Thursday September 10, 2026

Chamber Music: When Virtuosity Gives Way to Dialogue

The Chamber Music round is a captivating part of the Concours, during which pianists demonstrate their musical versatility, their sense of musical dialogue, and their ability to adapt their playing style to a smaller ensemble in an intimate setting.

First introduced to the Concours in 2024, the Chamber Music round makes a comeback for the 2027 edition. The six finalists will be required to perform one of Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 11, 12, 13 or 14. These masterful works, composed between 1782 and 1784 and which mark the beginning of the series of great concertos he created for his own concerts, were arranged for piano and string quartet by Mozart himself.

This repertoire offers a fascinating contrast to the electrifying virtuosity of the great concertos, which audiences will hear a few days later at the Maison symphonique, with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal led by Guest Conductor Gergely Madaras.

This stage of the Concours allows the International Jury to assess the six finalists on the specific expressive and technical challenges posed by this repertoire. Mozart embodies subtlety, elegance and refinement — sought-after qualities that any musician aspiring to an international career must demonstrate.

The Viano Quartet and the return of a Grand Laureate

The Concours is delighted to welcome the Viano Quartet, one of the most remarkable and acclaimed young string quartets active today. They will perform with each of the six finalists, offering a first-rate partnership to meet this musical challenge head on.

This collaboration with the Viano Quartet also allows the Concours to welcome back its brilliant 2019 Grand Laureate, violinist Hao Zhou, first violin of the ensemble. Hao’s return to Montréal, six years after his appearance at the Concours, is a testament to the bonds that can be forged between artists and the Concours over the years.

This Chamber Music round will take place over two sessions on Friday, April 30 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Bourgie Hall’s intimate atmosphere provides the ideal setting for these young pianists to shine and for the audience to discover another facet of their artistry.

At the end of this round, the International Jury will select the recipient of the Chamber Music Prize, a cash prize of $2,500.