20th edition of the Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition receives record number of applications

Registration for the 20th Paloma O’Shea Santander International Piano Competition was launched in July of this year and, since the application deadline, the competition counted the highest number of entries in its history.

After the deadline for applications closed on 18 October, 303 applications were received from 46 nationalities across the world. Candidate ages range from 16 to 32, with the 24-29 age range being the largest group.

Now, after a thorough analysis of the applications, the pianists admitted will be announced in February and will participate in the Pre-Selection phase, which will be taking place in March and April 2022 in Madrid, Moscow, New York and Paris, through live public performances. The Pre-Selection Jury, including Márta Gulyás as president and pianists Alexander Kandelaki and Luis Fernando Pérez, will announce in April the twenty participants who will take part in the competition’s 20^th edition which will be held from 25 July to 5 August 2022 at Santander’s Palacio de Festivales. 

The 2022 Santander Piano Competition will have an exceptional jury, details of which can be found on the competition’s website. Guest artists the Casals Quartet and the RTVE Symphony Orchestra, will perform across the different stages of the Competition.

In addition to the competition’s customary cash prizes, CD recordings and international performances, this year’s competition will, for the first time, include a Special Award to the Best Chamber Music Performer, rewarded with a cash prize and a concert with the Casals Quartet, as well as the Audience Award, voted by the audience in the final.

You can find more information about the Paloma O’Shea Santander International Piano Competition at their website.