179 Dear Competitors, honored jury members, followers, and audience, Welcome to the 18th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition. Despite the war in the Middle East and its severe consequences, we saw unprecedented interest from pianists seeking to participate in the Competition. More than five hundred candidates began the registration process. Two hundred completed it and met all the requirements. The screening committee selected 42 participants. All of them were eager to come to Israel to participate in the Competition. Just as we were forced to devise a new format during the COVID pandemic (recording the first stages in five locations around the world and holding the final stage in Israel), we had to come up with a way to hold this year's Competition on time, despite the situation. We are holding the Competition out of a deep commitment to musical excellence and the human spirit. We developed a hybrid format, with the preliminary stages in Europe and the finals in Israel, to allow the pianists who have been preparing for the Competition for more than a year to showcase their talent and continue to be heard. At a time when reality is complex and fragile, music becomes an anchor. We believe music is a healing force that transcends borders. It is precisely in times of uncertainty that music plays a deeper role – reminding us of who we are and what connects us. This year's Competition is not only a musical event but also a statement of hope and perseverance: Culture does not stop. Music prevails! The Competition Jury, including some of the world's leading musicians, aims to discover pianists whose music comes from deep within their souls and whose technical ability enables them to express their hearts' desires and touch the audience with their playing. I want to thank the Rubinstein Society's board of directors, particularly the Chair of the Society, Mr. Nir Zuk, and the Chair of the board, Mr. Arie Rapoport, for their help and support. Special thanks to our small, amazing production team, whose impressive flexibility and improvisational skills enabled us to relocate the Competition's preliminary stages to Europe at the last minute. Thanks to our patrons, friends, and generous donors for their support. We welcome you, young pianists, to the Competition to express your music, delight and impress the audience and the Jury, have a great time, and, of course, win prizes. Yours, Ariel Cohen, Artistic Director צילום: נילי אהרונסון Greetings
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