BLOG: Winner of the Maj Lind Piano Competition comes from the front

The second Maj Lind Piano Competition was held on October 25–26, 1946, exactly one year after the first.

The compulsory works were the Prelude and Fugue in E Major (DWK 1) by Bach and Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C Minor. The members of the Jury were the same as for the previous competition with the exception of Jussi Jalas (1908–1985, conductor) instead of Selim Palmgren.

Seven pianists entered for the competition, which was won by Tapani Valsta. The prize was worth 45,000 marks (nowadays equivalent to about €3,400). Pentti Soinne came second and Olavi Vartia third. Two pianists familiar from the previous competition – Karin Lindroos and Timo Mäkinen – also took part, as did Inkeri Siukonen, sister of the winner of the first competition, and future Academician Joonas Kokkonen.

Please read the blog Maj Lind! on the website of the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki.

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