Robert Bily wins The Vendome Prize
Monday, January 29, 2024
In its debut outing at Mannes School of Music, the biannual piano competition made as much of an impression as its winner, Robert Bily
Robert Bily has won The Vendome Prize for 2024. Playing both semi-finals and finals from memory, and including treacherously difficult works by Dutillieux (Piano Sonata) and Boulez (Douze Notations) alongside Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven, De Falla and more, Bily was awarded the Grand Prize of $30,000 last Sunday. As runners-up, Anthony Ratinov and Ido Zeev each received $5,000.
Bily was described by Vendome’s Artistic Director, Matei Varga, as ‘one of our strongest winners ever.’ Richard Kessler, Dean of Mannes and Executive Dean of the College of Performing Arts, described the 26-year-old pianist as ‘a wonderful musician who will no doubt have a fine career ahead of him.’
