Russian immigrants and their descendents are among the longest established communities in the Bay Area. So it makes sense that the San Jose would play host to a Russian piano music competition. And it makes sense that there would be a few Russian players participating. This piano competition, though it is not extremely well-known, has a first-class international jury headed by Antonio Pompa-Baldi. Instead of a final round with full orchestra and contestants playing concertos, this competition features a final round of piano trios (quite an assignment for the two string players hired).
If you’re a spectator/auditor, and not a participant or a judge, competitions are a great way to hear live music. The Irving Klein String Competition and the Irene Dalis Competition are two that SFCV has often covered and are more high profile than this one. But if you’re in the South Bay, the final of the advanced division on Saturday promises to be a pianistic treat.