Robert Michaelson
This year's contestants represent countries including South Korea, China and the United States.
Presented by Musical Bridges Around the World, the quadrennial competition features top pianists from across the globe, vying for gold, silver and bronze medals with prizes of $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000, respectively.
Representing countries including South Korea, China and the United States, this year's contestants will be evaluated by a jury of six world-class pianists and music industry leaders, led by Jury Chair Scott Yoo, the chief conductor and artistic director of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra.
This year, legendary singer Dionne Warwick is serving as the competition's honorary chair and will also perform a paid concert at the Majestic Theatre on Jan. 31.
The Gurwitz begins with its Grand Opening at the Coates Chapel on UTSA's Southwest Campus, which will feature performances from members of the jury panel as well as the drawing of the competitors' performance order ($75, 7 p.m. Jan. 26, 300 Augusta St.). The competition's four rounds will be held in concert halls across San Antonio, including the Carver Community Cultural Center and Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, from Jan. 27-Feb. 3. They are free, but tickets are required. Each round will also be streamed online for free viewing.
The first two rounds will be held at the University of the Incarnate Word's Dianne Bennack Concert Hall from Jan. 27-30. For these rounds, each pianist will perform a 50-minute recital featuring a variety of solo repertoire. After round one, six semifinalists will be selected to move forward to round two (1-4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. Jan. 27-28, 1-4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. Jan. 30, 4301 Broadway).
With the competitors whittled down to three finalists, round three will commence Feb. 1 at the Carver Center. Each finalist will perform a selection of repertoire composed after 1950 as well as a newly commissioned chamber music work written by San Antonio composer Aaron Prado, for which they will be joined by performers from the Mexico City Philharmonic and leona player Vico Díaz (7 p.m. Feb. 1, 226 N. Hackberry St.).
The competition will culminate with a final round held at the Tobin Center, in which the finalists will perform a complete concerto with the Mexico City Philharmonic, conducted by Yoo (7 p.m. Feb. 3, 100 Auditorium Circle). The gold, silver and bronze medal winners will be announced following that performance.
Various times and locations Jan. 26-Feb. 4, (210) 464-1534, musicalbridges.org/gurwitz.
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