Naumburg International Piano Competition
Encyclopedia
The Naumburg International Piano Competition is a music competition for young pianist
s, of ages 17 to 32, organized in New York City
, USA since 1926. It is sponsored by the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation
. It is one of the oldest music competitions in the world, and it has helped launch the career of some of the 20th century's greatest pianists, such as Jorge Bolet
, William Kapell
, Abbey Simon
, Theodore Lettvin
, Constance Keene
, Adele Marcus
, Kun-Woo Paik
, Andre-Michel Schub
and Stephen Hough
, among many others.
Because of its rich and long history, it is considered one of the most prestigious contests of its kind in the world. It has been described by the New York Times as "in its quiet way, the most prestigious of them all."
The piano competition is dedicated to the ideals set out by Walter Naumburg, as are the other Foundation-sponsored competitions and awards in solo and chamber music performance, composer recordings, conducting and commissions. Naumburg believed that such competitions were not only for the benefit of new stars, but would encourage talented young artists to become prime movers in the development of the highest standards of musical excellence throughout the world. The solo competition disciplines rotate from year to year, encompassing piano, violin, cello and voice. The piano competition is currently held every five years.
The winner usually receives a cash prize, a string of performances, management, a recording contract, and New York City debuts in the city's most important classical music venues. In recent years, the Foundation office has undertaken to manage new winners for two seasons or until a commercial manager emerges to take them on.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
s, of ages 17 to 32, organized in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, USA since 1926. It is sponsored by the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation
Walter W. Naumburg Foundation
The Walter W. Naumburg Foundation sponsors competitions and provides awards for young classical musicians in North America. It was founded in 1925 by Walter Wehle Naumburg, a wealthy amateur cellist and son of noted New York music patron and philanthropist Elkan Naumburg. Elkan Naumburg, owner of...
. It is one of the oldest music competitions in the world, and it has helped launch the career of some of the 20th century's greatest pianists, such as Jorge Bolet
Jorge Bolet
Jorge Bolet was a Cuban-born but mostly American-resident pianist and teacher.-Life:Bolet was born in Havana, and studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he himself taught from 1939 to 1942...
, William Kapell
William Kapell
William Kapell was an outstanding American pianist who was killed in the crash of a commercial airliner.-Biography:...
, Abbey Simon
Abbey Simon
-Education:Simon began lessons with David Saperton at the age of five. At the age of eight, Simon was accepted by Józef Hofmann as a scholarship student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he trained with fellow classmates Jorge Bolet and Sidney Foster. Simon also took lessons...
, Theodore Lettvin
Theodore Lettvin
Theodore Lettvin was an American concert pianist and conductor.Lettvin's first concert was at the age of 5 at the Lyon & Healy in Chicago. At age 11 he appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under conductor Frederik Stock...
, Constance Keene
Constance Keene
Constance Keene was an American pianist, who attracted great praise for her 1964 recording of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Preludes, and also won critical acclaim for her recordings of the works of Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Carl Maria von Weber and Felix Mendelssohn.She was raised in Brooklyn, New York...
, Adele Marcus
Adele Marcus
Adele Marcus was an American pianist, but better known as a teacher of many other famous pianists.She was born in Kansas City, the last of 13 children of a rabbi of Russian descent...
, Kun-Woo Paik
Kun-Woo Paik
Kun-woo Paik is a South Korean pianist.-Early life:Kun Woo Paik was born in Seoul. he gave his first concert, aged 10, with the Korean National Orchestra . In the following years he performed many important works in Korea, including several premieres such as Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition...
, Andre-Michel Schub
Andre-Michel Schub
-Biography:Schub came to New York City with his family, when he was eight months old. He began his piano studies with his mother when he was four, and later continued his work with Jascha Zayde. He attended Princeton University, and then transferred to the Curtis Institute of Music, where he...
and Stephen Hough
Stephen Hough
Stephen Andrew Gill Hough is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He became an Australian citizen in 2005 and thus has dual nationality .-Biography:...
, among many others.
Because of its rich and long history, it is considered one of the most prestigious contests of its kind in the world. It has been described by the New York Times as "in its quiet way, the most prestigious of them all."
The piano competition is dedicated to the ideals set out by Walter Naumburg, as are the other Foundation-sponsored competitions and awards in solo and chamber music performance, composer recordings, conducting and commissions. Naumburg believed that such competitions were not only for the benefit of new stars, but would encourage talented young artists to become prime movers in the development of the highest standards of musical excellence throughout the world. The solo competition disciplines rotate from year to year, encompassing piano, violin, cello and voice. The piano competition is currently held every five years.
The winner usually receives a cash prize, a string of performances, management, a recording contract, and New York City debuts in the city's most important classical music venues. In recent years, the Foundation office has undertaken to manage new winners for two seasons or until a commercial manager emerges to take them on.
Winners
Complete list of winners- 1926 First Prize: Sonia Kalka, Margaret Hamilton.
- 1927 First Prize: Dorothy Kendrick, William Sauber.
- 1928 First Prize: Adele MarcusAdele MarcusAdele Marcus was an American pianist, but better known as a teacher of many other famous pianists.She was born in Kansas City, the last of 13 children of a rabbi of Russian descent...
. - 1930 First Prize: Ruth Culbertson.
- 1932 First Prize: Dalies Frantz, Huddie Johnson.
- 1933 First Prize: Catherine Carver.
- 1935 First Prize: Judith Sidorsky.
- 1937 First Prize: Jorge BoletJorge BoletJorge Bolet was a Cuban-born but mostly American-resident pianist and teacher.-Life:Bolet was born in Havana, and studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he himself taught from 1939 to 1942...
, Ida Krehm. - 1939 First Prize: Zadel Skolovsky.
- 1940 First Prize: Abbey SimonAbbey Simon-Education:Simon began lessons with David Saperton at the age of five. At the age of eight, Simon was accepted by Józef Hofmann as a scholarship student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he trained with fellow classmates Jorge Bolet and Sidney Foster. Simon also took lessons...
, Thomas Richner. - 1941 First Prize: William KapellWilliam KapellWilliam Kapell was an outstanding American pianist who was killed in the crash of a commercial airliner.-Biography:...
. - 1942 First Prize: Annette Elkanova.
- 1943 First Prize: Constance KeeneConstance KeeneConstance Keene was an American pianist, who attracted great praise for her 1964 recording of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Preludes, and also won critical acclaim for her recordings of the works of Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Carl Maria von Weber and Felix Mendelssohn.She was raised in Brooklyn, New York...
, Ruth Geiger - 1944 First Prize: Jeanne Therrien.
- 1946 First Prize: Leonid HambroLeonid HambroLeonid Hambro was an American concert pianist and composer.-Life:He was the son of immigrant Russian Jews; his father was a pianist accompanying silent films....
, Jeanne Rosenblum. - 1947 First Prize: Abba Bogin, Jane Carlson.
- 1948 First Prize: Theodore LettvinTheodore LettvinTheodore Lettvin was an American concert pianist and conductor.Lettvin's first concert was at the age of 5 at the Lyon & Healy in Chicago. At age 11 he appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under conductor Frederik Stock...
. - 1950 First Prize: Margarte Barthel.
- 1951 First Prize: June Kovach.
- 1954 First Prize: William Doppmann, Jean Wentworth.
- 1956 First Prize: George Katz.
- 1958 First Prize: Joseph Schwartz.
- 1959 First Prize: Howard Aibel, Ralph VotapekRalph VotapekRalph Votapek is an American pianist notable for winning the First Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1962....
. - 1971 First Prize: Kun-Woo PaikKun-Woo PaikKun-woo Paik is a South Korean pianist.-Early life:Kun Woo Paik was born in Seoul. he gave his first concert, aged 10, with the Korean National Orchestra . In the following years he performed many important works in Korea, including several premieres such as Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition...
, Zola Shaulis. - 1974 First Prize: Andre-Michel SchubAndre-Michel Schub-Biography:Schub came to New York City with his family, when he was eight months old. He began his piano studies with his mother when he was four, and later continued his work with Jascha Zayde. He attended Princeton University, and then transferred to the Curtis Institute of Music, where he...
. - 1975 First Prize: Dickran Atamian.
- 1979 First Prize: Peter Orth.
- 1983 First Prize: Stephen HoughStephen HoughStephen Andrew Gill Hough is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He became an Australian citizen in 2005 and thus has dual nationality .-Biography:...
. - 1987 First Prize: Anton NelAnton NelAnton Nel is an American classical pianist.Nel was born to Afrikaans-speaking parents in Johannesburg, South Africa. Nel made his debut at the age of twelve with Beethoven’s C Major Concerto after only two years of study...
. - 1992 First Prize: Awadagin PrattAwadagin Pratt- Life :When he was 3 years old, Pratt moved with his parents to Normal, Illinois, where Illinois State University had offered his mother a position as a professor of social work and his Sierra Leone-born father, Theodore, one as a physics professor...
. - 1997 First Prize: Steven OsborneSteven Osborne (pianist)Steven Osborne is a Scottish pianist who has performed concertos and solo recitals worldwide.He was taught by Richard Beauchamp at St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh before going to the Royal Northern College of Music/Manchester University in Manchester to study under Renna Kellaway...
. Anthony Molinaro. - 2002 First Prize: Gilles Vonsattel.
- 2010 First Prize: Soyeon Lee.