Young Georgian pianists selected for major Spanish, Israeli competitions
Pianists David Khrikuli, Sandro Gegechkori and Giorgi Gigashvili have been accepted to perform at two of this year's important piano competitions. Photos: clevelandpiano.org, Ani Nikabadze, Giorgi Gigashvili on Facebook.
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Young Georgian piano talents Sandro Gegechkori, Giorgi Gigashvili and David Khrikuli will be among competitors entering two of the important international competitions this coming spring, with the Maria Canals Barcelona International Piano Music Competition in Barcelona and the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv set to host their performances.
The three artists will appear among selected contestants in the events, with Gegechkori entering the Spanish competition before Gigashvili and Khrikuli are invited to showcase their talent among 39 entrants of the Israeli event.
Starting in the last week of March, Gegechkori, recipient of first prize of the 2017 Feurich International Piano, Vocal and Chamber Music Competition in Vienna, will be part of the MCB contest, dubbed "the dean of music competitions in Spain".
The Georgian has been selected for the 66th edition of the event - one of the first worldwide competitions to be accepted by the World Federation of International Music Competitions - after organisers reviewed the submission of a recording of his performance.
Held in Barcelona between March 22-April 2, the competition will close with a final concert at the city's Palau de la Música Catalana.
A month later, Gigashvili and Khrikuli will be in Tel Aviv for the Rubinstein contest, where young talent from across the world will converge for two weeks of intense assessment.
They will be part of a selection of nearly 40 artists - of which the youngest is aged 18 and the oldest 31 - involved in recitals and concerts between May 5-21.
The Israeli competition has previously seen performances by Georgian pianists including Alexander Korsantia and Khatia Buniatishvili, who later went on to have international breakthroughs and critically acclaimed careers.
Among this year's Georgian entrants, Gigashvili is a recipient of two prizes at last year's Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition and winner of the International Piano Competition ‘City of Vigo’.
On his part, Khrikuli has won third prize and a special prize for best performance of a Schubert work at the 2016 Rubinstein contest for young pianists, as well as first prize and a special prize for best performance of a Carl Nelson piece at the 2013 Aarhus International Piano Competition for Young Musicians, among other awards.