In last years Yamaha / The Pianist Magazine competition for adult amatuers, does anyone know what the classical finalists played in their recitals?

The web site tells us that the winner played Chopin and Debussy, but no more. It has more detail on the 2005 competition. The winner of that (Sabine Vinck) played "a Clementi sonata" and Prokofiev's Sonata No 1. We also learn that another of the finalists (Tim Morris) was the crowd's favourite and played Liszt's "Funerailles".

I'll be interested to see the answers to this, because I was planning to enter the next one in 2009, but you only get a 15 minute slot - which is a bit limiting. Beethoven did not write many sonatas that short. I can't decide whether to choose something flashy - some crowd pleaser from Liszt like a Hungarian Rhapsody or the first Mephisto Waltz (with something short as an opener), or a Classical sonata from Mozart or Haydn.

The fancy octaves and jumps look the more difficult, but when it comes down to it a classical sonata demands more control, and is a more dangerous choice, because a tiny mistake, as simple as coming down slightly heavy on a single note, can sound dreadful. With Liszt half the notes can "end up under the piano" as Artur Rubinstein used to say of some of his recitals ... and it will still sound OK!

From the lack of response I take it that no-one out there knows anything about this
<-- Hides disappointment

This competition is only open to citizens of the UK, which is too bad. Otherwise, I would be on the next plane to play in London. Why don't we make this international as well?

Anyway, the Concours des Grands Amateurs in Paris I know a lot about. Preliminaries are April 9-10, Quarterfinals and Semifinals are April 11, and Finals are April 12.

See www.pianoamateurs.com

That website will give you everything you need to know.

By the way, one of the finalists of this UK amateur competition, Rupert Egerton-Smith, was the second prize winner in Paris amateur competition two years ago in 2006.

The competition in Paris is simply anywhere from 30-60 minutes of music with only one piece of Bach required.

It is open repertoire, and I think what matters at least in Paris, is that you show a CERTAIN level of technical profiency but that is not the be all or end all of the result. Quality of playing is almost extremely important as well.

I guess I will find out in a month as I am playing in the Paris competition.

All of you from the UK could enter that as well, and it is not too far from you, although it is quite far from me in the US.

There's a review of the final concert here.

Thank you!

Who is this Kevin Rogers, who wrote the review? Very negative criticism.