USSR) Alexandr Vinnitsky (USSR) | |
| 1982 | Viktoria Mullova (USSR) Sergei Stadler (USSR) | Tomoko Kato (Japan) | Stephanie Chase (USA) Andres Cardenes (USA) | |
| 1986 | Ilya Kaler (USSR) Raphaël Oleg (France) | (China) Maxim Fedotov (USSR) | Jane Peters (Australia) | |
| 1990 | Akiko Suwanai (Japan) | (USSR) | Alyssa Park (USA) | |
| 1994 | Not awarded | Anastasia Chebotareva (Russia) Jennifer Koh (USA) | (Russia) Marco Rizzi (Italy) | |
| 1998 | Nikolai Sachenko (Russia) | Latica Honda-Rosenberg (Germany) | Ichun Pan (China) | |
| 2002 | Not awarded | Tamaki Kawakubo (Japan/USA) Xi Chen (China) | (Russia) | |
| 2007 | Mayuko Kamio (Japan) | Nikita Boriso-Glebsky (Russia) | Yuki Manuela Janke (Germany) | |
| 2011[16] | Not awarded | Sergey Dogadin (Russia) Itamar Zorman (Israel) | (South Korea) | |
| 2015 | Not awarded | Yu-Chien Tseng (Taiwan) | Alexandra Conunova (Moldova) Haik Kazazyan (Russia) Pavel Milyukov (Russia) | |
| 2019 | Sergey Dogadin (Russia) | Marc Bouchkov (Belgium) | Donghyun Kim (South Korea) | |
| 2023 | Gyehee Kim (South Korea) | (Russia) | Daniil Kogan (Russia) Chaowen Luo (China) Elena Tarosyan (Russia) |
| 1962 | Natalia Shakhovskaya (USSR) | Leslie Parnas (USA) (USSR) | Natalia Gutman (USSR) (USSR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | (USSR) | Stephen Kates (USA) Arto Noras (Finland) | Kenichiro Yasuda (Japan) (USSR) |
| 1970 | David Geringas (USSR) | (USSR) | Ko Iwasaki (Japan) |
| 1974 | Boris Pergamenschikov (USSR) | Ivan Monighetti (USSR) | Hirofumi Kanno (Japan) Seta Baltayan (Bulgaria) |
| 1978 | Nathaniel Rosen (USA) | Mari Fudzivara (Japan) Daniel Veis (Czechoslovakia) | Alexander Kniazev (USSR) Alexander Rudin (USSR) |
| 1982 | Antonio Meneses (Brazil) | Alexander Rudin (USSR) | Georg Faust (West Germany) |
| 1986 | Mario Brunello (Italy) Kirill Rodin (USSR) | Suren Bagratuni (USSR) Martti Rousi (Finland) | Sara Sant'Ambrogio (USA) John Sharp (USA) |
| 1990 | Gustav Rivinius (West Germany) | Françoise Groben (Luxembourg) Alexander Kniazev (USSR) | Bion Tsang (USA) (UK) |
| 1994 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 1998 | Denis Shapovalov (Russia) | Li-Wei Qin (Australia) | (Russia) |
| 2002 | Not awarded | Johannes Moser (Germany) | Claudius Popp (Germany) Alexander Chaushian (Armenia) |
| 2007 | Sergey Antonov (Russia) | Alexander Buzlov (Russia) | István Várdai (Hungary) |
| 2011 | Narek Hakhnazaryan (Armenia) | Edgar Moreau (France) | Ivan Karizna (Belarus) |
| 2015 | Andrei Ioniță (Romania) | Alexander Ramm (Russia) | Alexander Buzlov (Russia) |
| 2019 | Zlatomir Fung (USA) | (Colombia) | Anastasia Kobekina (Russia) |
| 2023 | Youngeun Lee (South Korea) | Maria Zaitseva (Russia) | Sanghyeok Park (South Korea) |
| 1966 | Jane Marsh (USA) | Veronica Tyler (USA) Evelina Stoytseva (Bulgaria) | Not awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Elena Obraztsova (USSR) Tamara Sinyavskaya (USSR) | Not awarded | Evdokia Kolesnik (USSR) |
| 1974 | Not awarded | (USSR) Stefka Evstatieva (Bulgaria) Sylvia Sass (Hungary) | Galina Kalinina (USSR) Tatiana Erastova (USSR) |
| 1978 | Lyudmila Shemchuk (USSR) | Lyudmila Nam (USSR) | Ewa Podleś (Poland) Mariana Ciaromila (Romania) |
| 1982 | Lidiya Zabilyasta (USSR) | Khuraman Gasimova (USSR) | Dolora Zajick (USA) |
| 1986 | Natalia Erasova (USSR) | Barbara Kilduff (USA) Ana Felicia Filip (Romania) | Maria Guleghina (USSR) |
| 1990 | Deborah Voigt (USA) | Marina Shaguch (USSR) | Emilia Oprea (Romania) Maria Khokhlogorskaya (USSR) |
| 1994 | Hibla Gerzmava (Georgia) Marina Lapina (Russia) | Laura Claycomb (USA) Tatiana Zakharchu (Ukraine) | Irina Gelahova (Russia) |
| 1998 | (Japan) | Elena Manistina (Russia) | Maira Mukhamed (Kazakhatan) |
| 2002 | Aitalina Afanasieva-Adamova (Russia) | (China) | (Russia) |
| 2007 | Albina Shagimuratova (Russia) | Olesya Petrova (Russia) | Marika Gulordava (Japan) |
| 2011 | Sunyoung Seo (South Korea) | Not awarded | Elena Guseva (Russia) |
| 2015 | Yulia Matochkina (Russia) | Svetlana Moskalenko (Russia) | Mane Galoyan (Armenia) |
| 2019 | Maria Barakova (Russia) | Aigul Khismatullina (Russia) | Maria Motoligina (Russia) |
| 2023 | Zinaida Tsarenko (Russia) | Olga Maslova (Russia) | Albina Tonkikh (Belarus) |
| 1966 | Vladimir Atlantov (USSR) | Nikolai Okhotnikov (USSR) | Simon Estes (USA) Konstantin Lisovsky (USSR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Yevgeny Nesterenko (USSR) (USSR) | Vladislav Piavko (USSR) Zurab Sotkilava (USSR) | Victor Trishin (USSR) |
| 1974 | (USSR) | Kolos Kováts (Hungary) | Anatoly Ponomarenko (USSR) Vladimir Malchenko (USSR) |
| 1978 | Not awarded | Valentin Pivovarov (USSR) Nikita Storojev (USSR) | Yuri Statnik (USSR) |
| 1982 | Paata Burchuladze (USSR) | Gegham Grigoryan (USSR) | Vladimir Chernov (USSR) |
| 1986 | Alexander Morozov (USSR) Grigory Gritsyuk (USSR) | Barseg Tumanyan (USSR) | Sergei Martynov (USSR) |
| 1990 | Hans Choi (USA) | Boris Statsenko (USSR) | Oleg Kulko (USSR) Wojciech Drabowicz (Poland) |
| 1994 | Chen-Ye Yuan (China) | Not awarded | Mikhail Davydov (Russia) Ho Gwan Su (North Korea) |
| 1998 | Besik Gabitashvili (Georgia) | Yevgeny Nikitin (Russia) | Alexander Kisselev (Russia) |
| 2002 | (Russia) | Andrej Dunaev (Russia) | Kim Don Seub (South Korea) |
| 2007 | Alexander Tsymbalyuk (Ukraine) | Dmitry Belosselskiy (Russia) | Maxim Paster (Ukraine) |
| 2011 | Jongmin Park (South Korea) | Enkhbatyn Amartüvshin (Mongolia) | Not awarded |
| 2015 | Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar (Mongolia) | Chuanyue Wang (China) | Hansung Yoo (South Korea) |
| 2019 | Georgios Alexandros Stavrakakis (Greece) | Gihoon Kim (South Korea) | Migran Agagzanyan (Russia) |
| 2023 | Jihoon Son (South Korea) | Maksim Lisiin (Russia) Zhenxiang Hong (China) | Inheo Jeong (South Korea) |
| 2019 | Matvey Demin (flute; Russia) | Joidy Blanco (flute; Venezuela) | Alessandro Beverari (clarinet; Italy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Sofia Viland (flute; Russia) | Anna Komarova (flute; Russia) Fedor Osver (oboe; Russia) | Ye Sung Kim (flute; South Korea) Augusto Velio Palumbo (bassoon; Italy) Lev Zhuravskiy (clarinet; Russia) |
| 2019 | Zeng Yun (horn; China) Aleksey Lobikov (trombone; Russia) | Fedor Shagov (tuba; Russia) | Felix Dervaux (horn; France) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Semyon Salomatnikov (trumpet; Russia) | Zhicheng Jin (horn; China) | Not awarded |
| Year | Winner | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Hibla Gerzmava | Vocal, female |
| 2011[17] | Daniil Trifonov | Piano |
| 2015[18] | Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar | Vocal, male |
| 2019[19] | Alexandre Kantorow | Piano |
| 2023[20] | Zinaida Tsarenko | Vocal, female |