Olga Kern: soloist, teacher, composer

“Your" competition is coming up later in the year. What´s new about this year’s contest?

We are very happy to have with us, this year, for the semifinal round, the wonderful Dali quartet. They will perform one of the piano quintets with our 5 semifinalists!

Also, our prescreening jury are all women pianists/professors for this year, for me it is very special!

And lastly, I am so proud to be a composer of the obligatory piece for this year’s competition. I am almost done writing it, and so excited to hear 10 young pianists performing it in the 2nd round of the competition!

From your point of view, how have competitions changed since you won yourself in Fort Worth back in 2001? 

I think nowadays competitions are more or less similar to competitions in the early 2000. But definitely, now it gives better promotion for the young artists in the present times, as internet is a big part of our lives now, definitely much bigger and more exciting than in the past.

How can today’s competitions better contribute to a sustainable career of a young artist?

In my opinion, it’s important now to win competitions- especially a competition which gives possibility to perform, to start your career as a performer, to travel, to be on stage, to understand what it takes to be a world class concert artist!

Our competition gives our winners the opportunity to perform in various cities in US, South Africa, Europe. We are trying our best to engage more presenters around the world to work with our competition winners!

Please tell us a little bit more about your “Aspiration” foundation, and its current activities.

Kern foundation “Aspiration” was established in 2012, with my brother, conductor and composer Vladimir Kern (he lives and works now in Shanghai, China) -we are helping young talented musicians as much as we can. The foundation’s mission is to provide financial and artistic assistance to musicians throughout the world.

Recently we collaborated with renown organizations and foundations for our scholarship recipients to perform concerts, to buy musical instruments, scores, concert attires, gave special prizes in different international competitions.

We work closely with OKIPC, and just few months ago organized fundraiser concert in collaboration with Steinway New York, at Steinway Hall in NYC, presenting young talented pianists who were winners of OKIPC and “Aspiration” foundation special prize’s recipients.

It is very important for me to help the young generation of talented musicians, and I will continue doing it with all my heart, as long as I can!

©WFIMC2025/FR

The Olga Kern International Piano Competition (OKIPC) provides the New Mexico Philharmonic’s audiences an opportunity to see developing world-class pianists at the beginning of their professional careers. The finalists and winners of the Competition will go on to long and acclaimed careers across the globe, performing before diverse audiences on every continent.  They will be known always, wherever they go, as winners of the Competition which is presented by the New Mexico Philharmonic. And the New Mexico Philharmonic audiences will always remember that their careers began here.

2025 Olga Kern Competition dates:
Deadline for application: June 15, 2025
Agenda: the Olga Kern Competition will take place from October 12 to 19, 2025