Greetings

I listened your performance and really liked it. Thank you!

Did you set the metronome marks which the composer marked in first edition?

Yang, Chien-ying

Make it National or give away the money as scholarships or for project studies!

The task of juries has passed it's date. Where is networking and contacts so strongly used as in this kind of establishment? You could do so much with the money that makes more impact than this. It is never safe in this position not to be a laughing stock of the world! Help more music talents instead!

As was commented on the Finnish page, the Finnish chairman DOESN'T take part in the voting process, so actually there's still only one Finn in the jury. One out of six jury member's can't have so much influence as to make all those Finns get to the next round, somebody else must have voted for them too!

Very sad and shocking decision having most of them Finnish pianists, I have seen many competitions but nothing like this. this is very obvious that the jury does'nt care about the foreing pianists, except of their own country. next time do it local,no need for international competition.

That is exactly the point - the Finnish have worked really hard to have success in this competition, which is the most important one in this country. So it shouldn't be so surprising that so many Finns did pass. Remember, five jury members of seven are not from Finland, they are internationally acclaimed pianists and piano teachers - why should they have any interest in supporting especially Finnish pianists?

Why on earth is this debate happening, of all places, on the greetings page or Roope Gröndahl, a major talent and a brilliant pianist? He, if anyone, absolutely deserves his place in the second round, and, at least in my opinion, way beyond that. The point is this: Roope - disregard the hot air and keep up the great work! I enjoyed your playing, and as you heard in the hall after your performance, so did the rest of us.

You missed my point.

I was simply saying that most of the Finnish semifinalist have already proven to be so good that it was really no surprise that they are in the 2nd round here. They did it before, and they did it here.

These Finns have also surely been preparing their competition program more seriously than most of the foreign competitors. A competition at home simply gives more motivation and concentration. This explains also why there were five Belgians in the 2nd round of Brussels this year.

Piano competition is about playing good, not about being nice to as many nationalities as possible.

Results from other competitions!

Why do the Finnish contestants have to play at all then? And what about the contestantsfrom other countries who study at the Academy but doesn't get at all the same support. Or everybody who has won competitions alla over the world but are not Finnish? Is this a way to give the school an interesting reputation to attract good pupils, or what is this about?

If I understand it right two members of the jury are Finnish.

Well, this result is made extra obvious because of the cooperation with YLE. You can't make the jury's verdict a private matter any more. Interesting ........

Sorry Roope Gröndahl, that your page became the home of this debate! I wish you all good for the competition!

Excuse me, are you saying that these Finns don´t deserve to be in the second round?

Many of them have been in the semifinals or finals of at least as big competitions as this. Why should this be different? Just to make YOU happy?

Marko Mustonen was the finalist of Vendome and semifinalist in Warsaw Chopin competition and Marguerite Long. Fräki has got many prizes,e.g. Schubert competition in Dortmund and she has been in 2nd or 3rd round in many international competitions. Julia Mustonen got a prize in Malmö, Uki Ovaskainen won the first prize (30000 eur) of premio Jaen a month ago . etc.

Roope is a great talent and will surely get prizes sooner or later.

Besides, only one of the jurors was Finnish. Why would these well-known international jurors want to suck up the Finns? We are not even rich (except Uki ...)

Go have a beer or three, tomorrow is another day.

It is simply not so that all Finnish pianists got to the second round. Six did, but four did not: Tuomas Kyyhkynen, Matilda Kärkkäinen, Riikka Koivula and Satu Paavola. If any chauvinism was indeed at work, it at least did not succeed completely.

I was surprised even looking at the competitors in this Competition that there were so many Finnish pianists selected for an "international" competition. That is very unusual for a competition to accept so many from its own country--although from their point of view, it does help to generate support, excitement and sponsorship for the Competition from home.
The Finnish do have a great reputation for their musical education, but this result still raises big questions about the fairness of this particular competition if ALL of the Finish competitors passed, as a previous blogger said. This is taking advantage of the situation and making an exaggerated Nationalist statement--but they are not really fooling anyone in the truly "International" world of pianists. It will eventually just shorten its future if a Competition takes on these principles.
I enjoyed many of the pianists, although its hard to tell on the internet without being there.
It would be great if the Competition broadcast video footage instead of small audio selections. Well done to all of those who clearly deserved to pass, and I wish all of the contestants great luck for the next round! I am enjoying it so far.

It is always the same sh... with nationalism in such competitions. Every finnish pianist in the second round. It has f.... nothing to do with quality. Very obvious and very very sad!