· The event attracted thousands of people to its activities, expectations were very high and tickets for all concerts were sold out in advance

· Photographs of the concert with ten pianos in Plaza de la Virgen de Juan Carlos Cárdenas (EFE) have been published in national and international media in countries such as Ecuador, Honduras, England, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Singapore and Vietnam.

· This initiative was developed around a core element – the Valencia International Piano Competition – a biennial event that will be held in 2021 and for which registration is now open

· Glòria Tello, councillor for the Iturbi Prize, underlined that “the 1st Iturbi Festival has been a success because it has attracted a high level of artistic excellence and activities that have brought the importance of the Iturbi Prize to the public, fans and music lovers”

· The festival closed its first edition with a celebrated concert by Josu de Solaun, Franziska Pietsch and the Quartetto Indaco at the Centre Cultural la Beneficència on Sunday, 26 September 2020

Valencia, 29 September 2020

The Iturbi International Piano Festival, organised by the Provincial Council of Valencia, closed its first edition with a concert by Josu de Solaun, Franziska Pietsch and the Quartetto Indaco at the Centre Cultural la Beneficència last Sunday, paying tribute to the Valencian pianist José Iturbi (Valencia 1895 – Los Angeles 1980) and commemorating the 125th anniversary of his birth.

This musical event is one of the initiatives that have been developed around a core element and benchmark in the international music scene – the Valencia International Piano Competition – a biennial event that will be held in 2021 and for which registration is now open to pianists from all over the world.

In this new phase, several improvements have been introduced, as well as the design of a revamped competition model, based on the creation of an Artistic Director, Joaquín Achúcarro, and an advisory committee made up of pianists Óscar Oliver, Carles Marín, Josu de Solaun and Emma Jiménez, promoted by Glòria Tello, councillor responsible for the Iturbi Prize, Councillor for Culture at Valencia City Council and President of the Palau de la Música.

The 1st Iturbi Festival, which took place from 22 to 27 September, included various activities such as ¿Tocas el piano? [Do you play the piano?], with instruments located in five central squares in Valencia; a concert with ten pianos in Plaza de la Virgen by ten young Valencian pianists, with the collaboration of Clemente Pianos on its 30th anniversary; a presentation by music critic Justo Romero and the screening of the documentary A propósito de Iturbi [About Iturbi], presented by its director Manuel Gil. The musical programme featured prestigious performers and ensembles such as Javier Perianes, the Cuarteto Quiroga, Gustavo Díaz-Jerez, Marta Zabaleta, Josu de Solaun, Franziska Pietsch and the Quartetto Indaco.

On the last day, the audience filled the venue to see the performance of Valencian pianist Josu de Solaun, the only Spaniard to have won the Valencia International Piano Competition in 2006 and the George Enescu Competition in Bucharest in 2014, among other important awards such as the European Union Prize in 2009. De Solaun, with the programme El Premio Iturbi [The Iturbi Prize], performed Ernest Chausson’s Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Op. 21, a highly acclaimed piece, together with German violinist Pietsch and the Italian ensemble Quartetto Indaco, followed by Robert Schumann’s Sonata for Solo Piano, Op. 11. The concert pianist, one of the most internationally renowned performers, gave five encores to the applause of the audience.

Media impact

The first day of the Iturbi Festival began with an opening concert featuring ten pianos in Plaza de la Virgen, with the participation of Miquel Aparisi, Carlos Barbé, Pascual Encarnación, Alejandro Espina, Marta Garijo, Mika Giménez, Ferrán López, José Andrés Romero, Carlos Santo and Jorge Tabarés. Photographs of this initiative have been seen around the world, with images by photojournalist Juan Carlos Cárdenas (EFE) published in regional, national and international media in countries such as Ecuador, Honduras, England, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Singapore and Vietnam.

Carles Marín, Artistic Advisor to the festival, said that “Ten Pianos for Iturbi was an event that recalled the famous scene from the film Levando anclas in which José Iturbi appears accompanied by a crowd of young pianists, as well as his presence in numerous Hollywood films alongside his sister Amparo”.

The festival attracted thousands of people to its activities, and the level of expectation was very high, as evidenced by the fact that tickets for all the concerts were sold out in advance and many fans were unable to attend. The organisers hope that by the next edition, the Covid-19 crisis will have been completely overcome and there will be no need to limit the venue capacity.

Success and excellence

Glòria Tello stressed that “the 1st Iturbi Festival has been a success. We are very satisfied because it has attracted a high level of artistic excellence and activities that have brought the importance of the Iturbi Prize, which will be held in 2021, the year in which we will celebrate its 40th anniversary, to the attention of the general public, fans and music lovers”. Tello has renewed her commitment to the festival in 2022 and highlighted and expressed her gratitude for “the warm welcome from the public and the media coverage, which has been a great boost for the festival and the Valencia brand”.

Óscar Oliver, Festival Coordinator, said that “in terms of quality, the event has been worthy of the historical figure and influence of the Valencian pianist, conductor and composer José Iturbi, as well as the Spanish and Valencian music and musicians he promoted, and this was one of the objectives we had set ourselves”. Oliver pointed out that “upcoming initiatives will mark the 125th anniversary of Iturbi’s birth and the 40th anniversary of the Iturbi Prize, such as those organised by the Mostra and the Palau de la Música”.

The Iturbi Prize works along three strategic lines: to give young pianists from all over the world a chance to showcase their talent and boost their artistic careers through the international competition; to programme great performers and leading figures for the public’s enjoyment through the festival; and to highlight Iturbi’s prestige and musical legacy.

The Mostra and the Palau de la Música

The Mostra de València will also join in the 125th anniversary celebrations with the José Iturbi Cycle, which will screen five of the films in which the pianist appeared in Hollywood at the Sala SGAE Centre Cultural València from 26 to 30 October at 6:30 pm. For its part, the Palau de la Música, in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Valencia, will offer a recital by Joaquín Achúcarro, Artistic Director and Chairman of the Iturbi Prize Jury, at the Teatro Principal on the same day (28 November) that Iturbi was born.

The Iturbi Prize, created in 1981, is part of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, an association based in Geneva that brings together competitions from countries on all five continents, including the most prestigious international music competitions in the world. The Valencia International Piano Competition is also a member of the Alink-Argerich Foundation, which brings together most of the international piano competitions around the world.