XVII (2023) TCHAIKOVSKY INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION FINALY NAMES JURIES – INCLUDING PUTIN’S BANKER

by Norman Lebrecht

Moments before the official start, the Tchaikovsky Competition has named juries for the major disciplines.

At first sight, they look feeble in comparison with the recent calibre of Tchaikovsky juries.

The piano jury has some familiar names – the Kremlin pianist Denis Matsuev, the 1988 Leeds winner Vladimir Ovchinnikov, the infinitely biddable German Justus Frantz, a Belgian called Maxim Mogilevsky and a supporting cast of Russians and Chinese.

The violin panel is led by Yuri Bashmet and Vadim Repin, both Putin loyalists, along with Gergiev’s former Munich concertmaster Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici.

Violinist, jurist and former Munich concertmaster Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici.

The cello jury is mostly Russian, with Vladimir Putin's money smuggler Sergey Roldugin the standout participant.

Full Jury listed here (click this link).

An orchestral friend comments:

"Cello jurist Suren Bagratuni is Professor of Cello & Chair of Strings at Michigan State University. Piano jurist Vladimir Viardo is faculty at North Texas College of Music. These artists & several others on the juries aspire to international careers in both the US & Russia.

And who the heck is the Spanish guy on the brass jury – Maximiliano Santos Ferrer? What is he even doing there? He’s a low level horn player from Valencia, who doesn’t have significant playing or teaching experience even within Spain, let alone internationally".

First published at Slippedisc, June 19, 2023