Webcast: 2014 Gilmore Artist Award Winner Rafał Blechacz

The Gilmore Artist Award is given every four years to "an international pianist of any age and nationality following a rigorous and confidential selection process." It comes with $300,000 and is considered one of the preeminent awards in classical music.

This year's winner is the Polish pianist Rafał Blechacz. He performed on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 5:30 pm, as part of a live performance and interview with the Gilmore Artist in The Greene Space.

Unlike many prizes in classical music, the Gilmore Award is handed out not on the basis of a public performance competition but after an anonymous, six-member committee nominates and selects candidates. Pianists of any age and nationality are said to be eligible. Past Gilmore Artists include Leif Ove Andsnes (1998), Piotr Anderszewski (2002), Ingrid Fliter (2006) and Kirill Gerstein (2010).

The event was sold out but you can watch the archived video webcast on this page.

Playlist:

Chopin - Waltz op. 34 no. 2 

Chopin - Polonaise, Op. 40 in A major  

Chopin - Polonaise Op. 40 in C minor  

Beethoven - Largo from the Sonata in D major, op. 10   

Beethoven - Scherzo from the Sonata, op. 2 no. 2    

Mozart - Allegro con spirito from Sonata in D major, K. 311   

Debussy – Claire de Lune, 3rd movement from Suite Bergamasque