NEC Pianist Second in Tbilisi

New England Conservatory is delighted to announce that pianist Tsotne Tsotskhalashvili ’13, ’15 MM, a student of Alexander Korsantia (with Tsotne in photo below) won second prize in the V Tbilisi International Piano Competition, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, October 1—14. Tsotskhalashvili, who hails from that Georgian city, won the $7000 second prize plus a $1000 prize from the SOLO Fund and a $1000 scholarship from Radio Fortuna for being “the Best Georgian Participant.”

Each winner also received a professional recording of their competition performance, an appearance on the winners’ concert, and performing engagements in Europe.

Founded and directed by Georgian pianist and professor Manana Doidjashvili, the quadrennial competition was established in 1997 by Tbilisi City Hall, the Ministry of Culture and Monuments Protection of Georgia, and Tbilisi State Conservatoire. It consists of four rounds and is open to pianists 16—33 years old of all nationalities. The competition is held under the auspices of the President of Georgia.

A previous NEC winner of the competition was Dizhou Zhao ’02, ’05 MM, ’07 GD, and also a student of Korsantia, who took third prize in 2005.

 This year’s participants were required to perform repertory ranging from Bach Preludes and Fugues and Scarlatti Sonatas to Classical sonatas, a major work or cycle by a Romantic composer, some of the most important standard concertos, and a new work, Khorumi, commissioned for the competition by Georgian composer Alexi Machavariani.