Petr Eben International Organ Competition - Opava 2024
October 4th, 2024
Opava will welcome young organ music hopefuls from a number of European and distant countries
After two years, the 22nd year of the prestigious Petr Eben International Organ Competition will take place in Opava, which is organized by the city of Opava in cooperation with the Church Conservatory of the German Order with the support of the Czech Music Fund Foundation. The city of Opava has gained international renown through the more than forty-year existence of this competition. In the context of world organ competitions, it has already become an established and renowned term in the spread of famous organ traditions from history to the present. The Opava organ has become a spreader of progressive tendencies on a world scale through a perspective conceptual solution to the competition propositions with an orientation to the historically informed contemporary interpretation of organ creations of past centuries and compositions of the present. This trend is further enhanced by the presentation of Czech organ work from the Baroque to the present day, especially by the regular inclusion of great organ compositions by the long-time supporter and patron of the competition, Petr Eben. Opava thus became the spreader of the author's organ legacy in the world. This competition is not only an excellent organ competition on an international scale, but also plays an important role in the already rich cultural events of the city of Opava.
Young organists from twelve countries on two continents, from Europe to the Far East, will visit the Silesian metropolis again this year in the last week of October. In addition to eight Czech competitors, organists from Poland, Hungary, Romania, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, but also Korea and Japan are registered. During the six-day competition marathon from October 28 to November 2, 34 participants in the interpretation part of the competition and 6 organists in the improvisational competition discipline will measure their artistic and technical dispositions. Their age range is from 16 to 29 years. Competitors and fans of organ music can look forward to hearing four completely different sounding instruments.As part of the 1st competition round on October 28 and 29, the concert organ will be played in the hall of the Petr Bezruč Library. On October 30, the improvisers will perform on an instrument in the co-cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Opava. In the 2nd round, on October 31, the contestants will sit behind a rare instrument in the Hlučín Church of St. John the Baptist, which is a stylish replica of a baroque organ from the 17th century, the finalists will then play on the organ in the Opava Church of St. Vojtěch. Here, on the same day, at 6 p.m., the laureates' final concert with the presentation of prizes will take place. All competition performances, including the final concert, are open to the public. The seven-member jury, which will evaluate the artistic performances of the contestants, consists of top performers and educators from the Czech Republic, Slovakia/Germany, Poland, Austria and Holland. It will be chaired by the famous French pedagogue of the Paris Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique and the titular concert and liturgical organist at the world-famous historic Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Romanesque basilica of St. Saturnina in Toulouse Michel Bouvard. In the role of performer, he will present himself to the Opava audience as part of the opening concert on Sunday, October 27 at 6 p.m. in the church of St. Vojtěch. In the uniquely conceived French dramaturgy of the evening, the works of César Franck, Louis Viern, Maurice Duruflé, Olivier Messiaen and the performer's grandfather Jean Bouvard will be heard.
Podrobné informace najdete na webu soutěže www.ebencompetition.cz
INTERNATIONAL JURY
Michel Bouvard, Francie (předseda) | France (chair)
Andrzej Białko, Polsko | Poland
Eva Bublová, Česká republika | Czech Republic
Wolfgang Kogert, Rakousko | Austria
Karel Martínek, Česká republika | Czech Republic
Bernadetta Šuňavská, Slovensko/Německo | Slovakia/Germany
Erwin Wiersinga, Holandsko | Netherlands
COMPETITION SCHEDULE 2024
ORGAN CONCERT by the chair of the jury Michel Bouvard (France)
Sunday 27 October 2024 v 18.00, Church of St. Vojtěch in Opava
1st Round of Competition - OPAVA, Petr Bezruč Library in Opava
Monday 28 October 2024
9.00 – 12.00 COMPETITION 1st Round - Petr Bezruč Library in Opava
15.00 – 18.00 COMPETITION 1st Round - Petr Bezruč Library in Opava
Tuesday 29 October 2024
9.00 – 12.00 COMPETITION 1st Round - Petr Bezruč Library in Opava
15.00 – 18.00 COMPETITION 1st Round - Petr Bezruč Library in Opava
IMPROVISATION - Co-cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, OPAVA
Wednesday 30 October 2024 18.00 IMPROVISATION
2nd Round of Competition – HLUČÍN, Church of St. John the Baptist in Hlučín
Thursday 31 October 2024
9.00 – 13.00 COMPETITION 2nd Round - Church of St. John the Baptist in Hlučín
15.30 – 19.00 COMPETITION 2nd Round - Church of St. John the Baptist in Hlučín
3rd Round of Competition – OPAVA, Church of St. Vojtěch in Opava
Saturday 2 November 2024
8.00 – 12.00 COMPETITION 3rd Round - Church of St. Vojtěch in Opava
18.00 CONCERT OF WINNERS - Church of St. Vojtěch in Opava
ALL ROUNDS OF THE COMPETITION ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
LISTENERS ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP CALM SO THAT THE COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCES ARE NOT DISRUPTED.
