The Competition

Risa & Aya Sakamoto, Japan – The Winners of 7th Edition (2018)

The Bialystok International Piano Duo Competition is an important event on the Polish music scene. The Competition promotes chamber music and builds on the cultural traditions of the local community. It connects artists and music lovers.

The participants of the Competition range from professionals to ones who are taking their first ‘music steps’. The first free editions of the Competition were directed by the late Professor Vitalis Raczkiewicz. He was a highly acclaimed pianist and scholar, always willing to assist with organizing this Event. That is why we would like to pay tribute to his outstanding work in this, the VII edition of the International Piano Duo Competition.

This year’s Event is also special since 2018 is the Jubilee Year marking the 100th Anniversary of Poland Regaining Independence. In the Competition repertoire there is a wide choice of musical works by Polish composers from the XIX to XXI centuries.

I welcome all the competitors and look forward to celebrating chamber music. I wish you every success and a wonderful time. I wish that the acclaimed jury makes right choices and for the audience, I wish you unforgettable moments. For the young pianists I hope their participation in the Competition will be an important step in their careers.

About Competition

The International Piano Duo Competition is an event of major importance in the Polish music life, especially in Białystok and the Podlasie region, where the concerts of the participants take place. For the numerous international group of piano players those “duet’s agons” are a chance to develop their artistic careers.