August 9 - August 23, 2024
Set on the spectacular coast of northern Spain, the Gijon International Piano Festival offers advanced pianists ages 16 and older an opportunity for two weeks of master classes, recitals, and individual instruction with internationally renowned piano professors. In its twentieth year, the festival has had some of the most sought after teachers on its faculty. Faculty have included Julian Martin (Juilliard School), Robert McDonald (Juilliard School), Boris Slutsky (Peabody Conservatory), Veda Kaplinsky (Juilliard School), Marc Durand (University of Montreal), Jose Ramon Mendez (Northwestern University), the late Dominique Weber (Geneva Conservatory), Logan Skelton (University of Michigan), Douglas Humpherys (Eastman School of Music), Yong Hi Moon (Peadody Conservatory), Amy E. Gustafson (Millersville University), Blanca Uribe, Jim Giles (Northwestern University), and many others. Check the faculty page for the 2024 faculty.
TYPICAL FESTIVAL DAY
Each day is filled with private lessons and master classes. All lessons and master classes are open to all students. Most teaching will be conducted in English. However, some lessons and specialized classes may be conducted in Spanish or French.
Lessons and master classes will take place at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Gijón. Public student recitals will take place in public venues around the city. All students will receive free admission to festival concerts and recitals.
INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION
Most faculty members give one masterclass. Each class normally features two or three performers, depending on the length of the works selected. Students will be asked to submit repertoire on the first day should they wish to be considered for these classes. The selection of performers is left to the discretion of the faculty member offering the class.
Students may choose to attend the festival with either ACTIVE or AUDITOR status. ACTIVE students will be given five individual lessons, the opportunity to perform in master classes and at least one public recital. AUDITOR students are allowed to attend lessons and all other events.
GUEST ARTIST RECITALS
Evenings are devoted to solo recitals. These concerts feature guest artists and festival students in such venues as the Colegiata de San Juan Bautista, Centro Municipal Integrado de Pumarín, Gijón Sur; Teatro de la Laboral, Teatro Jovellanos, the Museo Evaristo Valle or the Jardín Botánico de Gijón.
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The Fellowship Program is envisioned as a special component of the Gijón Festival. It is designed for graduate students, with a heavy emphasis on doctoral students, with their particular circumstances in mind. Each year up to four Fellows will be selected from the pool of applicants. These fellows must be recommended for the post by their teachers and will be selected based on level of playing as well as on their other qualifications to fulfill the necessary duties.
During the period of the festival, the fellows will perform in recital in prominent venues, teach a master class to some of the younger participants, or offer a question-and-answer panel to some of the younger participants. These master classes and public presentations will be documented for subsequent use as these students apply for positions in the field.
In addition, fellows will be assigned to work in one particular designated area of activity designed to assist with the functioning of the festival itself. These areas will be matched to the particular backgrounds, interests and abilities of the fellows, and will include such options as social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.), mentoring (working with younger participants as practice assistants if necessary), publicity (online blog announcements, blog posts and design), community outreach (working with Spanish students from the area), and working as program assistants (recital programs, program notes, logistics, reception).
Fellows will each receive up to a 600 Euro award, which will be deducted from their festival tuition.
Deadline for applying the Fellowship Program: April 1, 2024.
DOMINIQUE WEBER SCHOLARSHIP
To honor the memory of the late Dominique Weber, longtime and beloved faculty member of the Gijon International Piano Festival, the Dominique Weber Scholarship will be inaugurated in 2022. Thanks to a generous gift from the founder of the festival Julian Martin, the Dominique Weber Scholarship will be a FULL scholarship offered annually to a young pianist that embodies the aesthetics and pianistic principles of Dominique Weber's pianism. Recipients will be featured in several special performances throughout the festival.
Past Recipients:
2022: Salome Jordania
2023: Stephen Joven-Lee
WORK STUDY PROGRAM
Up to five students will be chosen for work study. Those selected will receive a 250 Euro reduction of their tuition in exchange for 23 hours of festival work, such as manning the front desk, social media management, folding programs or any other festival work that the directors and the festival coordinator may assign.
For more information, please contact
Dr. Amy E. Gustafson
Dr. Shichao Zhang
info@gijonpiano.org