Jaeden Izik-Dzurko wins the First Prize and Gold Medal of the 20th Santander International Piano Competition

PRIZEWINNERS OF THE 20^TH SANTANDER INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

• Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, First Prize and Gold Medal 
• Xiaolu Zang, Second Prize sponsored by Bergé and Silver Medal 
• Marcel Tadokoro, Third Prize and Bronze Medal 
• Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, Special Award to the Best Chamber Music Performer 
• Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, Canon Audience Award 
• Yu Nitahara, Matyáš Novák and Domonkos Csabay, Finalist Diplomas

Last August 5, 2022, the Awards Ceremony of the 20^th Santander International Piano Competition was held at the Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria’s Sala Argenta.

The event has had the attendance of Santander’s Mayoress, Gema Igual; the Health Minister of the Cantabria Regional Government, Raúl Pesquera; the Director General of INAEM (National Stage Arts and Music Institute), Joan Francesc Marco; and the President of Fundación Albéniz and that of the Santander International Piano Competition, Paloma O’Shea.

At the beginning of the Gala, after the viewing a commemorative video of the 50 years of the Competition and the Paloma O’Shea’s words, the Finalist Awards have been delivered to Yu Nitahara (Japan), Matyáš Novák (Czech Republic) and Domonkos Csabay (Hungary).

Luis Olaya-González, Canon Product Printing and Business Services Director General, together with Notary Rafael Segura Báez, have presented the Canon Audience Award to Jaeden Izik-Dzurko. The Prize contains a series of high-end Canon products and has been decided with the voting of the attendees to the Final celebrated on 3 and 4 August at the Palacio de Festivales’ Sala Argenta.

Afterwards, the Jury’s President, Joaquín Achúcarro, has announced the winner of the Special Award to the Best Chamber Music Performer, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, who will have the opportunity to offer a concert with the Cuarteto Casals, guest artists in this edition of the competition and one of the chamber groups of international reference.

Joaquín Achúcarro, also read the Jury’s decision, awarding the First, Second and Third Prize to: 

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (Canada, 23 years old), First Prize and Gold Medal. Wins 30,000 Euros, a tour of concerts around Spain and abroad, as well as the recording of a CD under the Naxos label.

Xiaolu Zang (China, 22 years old), Second Prize, sponsored by Bergé, and Silver Medal. Wins 20,000 Euros and a tour of concerts around Spain and abroad.

Marcel Tadokoro (France/Japan, 28 years old), Third Prize and Bronze Medal. Wins 10,000 Euros and a tour of concerts around Spain and abroad.

The three award winners offered the audience a brief performance of thanks, and it was possible to hear from Tadokoro, Jean-Philippe Rameau with “Le rappel des oiseaux”; Zang chose 'Precipitate' from Sonata no. 7 by Sergei Prokofiev, and the first prize, Izik-Dzurko, by the composer Nikolai Médtner and his “Fairy Tales, op. 26” movements I. Allegretto freshly and II. Molto vivace.

 The Competition’s Awards Ceremony has been broadcast live on RTVE Play and the Competition’s YouTube Channel and deferred at 8:00 p.m. on TVE's La 2. 

The Santander Piano Competition enjoys the collaboration of several public and private institutions: Ministry of Culture and Sports (INAEM); Cantabria Regional Government; Santander City Council; Fundación Albéniz; Fundación Banco Santander; Fundación Botín; Fundación EDP; Editorial Cantabria; El Diario Montañés; Santander International Festival; Universidad de Cantabria;  Cámara de  Comercio de Cantabria; RTVE; Bergé; Grupo Planeta; Canon España; Naxos; Bannatyne Joyeros; Café Dromedario; Grupo Empresarial Sadisa; Hoteles Santos; Hotel Real; Grupo Tirso; Veolia; Volvo; Yamaha; Hinves Pianos; Steinway & Sons; Colegio de España in Paris; Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria; Sociedad Regional Educación, Cultura y Deporte S.L.; Agua de Solares and Selective Motor, as well as those private sponsors that prefer to remain anonymous.

Biographies of the winners: 

First Prize (Jaeden Izik-Dzurko): https://www.santanderpianocompetition.com/Participantes/C_Participante_Bio.aspx?id=22582

Bergé Second Prize (Xiaolu Zang): https://www.santanderpianocompetition.com/Participantes/C_Participante_Bio.aspx?id=22592

Third Prize (Marcel Tadokoro): https://www.santanderpianocompetition.com/Participantes/C_Participante_Bio.aspx?id=22591

Further information:

SANTANDER INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION 

34 942 31 14 51 | concurso@albeniz.com

Press Department: prensaconcurso@albeniz.com

www.santanderpianocompetition.com | Facebook (@ConcursodePianodeSantander) |

YouTube (www.youtube.com/PalomaOSheaSantanderPianoCompetition