Program

Sergei Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26

1. Andante - Allegro

2. Tema con variazioni

3. Allegro, ma non troppo

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23

1. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito

2. Andantino semplice – Prestissimo

3. Allegro con fuoco

Sergei Rachmaninov, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18

1. Moderato

2. Adagio sostenuto

3. Allegro scherzando

2026 Ljubljana Festival International Piano Competition: Finals (2/2) and Award Ceremony

The last three of six remaining Finalists perform concertos with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra

Cast

Zhiquan Wang — Pianist

Elia Cecino — Pianist

Alberto Ferro — Pianist

RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra

Ricardo Castro — Conductor

Program notes

The Ljubljana Festival International Piano Competition returns for another exciting edition, and it all comes down to this! Held every three years, this contest brings aspiring young pianists to the beautiful Slovenian capital to compete for cash prizes and exciting career opportunities, plus the chance to share their gifts with an international audience. In this second of two Finals sessions, the last three of our six remaining competitors choose a concerto from a list of favorites by Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev, and perform it alongside the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra led by maestro Ricardo Castro. The winner will receive the City of Ljubljana Prize and €50,000, plus guaranteed concert dates at festivals, competitions, and more!

Catch up on the first Finals session here!