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Piano virtuosos to compete at the 15th Unisa International Piano Competition
The fifteenth instalment of the Unisa International Piano Competition, a prestigious event hosted by the Unisa Music Foundation, is a flagship event that strives for musical excellence and has become the global stage for aspiring talents. This year, the event has attracted international competitors from Germany, France, the United States, China and Belgium. This renowned competition, a testament to Unisa's unwavering commitment to nurturing national and international artistic expression, has blossomed into a platform where potential transforms into refined mastery since its inception in 1982. This year's competition will run from 22 January to 3 February 2024 at the ZK Matthews Great Hall, Muckleneuk Campus.
Prof Karendra Devroop
This year, the competition will see national and international candidates compete for various prizes at the finals on Saturday 3 February.
In his welcome address, the Director of the Music Foundation directorate, Prof Karendra Devroop, welcomed the distinguished guests, including President of the Unisa International Music Competition, His Excellency Dr Thabo Mbeki; Principal and Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Unisa, Prof Puleng LenkaBula; the competition's adjudicators comprising internationally renowned music specialists, including Prof Nina Schumann, who won prizes at this competition in 1993 for Best South African Pianist; and jazz enthusiasts comprising students and staff members.
Devroop, overseeing the deliberations of the members of the Jury as their chairperson, affirmed that this year marks 42 years that the university has been hosting international competitions. He explained: "These competitions have grown to be recognised globally and ranked amongst reputable competitions. To date, we are the only competition in Africa that belongs to the World Federation of International Music Competitions, representing the highest possible international music competition standards."
Participants of the 2024 International Piano Competition
Devroop remarked that in 2015, they introduced jazz in parallel to their classical categories, which, he said, was a tremendous success, which, to date, has made the competition the only one in the world to have side-by-side jazz and classical music.
From left: Hans Vroomans, Makiko Hirabayashi, Kevin Harris, Xin Wang, Prof Nina Schumann, Albert Mamriev, Hughes Leclere and Ludmil Angelov
In conclusion, Devroop stated that in 2022, the VC challenged him to initiate African music in the competition. He said that they have made tremendous strides in this direction and will hopefully introduce it in the country next year.
The Unisa Big Band
The Unisa Big Band, an ensemble comprised of tutors from the Unisa Music Foundation, staff and professional musicians from the Gauteng region, drew the event to a close while performing their flagship cosmopolitan jazz music, captivating the audience throughout the rest of the evening.
* By Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement
** Photography by Shooheima Champion, Multimedia Centre
Publish date: 2024/01/24
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