International piano competition
" Samson François "

Samson François, 4 syllables forming a bridge between music and magic. A name that awakens in each of us a secret desire for freedom and daring, and reminds us of the original function of the musician, as embodied in the myth of Orpheus: to charm, bewitch, and beguile the listener, and even to raise the dead through the magical powers of sound. This competition is a tribute to this unique artist, a poet of the piano who continues to inspire millions of music lovers around the world. We sincerely hope that young pianists will join this quest for the mystery of music, and that on their way to the "unattainable star", this competition will give them the necessary impetus to try to approach it.

Having had the chance to study for many years with Bruno Rigutto, who was one of the only disciples of Samson François and his "spiritual son", I am very happy that Christine Gastaud, my first teacher in Nice, entrusted us with the artistic direction of this competition, which took place in the marvelous setting of the Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur. Indeed, the strong ties that united Samson François to our region are multiple: he studied as a child at the Conservatory of Nice, and later resided in Menton and performed very frequently in our region. Let's hope that the young pianists who participated in this event will follow in his footsteps!