HA NOI — Information about the Ha Noi 2012 international piano competition has appeared on www.alink-argerich.org, after it became a member of the Alink Argerich Foundation (AAF), an independent worldwide information and service centre for musicians and competitions.

It is one of the two biggest websites for world classical music contests. It was founded in 1999 by Argentine pianist Martha Argerich and Gustav Alink (from the Netherlands), a world-renowned expert on international piano competitions and an accomplished author.

The foundation aims to help young musicians build their career and participate in major competitions.

About 40 international piano competitions have now joined AAF.

The other famous international website is www.wfimc.org (the World Federation of International Music Competitions), which was founded in Switzerland.

After its first success in 2010, the Ha Noi 2012 piano competition will be held from September 4-13 at the Viet Nam National Academy of Music (VNAM) and at Ha Noi Opera House.

The organisers hope the competition will help bring classical music closer to Vietnamese music lovers and strengthen exchanges between young talented pianists in the region and around the world.

Some changes will be made to the contest this year to make it more competitive and better known worldwide.

The competition's jury comprises distinguished professors and musicians from Viet Nam, Russia, French, Australia, Japan and South Korea. Professor Tran Thu Ha will chair the jury. People's Artist Dang Thai Son will be the honourable president.

The first contest in 2010 attracted 60 candidates from 10 countries, 40 of whom were from Viet Nam. This year, Vietnamese candidates will come from the VNAM, HCM City Conservatory of Music, Hue Academy of Music and Ha Noi College of Fine Arts.

More information about the competition can be found on the website www.hanoicompetition.vn. — VNS