Results of the First Australian Chopin Piano Competiton



Ambasador RP Andrzej Jaroszynski
and Peter de Jager



  21-year-old Peter de Jager of Melbourne took out the first prize at the inaugural Chopin Piano Competition, which was organized by the ANU School of Music and initiated and supported by the Embassy. Oliver She of Brisbane won the second prize and the Polish pianist Gracjan Szymczak was third and received his prize, sponsored by the Embassy, from H.E. Mr Andrzej Jaroszyński. Polish-Australian Konrad Olszewski (Melbourne) advanced to the semifinal.
Several special prizes were sponsored by the Polish Community Council in Australia and the Polish Community in the ACT which initiated and established the Friends of the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition under the honorary patronage of the Ambassador. The Embassy was instrumental in supporting the Friends and securing the artistic patronage of Vladimir Ashkenazy – Sydney Symphony Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor – for the Competition. The Competition is a biannual event and the next edition will be organized at the centenary of Canberra 2013. It is the first Australian piano contest dedicated to the composer. The contest is a concrete and permanent outcome of the 2010 Chopin Year celebrations in Australia. It was preceded on 1 May by a recital of one of the most famous Polish pianists Mr Janusz Olejniczak.
 Polish Embassy Newsletter