Vienna, January 2025
Dear Musicians, Judges, and Music Enthusiasts,
With great pleasure and honor, I am for the first time a part of the International Competition of Music in Osaka and welcome you to its 26th edition in 2025!
This competition was established in the year 2000 to encourage many young talented musicians with their hopes and ambitions and use the power of music as a universal language to create a forum which benefits the lives and relationships of all participating people and help us – through music – to work closely together towards peace and a world without wars. I would like to express my admiration and gratitude to Mrs. Yoko Kitano and Mr. Hirotaka Kitano for many years of hard work, enthusiasm and idealism.
I believe that a music competition can indeed be a very valuable forum for young musicians, where they can present their musical imagination, ideas and skills to an audience and an international jury, they are the heart of this event, and their artistry is what makes this gathering extraordinary. The countless hours of practicing and preparation for this moment are already an enormous gain for the path to be a true musician.
May this event resonate in our hearts and inspire us to continue creating and sharing music with the world, I wish all participants and all esteemed members of the jury a very successful competition and a pleasant stay in Osaka.
With warmest regards,
Univ. Prof. Christopher Hinterhuber
Pianist, Professor for Piano at mdw – University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna
Head of the Piano Department (2016-2024)
Vice President of Beethoven Society Vienna