Stan O'Beirne, a 14-year-old piano student, is the joint winner of the inaugural John Field International Piano Competition, along with Gabija Maknaviciute, a 20-year-old musician from Lithuania. The competition took place recently at Dundalk's Táin Theatre in Co Louth.
O'Beirne, who studies at the Rathgar based Piano Academy, shared the top Grand Prix award, despite an international field of competitors, some in their early 20s. O'Beirne wins a cash prize and a concert performance with Barry Douglas and Camerata Ireland in the 2018/19 season.
The competition was set up by Moscow pianist Victor Ryabchikov and Russian Bridge, an organisation that aims to foster connections between Russia and Ireland, with support from Louth County Council. The competition is run in honour of John Field, who lived and worked in Russia as as performer and teacher. in tandem with his international career. Outside of Russia, Field most notably made an impact on Chopin,who heard his Nocturnes and famously went on to develop the form.
The full list of winners is
Group A1 (under 10):
Sheba Hisa Chen (Dublin, Piano Academy of Ireland) - second prize
Nicole Yingiy Li (Dublin) - second prize
Ke Xin He (Dublin) - third prize
Group A2 (10-12 years old):
Maria Nasypannaya (Dublin) - second prize
Dawid Walega (Co Meath) - second prize
Gabriele Zinkute (Lithuania) - second prize
Stepan Blagoderov (Russia) - third prize
Sylvan Mayer-Whitla (Cork) - third prize
Solomon Clive Chen (Dublin, Piano Academy of Ireland) - third prize
Group B (13-15 years old):
Stan O’Beirne (Dublin, Piano Academy of Ireland) - Grand Prix
Artur Bagirov (Russia) - first prize
Dida Condria (Dublin) - first prize
Defne Gultoprak (Dublin) - first prize
Nora Ronan (Dublin) - first prize
Anna Graham (UK) - second prize
Rowel Friers (UK) - third prize
Group C (16 years +):
Gabija Maknaviciute (Lithuania) - Grand Prix
Alexander Ermachek (Russia) - first prize
Valerija Kachurovskaya (Russia) - first prize
Ivan Aleshin (Russia) - second prize
