Tchaikovsky competition is my obsession ever since 1986, especially for the piano.
I am very pleased with the winners both in piano and in female voice... Barakova is like young Borodina in sound (and she is 21, OMG), and I liked Aigul K. quite a bit as well, very expressive.
Kantorow took time to grow on me...Didn't think he stood out in the first round, thought his second round was very good and he absolutely outplayed everybody in the 3rd. His connection with orchestra and ability to interact/create a dialogue with orchestral sound is so beautiful (and I love that Brahms concerto). And he, to me, was the only pianist in the 3rd round to give an impression of making musical decisions in real time. My personal preference is Broberg over Mao, but I can see how it can go either way, both had quirks. I really loved Broberg's Bach and Beethoven; the guy is more of a thinker than a Romantic.
Sara Daneshpour is very good; I heard her play Prokofiev 2nd piano concerto live and it was absolutely thrilling; too bad she did not get to present it.
Russian pianists were all excellent, just... a bit mild in the way they differed one from another, this time around.
Rena Shereshevskaya is a superstar
Between Debargue and Kantorow, she brings in these amazing pianists with their own distinctive individuality intact...
