Japanese pianist Ryoma Takagi wins International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition 2018

Ryoma Takagi of Japan is the winner of the 1^st Prize in the International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition 2018, held in Norway.

Together with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Edward Gardner, Takagi performed the Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov.

The 1^st prize of the Grieg Competition is 30 000 euro. The 1st Prize also includes concert engagements in Norway and abroad. In Norway, the winner will receive prestigious invitations to perform in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger and Kristiansand, and will appear as a festival artist at the Lofoten Piano Festival.

Ryoma Takagi will also return to Bergen, Norway, during next summer to give a number of public concerts as “Pianist of the Week” at Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen.

Takagi also won the audience prize.

2^nd prize and 20 000 euro went to Matyáš Novák (20) from Czech Republic.

3^rd prize and 10 000 euro went to Alexey Trushechkin (28) from Russia. Trushechkin also received the orchestra’s prize.

What is the Edvard Grieg Piano Competition?

Organised by KODE Art Museums and Composer Homes, this was the fourth time the International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition was held at the home of Edvard Grieg at Troldhaugen. The Competition final was held in Grieghallen in Bergen. 133 young pianists from thirty-six countries participated in this year’s pre-qualification process. Of these, thirty was invited to Bergen to join the competition.