Israeli Pianist Wins Queen Elisabeth Contest

Israeli pianist Boris Giltburg has won the 2013 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, Belgium. The jury, chaired by Arie van Lisbeth, stressed that Giltburg has demonstrated perfect technical abilities, inventiveness and emotion.

“It’s incredible. This feels fantastic,” Giltburg said upon receiving the award. “My performance must have been appreciated by the jury. I am very grateful to the jury for giving me first place. I will try to cherish this victory and get the most out of it.”

Giltburg, 28, was born in Moscow and lives in Tel Aviv. Two years ago, he won the second prize in the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition.

Six pianists from different countries reached the final stage of the competition, considered one of the most important and prestigious in the world. The finalists, which included only one woman, performed a Beethoven sonata and a Rachmaninoff concerto.

The Queen Elisabeth Competition, which is marking its 75th anniversary, has led over the years to international solo careers. Each year is it dedicated to performers and creators from one of four different disciplines in the field of classical music: Violin, piano, composition and voice/singing. The winner receives a prize worth € 25,000.

Throughout the years, Giltburg has performed as soloist with a variety of leading orchestras in Israel and abroad, and he plays regularly with the Israel Chamber Orchestra. His performance as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra opened doors to an international career for Giltburg.

The variety of orchestras he has played with include the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Orchestra of the Capitole in Toulouse, the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Prague Symphony Orchestra.