Calgary's "The Scene" Looks ahead at 2025 Honens International Piano Competition

The next edition of the triennial Honens International Piano Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious events of its kind, takes place this October. The Scene, from Calgary, recently caught up with Jon Kimura Parker, artistic director of Honens, and Illia Ovcharenko, the Laureate of 2022 Competition. “We’re not just looking for a pianist who plays the piano brilliantly, but we’re also looking for somebody who has something to say,” said Parker.

Since his win, Ovcharenko has performed solos with orchestras around the world, including the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Until the next winner of the competition is announced on October 20, Ovcharenko keeps his title as the current prize laureate. “It’s truly like a dream come true moment,” he says. “Winning that competition and realizing that I might not need any other competitions to participate in; it’s truly miraculous.”

The 2025 Honens Piano Competition semi-finals will take place from October 16 to 20 at the Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall in the Rozsa Centre at the University of Calgary, and the finals will take place on October 23 and 24 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall in the Werklund Centre.

Read the full piece here.

2022 Honens Prize Laureate Illia Ovcharenko with Jon Kimura Parker. Photo: Monique de St. Croix