History of the Competition:

Created in 1999, by René GIRARD and his daughter Christine GIRARD, with the help of the City of Maisons-Laffitte and Sartrouville, the Competition was named:
« Concours National de Piano d’Île-de-France » (Île de France National Piano Competition).

Regarding to the success of the Competition, which has welcomed French and foreigners pianists, the Competition became in 2005 :
« Concours International de Piano de l’Île-de-France » (Île de France International Piano Competition).

July 2007, the head office was transferred to Maisons-Laffitte. The City of Maisons-Laffitte became our first sponsor, so Opus Yvelines decided to rename the Competition to its currently name:
« Concours International de Piano d’Île-de-France - De la Ville de Maisons-Laffitte » (Île de France International Piano Competition - Of the City of Maisons-Laffitte).

Until 2008, the Competition took place each year at the "Ancienne Église" at Maisons-Laffitte.

This Competition let pianists, who are coming from France and all the World, from the "Initiation" to the "Concert Artist" degree, play in front of an audience, and show their technical and musical qualities, giving their best. The winner of the “Concert Artist” degree plays a Piano Concert in Maisons-Laffitte.

The degree, "Experienced Non-Professional Pianist", was created in 2008. The two first prices of this new degree play a Piano Concert at the Saint-Merri Church, in Paris.

Opus Yvelines and the City of Maisons-Laffitte decided that the 11th Piano Competition will take place at the "Salle Malesherbes" (428 seats), in Maisons-Laffitte.

Hononary Commitee:

Ladies and Gentlemen :
Pascal AMOYEL, Michel BENHAÏEM, Michel BEROFF, Brigitte BOUTHINON-DUMAS, Laurent CABASSO, France CLIDAT, Claire DESERT, Akiko EBI, Abd El Rahman EL BACHA, Christian IVALDI, Marie-Joseph JUDE, Bruno RIGUTTO, Jean-Paul SEVILLA.

Jury:

Were part of the Jury
Ladies:
Jacqueline BENSIMHON, Anne BILLANT, Brigitte BOUTHINON-DUMAS, Lilia BOYADIEVA, Catherine BRILLI, France CLIDAT, Claire DESERT, Megumi DOÏ, Anne-Lise GASTALDI, Cécile HUGONNARD-ROCHE, Irène POLYA, Anne QUEFFELEC, Chantal STIGLIANI, Emmanuelle SWIERCZ.

Gentlemen:
William BENSIMHON, Laurent CABASSO, Geoffroy Couteau, Olivier GARDON, Christian IVALDI, Philippe LARGUEZE, Pascal MANTIN, Gérard PARMENTIER, Jean-Paul SEVILLA, Eric VIDONNE.

Prize-list of the past Sessions:

2009: 11e Concours International de Piano d’Île de France - 196 participants
Diplôme de Concert:
1st price: Seul Ki CHION (South Corea)
2nd price: Miho NAGATA (Japan)
3rd price: Endri NINI (Albania)

2008: 10th Île de France International Piano Competition - 136 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Duanduan HAO (China)
2nd price: Yedam KIM (Japan)
3rd price: Hana KURASAWA (Japan) _
2007: 9th Île de France International Piano Competition - 104 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Alexey LEBEDEV (Russie)
2nd price ex-aequo: Ma Cha KIM (South Corea)
2nd price ex-aequo: Ayato GOTO (Japan)
3rd price ex-aequo: Yuko SHINOHARA (Japan)
3rd price ex-aequo: Megumi TODA (Japan)

2006: 8th Île de France International Piano Competition - 108 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price ex-aequo: Suzana BARTAL (Rumania)
1st price ex-aequo: Hiroko TANI (Japan)
2nd price ex-aequo: Aya MOGI (Japan)
2nd price ex-aequo: Harumi ARIMA (Japan)
2nd price ex-aequo: Naho SOGAWA (Japan)
3rd price ex-aequo: Seiko OYA (Japan)
3rd price ex-aequo: Satomi TAMARA (Japan)
3rd price ex-aequo: Ada MINASYAN (Armenia)

2005: 7th Île de France International Piano Competition - 70 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Masao KITSUTAKA (Japan)
2nd price: Sunghoon HWANG (South Corea)
3rd price: Varduhi YERITSYANN (Armenia)

2004: 6th Île de France International Piano Competition - 65 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Kanaé ENDO (Japan)
2nd price ex-aequo: Alissa ZOUBRITSKI (Russia)
2nd price ex-aequo: Anne-Claire LANTETOIS (France)

2003: 5th Île de France National Piano Competition - 87 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Rintaro AKAMATSU (Japan)
2nd price: Eric ARTZ (France)
3rd price: Jean-Baptiste LHERMELIN (France)

2002: 4th Île de France National Piano Competition - 72 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Daria FADEEVA (Belarus - France)
2nd price: Marlo THINNES (Germany)
3rd price: Kumito YOSHIDA-LY (Japan)

2001: 3rd Île de France National Piano Competition - 65 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Alexandre GRELOT (France)
2nd price: Aya TAMIAKI (Japan)
3rd price: Chih-Yu SU (Japan)

2000: 2nd Île de France National Piano Competition - 36 pianists
Concert Artist:
1st price: Jean-Frédéric NEUBURGER (France)
2nd price: Emmanuelle SWIERCZ (France)
3rd price: Frédéric RAIBAUD (France)

1999: 1st Île de France National Piano Competition - 31 pianists
Excellence:
1st price: Jean-Frédéric NEUBURGER (France)
Concert Artist: No prices were given.