Key Chopin youth piano competition underway in Beijing

The first Beijing International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition For Young Pianists will hit the concert hall of the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing, in October. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first Beijing International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition For Young Pianists is under way, with the finals set for October at the Central Conservatory of Music concert hall.

The competition in Beijing is undergoing its last stage for applications and the final selection for contestants will be held Aug 15-16. Following the same format as Poland's International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, the Beijing contest will be the only one of its kind in the country.

The competition is a top international music event and its jury committee includes 11 globally celebrated piano masters recommended by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. Members include prestigious pianist Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń and famous Polish pianist Andrzej Jasnski. Professional comment will be given at the competition, providing the contestants and audience a rare opportunity to get a touch of world-class music masters.

The competition is organized by China's Central Conservatory of Music, co-held by Beijing 21st Century China-Poland Art & Culture Exchange Center and the Fryderyk Chopin Institute and sponsored by the Oriental Music (Beijing) Co. Ltd. The cultural project was listed in the China-Poland cultural cooperation agreements signed earlier this year.