Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition confirms 2022 details

The 2022 Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition has announced venues, ticket information and a record number of entrants.
Vanessa LatarcheVanessa Latarche
Vanessa Latarche

Also announced is a new partnership with The Royal College of Music Prince Consort Orchestra accompanying the semi-finals and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra accompanying the finals.

Managing director of Hastings International Piano Ian Roberts said: “The sixteenth prestigious Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition will take place for the first time in both Rye and in Hastings from February 24 to March 5 2022.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Due to heating difficulties at St Mary in the Castle, which could not be sufficiently rectified and the lack of availability of The White Rock Theatre, Hastings International Piano have made the decision to move round one of the competition to Rye Creative Centre. The second round, semi-final and finals of the competition will then return to Hastings and take place at The White Rock Theatre.”

Ian added: “Hastings International Piano is delighted to announce that a unique partnership has been agreed with The Royal College of Music to create a graduate orchestra, administered in Hastings to offer Royal College of Music graduates orchestral training and paid performance opportunities during the concerto competition semi-finals and throughout the year.

“We are also thrilled that the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will return to accompany our finalists during our two-night final. Steinway and Sons, the most prestigious piano maker in the world, was recently announced as the piano sponsor for the next concerto competition.

“With a first prize of £15,000, the competition in 2022 will provide twelve semi-finalists with the chance to perform a full concerto with The Royal College of Music Prince Consort Orchestra and six finalists the opportunity to perform a complete piano concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Competition entries were made by video audition only, via the competition website and in a move to enhance the environmental sustainability of future competitions. Earlier in November our pre-selection jury, led by our president of the Jury Professor Vanessa Latarche, made their final selections of which young pianists would be invited to compete at the competition live rounds.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ian added: “Because of the rescheduling of our concerto competition to February and March 2022, we were due to hold round one of the concerto competition at multiple venues because of scheduling difficulites. It recently came apparent that our first round of the competition could not take place in a venue without sufficient heating, which would have damaged our pianos.

“The team led by Professor Vanessa Latarche explored many other possible venues in Hastings and unfortunately could not find a suitable space for rehearsals, performances and our film crew. We are grateful to The Rye Creative Centre who are able to host our first round from February 24-26 and delighted to be returning to The White Rock Theatre for our second round, semi-finals and finals.”

Tickets for all rounds of the competition at both venues in Rye and Hastings can be bought from The White Rock Theatre box office.

Related topics: