Canada's Honens International Piano Competition is a leader in discovering and launching the careers of young concert pianists. It searches for what it describes as "Complete Artists – 21st century musicians for 21st century audiences" – and awards its Laureates the competition world's largest cash prize and most comprehensive artistic and career development program. In 1991, philanthropist and music enthusiast Esther Honens made a gift of $5 million towards her dream of building one of the world's great piano competitions in Calgary, Alberta. Formerly known as the Esther Honens International Piano Competition, the Competition took place every four years from 1992 to 2000 and then switched to a three-year cycle thereafter. The current award totals $100,000 can., with $10,000 given to each of the four finalists. The Seventh Honens International Piano Competition takes place October 17 to 26, 2012.
Read more about Honens International Piano Competition: Competition Laureates
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“So long as the system of competition in the production and exchange of the means of life goes on, the degradation of the arts will go on; and if that system is to last for ever, then art is doomed, and will surely die; that is to say, civilization will die.”
—William Morris (1834–1896)