Around the Music Festival

The final selection of the piano section of the French Ron Thiborg Crespan International Music Competition was held on the 16th, Kenji Miura (26) won the championship, and Shingo Mukawa (26) won the second place. Third place was Armenian Zhora Sargsyan (24). It is the first time that Japanese have monopolized the 1st and 2nd place.

Miura is from Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, and studied in England at the age of 13. Currently, he is studying music at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin. Mukawa is from Tokai City, Aichi Prefecture, and won the Music Competition of Japan while attending Tokyo University of the Arts. He later studied at the National Conservatoire de Paris, and is currently playing music based in Paris.

Known as the gateway to young musicians, the competition was founded in 1943 by violinist Jacques Thibaud and pianist Marguerite Long. From 2011, a new vocal music department was established, and the name of “Régine Crespin” was added to the current name. Every year, three departments are held alternately.

This time, Martha Argerich served as the chairman of the jury, but there were conflicting opinions within the jury. Argerich didn’t witness the final, and didn’t show up at the final announcement. The booing flew from the venue when the results were announced.

Photo：Concours international Long-Thibaud-Crespin


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