THE COMPETITION SUITE
During the festival decade of Con Brio, The John Gomes Memorial Piano Competition remained the centrepiece. Each year, from 2010 to 2020, numerous committed Indian pianists under the age of 35 participated in this highly reputed single-category national-level competition. With large prizes, at par with major international competitions, the event provided a strong incentive for young Indian pianists to work hard and aim for the highest standards.
Rajat Chowdhury won Con Brio 2016 with first runner-up Sonam Lodhi, second runner-up Nipun Malhotra and the semifinalists.
This event will continue to be a mainstay of the Foundation. However, in keeping with our expanding horizons, the single-category piano competition is now replaced by ‘The Competition Suite’ — a multi-discipline, multi-category set of competitions aimed at providing a variety of instrumentalists at different stages in their musical journeys a chance to become a part of the Con Brio support system. The John Gomes Memorial Piano Competition was never about just finding the best pianist. It was an opportunity for us to get to know a large number of pianists around the country and to allow them to get to know each other. The Foundation remains committed to this community-building exercise, now with a much larger community in the picture — that of all musicians across the country. If you meet the eligibility criteria of any of our competitions, we encourage you to make the most of this platform and let us get to know you by participating.