Organized every 4 years, the International Adolphe Sax Competition is recognized as one of the most prestigious classical saxophone competitions in the world. The 1st prize of this 8th edition was awarded to Dmitry Pinchuk on Saturday, November 11.
There were 264 saxophonists from 19 countries who participated in the competition. After the blind auditions, the elimination round and a 40-minute performance in the semifinals, 6 laureates performed in the finals on November 10 and 11 in the Notre-Dame Collegiale Church in Dinant.
Each laureate performed two works: a mandatory work, Mantra, Canto and Capriccio, commissioned by the competition from renowned Belgian composer Dirk Brossé. And a concerto, to be chosen from a list of works, accompanied by Casco Phil, Belgium's Chamber Orchestra, conducted by David Reiland.
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Around 11:00 p.m., the jury announced the final rankings. The First Laureate is Dmitry Pinchuk, just 17 years old, followed by Alessandro Malagnino (Italy), Mikhail Kazakov (Russia), Wataru Hirai (Japan), Kenta Igarashi (Japan) and Vladimir Petskus (Russia).
The First Laureate wins a First Prize of 9,000 euros, a Selmer saxophone, a Saxiris (a joint work of Val Saint Lambert and coppersmiths Martine le Boulengé and Pascal Jacques, designed by graphic designer Emmanuel Mattart), a diploma illustrated by Dinant watercolorist Marc Haegens, as well as invitations to gala concerts where the laureate will perform as a soloist.
The Composer Prize for the mandatory work of the semifinal goes to KAZAKOV Mikhail.
The Composer Prize for the mandatory work of the final goes to PINCHUK Dmitry.
Created in 1994, the prestigious Adolphe Sax International Competition is organized every 4 years in Dinant, the city of Adolphe Sax, the Belgian inventor of the saxophone.