About competition

Among the cultural and art measures that promote Ukraine's integration with the world community the International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz figures prominently.

The Competition was founded in 1995 commemorates a memory of our eminent compatriot, legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz. 

Over 1200 young musicians from 33 countries have taken part in the competition so far. Victory in the Competition is honourable and high recommendation for a performer. It's confirmed by the further success of the Competition's laureates who became winners of the prestigious world musical contests such as Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Japan) - Alexej Gorlatch; Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Japan) and Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition (Israel) - Olexandr Gavrylyuk; Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (USA) - Olexej Koltakov; ARD International Music Competition (Germany) - Denys Proshchaiev; Maria Callas Grand Prix (Greece) - Vadym Kholodenko, Maria Kim; Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia - Yevgen Ukhanov; Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists (Germany) - Kostiantyn Tovstukha; the International Tchaikovsky Competition (Russia) - Dmytro Onishchenko; Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition (USA) - Cheung Wai Ching Rachel; International piano competition Ettore Pozzoli (Italy) - Alexandr Pirojenko; Competition in Shanghai - Olexij Grynyuk; "George Enescu" International Festival and competition (Rumania) - Eduard Kunz; 62nd Gian Battista Viotti International piano Competition (Italy) - Illya Zuyko; "Ferruccio Busoni" International Piano Competition (Italy), Marocco Philarmony International Piano Competition - Antonii Barishevskyi; Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Japan), Géza Anda International Piano Competition in Zurich (Switzerland) - Elmar Gasanov; 6th Prix Du Piano Interlaken Classics (Switzerland) - Alexander Sinchuk

In 1998 the Competition initiated the renaissance of the traditions of holding the enlightening concerts for public on the open stage of the Central Park of culture and resort. During 10 International festivals "Kyiv Summer Music Evenings" there were 364 concerts, in which 836 participants and 171 groups took part from 31 countries of the world such as Austria, Armenia, Belarus, China, Croatia, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mexico, Macedonia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA and Yugoslavia 

In order to encourage further development of young laureates the International Charitable Fund of Vladimir Horowitz competition initiated in 2006 the first in the world music festival The International festival "Virtuosos of the Planet". It is a unique project because representatives of the planet's performing elite, first prize-winners and Grand Prix holders of the most prestigious world competitions - members of the World Federation of International Music Competitions - perform in the Festival. 

On the occasion of the first Festival the President of the WFIMC Marianne Granvig said "When the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) accepted the International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz as a member in 2004, it was knowing that this competition has great potential for pursuing the Mission and Objectives of the WFIMC. The administration of the Competition has already carried out a number of very good initiatives for promoting young and talented musicians in Ukraine and abroad.

In 2006 the Competition has initiated a Festival "Virtuosos of the Planet", featuring top winners of international competitions, members of the WFIMC. One of the major issues for our member competitions is to further the careers of the winners. Allow me therefore to underline the importance of this new initiative, which will create an extremely useful platform for young artists, at the same time as being a showcase for the esteemed International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz, for Kyiv as a cultural center as well as for the WFIMC".

So in this way as a part of active cooperation between world competitions the laureates' exchange takes place. As a result the laureates of the Horowitz competition have got an opportunity to give concerts in different countries of the world. 

The laureates' concert exchange is done between the International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz and world competitions (Carl Nielsen International Music Competition (Denmark); Tbilisi International Piano Competition (Georgia); International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (the Netherlands) and the EMCY and offices of JM in such countries as Norway, Spain, Estonia and Italy.

Seven compact discs with the recordings of laureates' performance as well as two discs of multimedia encyclopedia of the competition, which include unique documents about the life of Vladimir Horowitz in Kyiv, history of the competition's establishment, information about the laureates and diploma holders, jury, recordings of Horowitz's performance and competition's laureates, have been produced.

In 2000 the Competition became one of the founders of the Association of academic musical competitions (Ukraine) which consists of the most recognized competitions of our country. 

In 2002 the Competition became a member of the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth (EMCY) and in 2004 the Competition was accepted as a member to the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC).

In August 2005 the General Assembly of Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) admitted the International Charitable Fund of Vladimir Horowitz Competition to JMI.

In October - November 2008 during the VIII International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz were held EMCY General Assembly.