Special prize for the best performance of a piece by Miłosz Magin at 2nd Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music

The first officially confirmed award outside the main prizes of the 2nd Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music will be given for the best performance of a piece by Miłosz Magin. The prize was funded by Ms Margot Magin - the composer's daughter and honorary president of the Miłosz Magin Foundation.

A prize of 500 euros will be awarded for the best performance of a piano sonata or a chamber piece by Miłosz Magin. The prize will be awarded in one of the two competition categories, after consultation and joint decision of both jury.

Miłosz Magin (1929?1999) was a world-renowned Polish pianist and composer. He became famous as an outstanding Chopin music player. He has recorded a complete set of Fryderyk Chopin's works for the Decca label. He was also a laureate of international piano competitions. From 1960, he lived in Paris, where he was an important figure in musical life, but still had strong ties with Polish culture, which was reflected both in his piano repertoire, organizational and artistic activities, as well as in his work, in which he often used motifs of Polish dances. In 1985, Miłosz Magin established in Paris the International Miłosz Magin Piano Competition, organised every second year, whose obligatory programme includes compositions by Polish composers.

Pianists can choose for the 2nd Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music, one of the four Magin?s piano sonatas (Sonata No. 1, 1968; Sonata No. 2, 1981; Sonata No. 3, 1990; Sonata No. 4, 1997). All the sonatas were written during the composer's stay in Paris over many years, they are stylistically and expressively varied, and due to their virtuoso character, they require a high level of technical proficiency from the performer. In the chamber ensembles category, participants can choose from several stylistically diverse pieces from different phases of the composer's work, intended for different performances. Many of Magin's works have been released by the family publishing house Concertino and are available upon request (Editions Concertino Paris, tel. +33 1 43 86 03 16, e-mail: EdConcertino(at)aol.com).

Recently, the outstanding French pianist of the young generation has joined the artists popularizing Magin's work - Lucas Debargue, who encountered Magin's works at the beginning of his musical education. The pianist performs and records works by Magin from Kremerata Baltica, conducted by Gidon Kremer. The musician also performed Magin's Piano Concerto No. 3 at the inauguration of the 2020/21 season at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw.

More information about the composer and pieces in the tab: Composers.