Laureates

First Prize "Grand Prix International Reine Elisabeth", Prize of Queen Fabiola Vitaly SAMOSHKO Ukraine - 13 VII 1973 It has been in Ukraine, and more particularly at the Kharkov Conservatory, that the talent of Vitaly Samoshko has been nurtured since the age of 6. He began his study with Leonid Margarius in 1985. Mr. Samoshko is a laureate of many prestigious competitions, including 2nd-prize at the Busoni Competition in 1993 and likewise at the Senigallia Competition in 1995, the Montreal in 1996 and the Rubinstein in 1998. Vitaly Samoshko has had numerous concert appearances and given many recitals in Ukraine, Russia, Australia, South Africa and throughout Europe.

Second Prize Prize of the Belgian Government - Arthur De Greef Alexander GHINDIN Russia - 17 IV 1977 At the age of 13, Alexander Ghindin was the youngest laureate of a piano competition in Moscow. Since then he has given numerous concerts in Russia, the United States and Europe. He entered the Tchaikowsky Conservatory in 1994 and studied in the class of Michael Voskresensky. Alexander Ghindin has been heard with orchestras such as the Moscow Virtuosi under the direction of Spivakov, the London Philharmonic conducted by Ashkenazy, and the "Camerata" in St. Petersburg. Since 1997, Mr. Ghindin is soloist with a major Moscow orchestra.

Third Prize European Communities Prize Ning AN USA - 1 XII 1976 Ning An's honours include 3rd-prize at the Cleveland International Competition in 1997. Ning An's debut was with the Cleveland Orchestra at the age of 16. While developing a promising career in China and the United States, Ning An has continued study at the Boston Conservatory under Russell Sherman and has also studied with Sergei Babayan, a former laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, as well as participating in the master-classes of Claude Frank, Jerome Lowenthal and John Perry.

Fourth Prize Prize "Count de Launoit" Shai WOSNER Israel - 25 IV 1976 Shai Wosner received his training at the Rubin Music Academy and Tel Aviv University. A pupil of André Hajdu, Shai Wosner is also a composer. He has won distinction at various international competitions, including the Senigalia, Palm Beach and Rubinstein. He has participated in the master-classes of Alexis Weissenberg and Andras Schiff, and has also been an invitee of the Davos International Music Festival in Switzerland. Shai Wosner's upcoming schedule includes a New York engagement with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

Fifth Prize Prize of the Governments of the Belgian Communities, this year given by the Government of the French Community The Jacques Stehman Prize - RTBF-Musique 3 Roberto COMINATI Italy - 17 XI 1969 Roberto Cominati trained in Naples at the "San Pietro Majella" Conservatory, subsequently studying with Aldo Ciccolini and, since 1989, with Franco Scala at the Imola Academy. In 1991, he took 1st-prize at the Alfredo Casella International Competition, and in 1993 won 1st-prize at the Busoni Competition in Bolzano. Other distinctions include 2nd-prize at the 1996 Leeds International Competition. Mr. Cominati has given numerous concerts in Italy (La Scala in Milan, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the Stresa and Spoleto Festivals), and on other stages in Europe, the United States and Japan.

Sixth Prize Prize of the "Région de Bruxelles-Capitale" Vladimir SVERDLOV Russia - 21 VII 1976 Vladimir Sverdlov trained at the Moscow Conservatory and the "Hannover Hochschule" with Vladimir Krainev and Arie Vardi. He won a first-prize in the Moscow Music Competition when just 15 years-of-age, and took part in the festival organized in conjunction with Nikita Magaloff's master-classes. In 1993 he was awarded first-prize at the Senigalia International Competition, and also was granted a scholarship by the "New Names" International Foundation. Since then Vladimir Sverdlov has given concerts with major orchestras in Russia and Western Europe.

Other finalists

Esther BUDIARDJO Indonesia - 24 IX 1972 Esther Budiardjo trained at the New England Conservatory and had her debut in 1996 at Lincoln Center in New York. She is laureate of the Palm Beach International Competition, and took 1st-prize at the William Kapell International Competition at the University of Maryland in 1996. Miss Budiardjo has had engagements with the Baltimore Symphony, the Savannah Symphony and the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and has also performed in recital at the National Academy of Science in Washington. She made a New York debut in 1996 at the Lincoln Center.

Jakob KATZNELSON Russia - 25 V 1976 Jakob Katznelson studied the flute in addition to piano at the Gnessin School, and was quite rapidly propelled into the concert world. In 1993, he rejoined professor Elisso Wirssaladze at the Moscow Conservatory where he has been a student until now.

Roland KRÜGER Germany - 17 VII 1973 Roland Krüger studied in Stuttgart with Oleg Maisenberg and in Hannover with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling. He has won prizes in many young-artist's competitions and has followed master-classes with Lazar Berman and Hans Leygraf. In 1998 Mr. Krüger had his debut at the "Concertgebouw" in Amsterdam and has given many concerts in Europe, the USA and Cuba, both as soloist and with orchestra (Göttingen Symphonic Orchestra, Bonn Classical Philharmonia).

Hidéki NAGANO Japan - 25 V 1968 Hidéki Nagano studied in Tokyo at the National University of Fine-Arts and Music, and then at the Paris Conservatoire under Jean-Claude Pennetier. He participated in the Maria Callas Competition in Barcelona, took 6th place at Montreal in 1992, and in 1998 obtained two prizes in Japan bestowed on musicians of special promise. Hideki Nagano has been a member of the "Ensemble Intercontemporain" since 1996.

Norie TAKAHASHI Japan - 6 II 1978 Norie Takahashi began at the piano when 8 years-old, and first studied in the children's music class at Tokyo's "Toho Gakuen School". She passed very rapidly on to the university level of this same renowned institution. Miss Takahashi has also had the opportunity to have tutelage from artists of worldwide reputation such as Lev Naumov, Karl Engel and György Sebök. Her first international success was recorded two years ago with a special prize at the Beethoven Competition in Vienna.

Gottlieb WALLISCH Austria - 7 VIII 1978 It was through his mother that Gottlieb Wallish became first introduced to the piano. He was admitted to Vienna's Musikhochschule when 6 years-old; later he studied successively with Elisabeth Dvorák-Weisshaar and Heinz Medjimorec. He was awarded several prizes by the Stravinsky Awards international competition when still just 16. Gottlieb Wallish's progress then was taken under wing by the Georges Cziffra Foundation. He has appeared at the Ivo Pogorelich Festival, at Carnegie Hall, in Schönbrunn (under the baton of Lord Menuhin), and has upcoming engagements with Dennis Russel Davis as well as with the Vienna Philharmonic under Giuseppe Sinopoli.

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