Edvard Grieg was just 15 years old when, in 1858, he moved from Bergen to Leipzig to study piano and composition at the conservatory of music. Still a child in stature, but already endowed with the makings of one of Northern Europe's most famous composers. This moment from the Norwegian's biography is the model for the idea behind the International Piano Competition "Die jungen musikalischen Löwen". After its premiere in spring 2021, the competition has now taken place for the second time, from 29 September to 1 October 2023.
While the first edition still took place digitally only, under pandemic conditions, this year we were able to welcome the participants in person at Talstrasse 10. As two years ago, the Lions Club Leipzig Saxonia and LINKIES. Unternehmensberatung supported us significantly as main sponsors in carrying out the project. Edition Peters/Faber Music as well as the Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" and the "Johann Sebastian Bach" music school also contributed to a successful competition by providing rooms.
The format is aimed at musical youth; pupils aged between 8 and 17 could register until July 2023. Three pieces were to be presented: one from the Viennese Classical or Romantic period, a work of free choice and – particularly important to us – a composition by Edvard Grieg. 32 participants from almost every federal state of Germany had applied. One participant in age group I even made the long journey from Georgia to be able to take part in the events in Leipzig.
The competition was opened on Friday, 29 September with a concert. Wilhelmine Freytag, winner of the 2nd prize in age group I in 2021, shaped the programme together with jury member Ludovico Troncanetti from Siena. The performances by the participants followed on the subsequent days: 17 programmes in age group I (8 to 12 years) on Saturday and 15 programmes in age group II (13 to 17 years) on Sunday.
The jury was made up of four members. Alongside the vice-president of our association and piano professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy", Dietmar Nawroth, it included state parliament member and music producer Robert Clemen, piano professor at the Berlin University of the Arts Prof. Linde Großmann, and the Italian pianist Ludovico Troncanetti.
The results were officially announced on the very day of the performances. A total of 20 prizes were awarded; in age group II the first prize was even given twice:
The great interest in the 2nd International Piano Competition "Die jungen musikalischen Löwen" exceeded even our expectations of the format after its successful premiere. More than 200 visitors found their way to the Grieg-Begegnungsstätte over that weekend to listen to the young talents play. That the format received so much attention beyond the region – and in part internationally – fills us with optimism and makes us look forward with joy to the third edition in 2025. Great thanks are due not only to all the participants but also to the jury members and organisers.