2024.02.08
Okuhamanako International Piano Festival successfully concluded
The Okuhamanako International Piano Festival was held successfully in December 2023. As a project to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Okuhamanako Lions Club, the festival aimed to offer a challenge to both amateur and professional piano-players alike, as well as to support the musical talent of the future through local efforts, and to revitalize the local community by sharing the richness of music itself.
Contestants were separated into two age brackets – one for 12 years old & under and another for 13 years old and over. These brackets were then further sub-divided by age group. During both the preliminary and final rounds, contestants were allowed to play a piece of their choosing. Contestants were judged during the preliminary round in advance through video entries, with those successful being invited to showcase their talents on stage at the final round held at the city’s Sala Music Hall.
In the final round for the 13-and-over age group, Professor Emeritus Alexander Jenner of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna joined the other esteemed judges in the jury, where he reviewed the contestants’ performance videos and left a personalized message for each of the contestants.
Jenner is an internationally-active pianist and is already familiar with Hamamatsu, the City of Music, having served as a juror for various competitions including the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and given lessons as a guest professor at the “Hamamatsu International Piano Academy” (see our newsletter:
https://www.creative-hamamatsu.jp/blog/hamamatsu-international-piano-academy/）
Check out the enthusiastic performances of the winners on the official YouTube page of Okuhamanako Lions Club:
https://youtu.be/eva96PwdhgI?si=2DNeheEMIoaaptP2
The festival celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the founding of the Okuhamanako Lions Club. Congratulations!
