The history of international piano competitions in Belarus begins in 1996. The first International Piano Competition "Piano. Minsk-96" was held in tautumn 1996 by decision of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus and with the assistance of the Special Fund of the President of the Republic of Belarus for the Support of Talented Youth. The competition was attended by 82 young pianists (aged 16 to 30) from 12 countries: Belarus, Georgia, China, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Estonia, and Japan. The international jury included renowned teachers and music figures – G. Mariotti (Italy), K. Gierzhod (Poland), J. Banovetz (USA), K. Koleva (France), A. Zandmanis (Latvia), V. Rakhlenko, Z. Kacharskaya, and Yu. Gildyuk (Belarus). The jury was chaired (co-chaired) by V. Merzhanov (Russia) and I. Olovnikov (Belarus).
For 13 days (October 31 – November 2), the attention of Minsk public – teachers, students, pupils, music lovers, as well as numerous guests who came specially from cities in Belarus and neighboring countries – was riveted to the competitive auditions. The concert hall of Belarusian State Philharmonic was full throughout all three rounds. Experts, audience members, and the participants themselves noted the high professional level of the contestants and the welcoming creative atmosphere made by the competition organizers.
The prize places were distributed as follows:
- I Award – Andrei Sikorsky (Russia);
- II Award – Iosif Sergey (Belarus);
- III Award – Tamara Sanikidze (Georgia).
The competition’s diploma winners were Andrey Shabala (Ukraine), Sergey Smirnov and Vadim Gatsko (Belarus).
Four years later, 85 performers from 15 countries took part in the International Competition “Minsk-2000” (April 5 – April 19): Armenia, Belarus, Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Israel, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine, France, Estonia, Japan. The international jury included D. Pollack (USA), A. Vardi (Israel), M. Lukaszczyk (Poland), M. Ovchinnikov (Russia), V. Kozlov (Ukraine), Yu. Gildyuk, V. Rakhlenko, V. Shatsky, and L. Shelomentseva (Belarus). The jury was chaired by I. Olovnikov (Belarus).
The prize places were distributed as follows:
- I Award – Alexander Muzykantov (Belarus);
- II Award – Inna Soldatenko (Ukraine);
- III Award – Zaruhi Ambartsumyan (Russia).
The competition’s diploma winners were Tatyana Titova (Russia), Konstantin Krasnitsky and Sergey Smirnov (Belarus).
Five years later, in 2005 (December 2–17), the International Piano Competition “Minsk-2005” was held, with 81 applications submitted from 17 countries: Armenia, Belarus, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Finland, Czech Republic, Estonia, and Japan. The international jury, chaired by I. Olovnikov (Belarus), included A. Zandmanis (Latvia), V. Rachkevich (Poland), A. Sevidov (Russia), V. Kozlov (Ukraine), Yu. Gildyuk, V. Nekhaenko, V. Shatsky, L. Shelomentseva (Belarus).
The first prizes and laureate titles were awarded to Alexei Chernov (Russia) and Timur Shcherbakov (Belarus). Four pianists from Belarus received diplomas and diploma winner titles: Konstantin Krasnitsky, Vasily Netuk, Vitaly Stakhievich, and Vlada Shatskaya.
Five years later, the International Piano Competition “Minsk-2010” took place (November 25 – December 9), with 87 applications from 10 countries submitted: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, Latvia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Japan. The international jury included Zh. Aubakirova (Kazakhstan), I. Berkovich (Israel), A. Diev (Russia), A. Zandmanis (Latvia), V. Kozlov (Ukraine), P. Lassman (Estonia), A. Paleta-Bugay (Poland), Yu. Gildyuk, V. Nekhaenko, S. Mikulik, V. Shatsky, and L. Shelomentseva (Belarus). According to tradition, the jury was headed by I. Olovnikov (Belarus).
The prize places were distributed as follows:
- I Award not awarded;
- II Award – Alexander Panfilov (Russia) and Alexander Samoilov (Ukraine);
- III Award – Fatima Merdanova (Russia) and Vlada Shatskaya (Belarus).
Diplomas and titles of competition winners were again awarded to participants from Belarus – Evgeny Galanov and Pavel Netuk.
In 2014, the International Piano Competition “Minsk-2014” was held, with 50 performers from 10 countries participating: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, China, Latvia, Morocco, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and France. The jury, chaired by I. Olovnikov (Belarus), included A. Nersesyan (Armenia), S. Osokina (Latvia), M. Rubatskyte (Lithuania), N. Trull and V. Shkarupa (Russia), and Y. Gildyuk and V. Dulov (Belarus).
The prize places were distributed as follows:
- I Award – Andrei Ivanov (Belarus);
- II Award – Alexander Danilov (Belarus) and Roman Kosyakov (Russia);
- III Award – Anna Grot (Russia).
Vitaly Starikov (Russia) and Anatoly Kostyuchenko (Ukraine) were awarded incentive prizes and diploma titles.
After a seven-year hiatus, the International Piano Competition “Minsk-2021” took place. 51 application was submitted from seven countries: Belarus, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Ukraine.
The competitive auditions took place on two stages: the qualifying rounds were held in the Great Hall of Belarusian State Academy of Music, and the finals were held in the Great Concert Hall of Belarusian State Philharmonic.
Despite the challenging global epidemiological situation, the competition managed to unite numerous participants and a huge audience, as for the first time in the competition's history, the performances were broadcast live.
The international jury, whose permanent chairman was I. Olovnikov (Belarus), included M. Abramyan (Armenia), S. Asabaeva (Kazakhstan), A. Lapikus (Moldova), M. Fayzieva (Uzbekistan), V. Shkarupa (Russia), Yu. Gildyuk, V. Dulov, S. Mikulik (Belarus).
The prize places were distributed as follows:
- I Award – Arseniy Merzlov (Russia);
- II Award – Nikita Stetsenko (Uzbekistan);
- III Award – Vladislav Khandogiy (Belarus), Valentin Malinin (Russia).
The diploma winners of the competition were Elena Naumenko (Belarus) and Zarina Akayeva (Kazakhstan).
The results of the international piano competitions in Minsk have demonstrated the significant success of Belarusian piano school, whose achievements have been repeatedly confirmed in various international competitions in recent years. The establishment of an international piano competition in the capital of the Republic of Belarus has placed Minsk on the musical map of the global competition movement.
