Scipione Sangiovanni, the third prize at the 55 International Piano Competition Maria Canals de Barcelona won the second prize at the 26th Concurso Internacional de Musica da Cidade do Porto 2010.

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.

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. 

Mladen Tcholitch, first Prize of the 53 Maria Canals Competition has a new website.  You can visit it at: www.mladencolic.com.

The pianist Martina Filjak  will offer a recital, as a winner of 54 International Music Competition Maria Canals Barcelona in the Real Academia de España in Rome, on Tuesday 25th November 2008 .  Filjak will play works by Beethoven, Bach, Ravel, Berio, Albéniz and Brahms.

Martina Filjak, winner of the 54 Maria Canals International Music Competiton plays the Ravel Concert for piano and Orchestra in G Major  with the "Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya" conducted by Zacharias at the Barcelona Auditori  the 24th September at 21.00 h.  www.auditori.cat

The pianist Mladen Tcholitch performs, as a winner of 53 International Music Competition Maria Canals Barcelona in the "XII Temporada de Música de Cambra" of Santa Cristina d'Aro, on Monday 11 August at 22:00. Tcholitch will play works by Chopin and Prokofieff.

Mi Yeon I, 3rd Prize of the 52nd Maria Canals International Music Competition will play the Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, op. 58, on Sunday 15th June at 11,30 a.m. at the Palau de la Música with the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès.