Postponed

Postponed

Dear friends,

It is with great regret that I must announce the postponement of our Classic Piano International Competition, originally scheduled to take place in April and May this year. 

Following detailed discussions both here in Malta and with our colleagues abroad, we have taken the difficult decision to reschedule the event to 15th August – 4th September, in order to deliver the best possible experience to our talented competitors and valued audiences. Please note these dates are approximate, however, and may be subject to further changes.

It has always been the intention of the European Foundation for Support of Culture to present a world-class event of the highest standard, and one that works to promote, strengthen and support this country’s thriving cultural landscape and further establish Malta as a new centre for classical music in Europe and around the world. To this aim, we have worked hard over the last two years to deliver a staggering fourteen preliminary piano opens across the globe in Hamburg, Vienna, Washington DC, Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Rome, Seoul, Zurich, London, Antwerp, Berlin, Moscow and Yerevan, and have invited some of the most esteemed and respected pianists, professors and other leading industry figures to serve on the competition’s juries. This event truly marks a hugely significant development in the world of classical piano competitions, and we are immensely proud to hold the event here in Malta. 

Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, we have endeavoured to make all possible preparations in order to enable Classic Piano to take place, including the incorporation of social distancing for audience members, as well as numerous other logistical and artistic arrangements designed to allow our participants to compete safely and effectively during their stay. However, despite our best efforts, it is now clear that holding Classic Piano at this time, especially in light of the recent new measures enacted to fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, presents additional serious challenges to its implementation, and that this and our other large-scale events originally scheduled for April and May would be best served taking place at a later date.

It should be noted that this postponement will also affect our InClassica International Music Festival and Malta Classical Music Academy (MCMA), both originally scheduled to take place at the same time as Classic Piano, and now also moved to later this year. The precise dates for these initiatives will be confirmed shortly and be announced on their respective websites.

While this decision is of course one of immense regret for the EUFSC, the health and safety of our audiences, participants, visiting artists and staff must remain our top priority, and we have every confidence, that, despite the obvious disappointment felt by everyone involved in this project, this decision will ensure a safer, and more successful series of events.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to welcoming you to the Classic Piano International Competition.

With best regards and respect,  
Konstantin Ishkhanov, President of the European Foundation for Support of Culture (EUFSC)

Postponed