With the aim of consolidating the competition's international prestige, the City Council has signed an agreement with the Maria Canals International Music Competition to double the value of the first prize, the Barcelona Prize, while involving a broader range of public in the competition through the Maria Canals Off-Competition.

Barcelona's Mayor, Jordi Hereu, and the chair of the Maria Canals International Music Competition (MCB), Mariona Carulla i Font, signed a collaboration agreement on 15 January. The ceremony was attended by Maria Canals, the founding chairperson of the competition.

The agreement will strengthen the already existing relations between the City Council and the Competition with the aim of consolidating the MCB's international prestige even further. The agreement means the first prize, the Barcelona Prize, has doubled this year to 20,000 euros.

There will also be greater city involvement in the competition through the Maria Canals Off-Competition, which is intended to bring classical music to a wider public.

From 13 to 26 March there will be piano music in the streets of every city neighbourhood, making Barcelona the world piano capital.

24 November 2009
Embassy of Spain, Beirut
José Enrique Bagaria (piano) Claude Chalhoub (violín)

25 November 2009 
St. Sauver Church - Beirut
José Enrique Bagaria (piano) Claude Chalhoub (violín)

18 December 2009
Teatre Principal de Sabadell at  22 h.
Alart Quartet & José Enrique Bagaría

14 February 2010
Auditorium  Zaragoza
Camerata de Aragón & José Enrique Bagaría
www.auditoriozaragoza.com

5th November at 21 h.
Petit Palau (Palau de la Música Catalana)
Ilya Maximov, 2nd Prize and  Prize from the public of the 54 Competition 2008
Programme: Scarlatti, Tanéyev, Rachmaninov, Chopin and Cervelló
www.palaumusica.cat

9th November at 21 h.
Real Academia de España in Roma
Vestard Shimkus, 1st.  Prize of 55 Competition 2009
Programme:  Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven and Shimkus
www.raer.it

26th and 27th November
Palacio Euskalduna - Bilbao 
Martina Filjak, 1st Prize of the 54 Competition 2008
with the "Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao
Programme: Concerto in A minor for a piano and Orquestra, op. 54.  Schumann.
www.bilbaorkestra.com

3rd. December at 20.00 h.
Auditorium of the Conservatorio Municipal de Música de Barcelona
Scipione Sangiovanni, 3rd. Prize 55 Competition 2009
Programme: to be decided
www.iicbarcellona.esteri.it

15th  December  at  19,30 h.  (concert by invitation)
Mnac (La nit dels Amics)
Vestard Shimkus, 1st. Prize of  55 Competition 2009
Programme: Liszt, Soler, Cervelló and Shimkus
www.amicsdelmnac.org

18th December at 20,30 h.
Auditorio de Tenerife.  Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Martina Filjak, 1st  Prize of the  54 Competition 2009
with the "Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife
Programme.  Concerto No.3  de Bartok.
www.ost.es

The pianist Ilya Maximov, Second Prize and Prize of the public in the 54 Concurs Maria Canals Piano Competition has obtained the First Prize in the Gabala International Piano Competition. 

Martina Filjak, first prize in the Maria Canals Competition 2008, won the first prize at the Cleveland Piano Competition 2009  www.clevelandpiano.org.