MUSIC | Competition launched to promote piano studies

João Pedro Lau

The Macau Piano Association has announced that it will organize the “Lotus Cup” Macau Youth Piano Competition, which will take place between July 16 and 18. The competition seeks to provide a platform for local piano students and to promote classical piano music in Macau.
Raymond Chan, president of the association, said that the competition is aligned with the Macau government’s principle of fostering artistic talent. He said that by naming the competition the “Lotus Cup,” the association wished to show that the contest has strong roots in Macau.
The association has already invited two young musicians from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and Oxford University respectively to be the adjudicators.
Moreover, the association plans to hold the Lotus Cup biennially. Since it is also in the process of organizing another biennial piano competition – the Macau-Asian Pacific youth piano open competition – the two events will be held consecutively.
“We hope that more enterprises or government departments will be able to support the Lotus Cup, so that more piano students can be appreciated and have the chance to further their studies abroad,” Mr Chan explained.
Raymond Chan also pointed out that Macau actually has its own local piano compositions, which he wants to promote. “In order to promote local piano pieces… we have set up a division for Macau piano pieces. We have designated the music composed by Father Aureo Castro Nunes e Castro (for this division).”
He explained that Father Aureo is the founder of the St Pius X music conservatory. “Therefore, Father Aureo had a very close connection to the local classical music.”
Competitors who join the local music division are required to choose one of the three works for piano composed by Father Aureo.
Furthermore, the president claimed that the competition has attracted students who are currently studying music overseas, and residents who have moved to other countries, to come back to Macau.
The top three competitors in each division will all be awarded prizes. However, the association will ultimately choose, out of all these winners, one participant whom they believe to be the most promising, and will award him/her the Lotus Cup.
All winners of the open divisions will also be given the chance to perform in the Macau Cultural Centre on August 12.