JURIES 2027
A true icon of classical music, renowned pianist Janina Fialkowska has enchanted audiences and critics around the world for over 50 years. She has been praised for her musical integrity, her refreshing natural approach and her unique piano sound, thus becoming “one of the Grandes Dames of piano playing” (Frankfurter Allgemeine).
Her career was launched in 1974, when the legendary Arthur Rubinstein became her mentor after her prize-winning performance at his inaugural Master Piano Competition, calling her a “born Chopin interpreter” and thus laying the foundation for her lifelong identification with this composer.
Since then, she has performed with the foremost orchestras worldwide under the baton of such conductors as Zubin Mehta, Bernard Haitink, Lorin Maazel, Sir Georg Solti, Sir Roger Norrington, as well as a younger generation of conductors such as Klaus Mäkelä and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
She makes frequent appearances as a juror of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions such as the Munich – ARD Competition, the Rubinstein Competition in Tel Aviv, the Liszt Competition in Utrecht, the Honens competition in Calgary as well as acting as Chairperson for the Geneva and the Junior Van Cliburn competitions.
She also gave several sought-after masterclasses around the world (Tokyo, Seoul, Salzburg, Hannover, Geneva, Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver), and at summer festivals in Schleswig-Holstein, Kleve and Ettal (Germany), Eppan (Italy) and Parry Sound (Canada), contributing to the success of a whole new generation of talented pianists.
During the 2024-2025 season, she gave a comprehensive concert tour of her native Canada, as well as concerts in Luxembourg, a London recital (Cadogan Hall) and a performance of the Paderewski concerto at the Paderewski Festival in San Luis Obispo.
Her autobiography A Note in Time (Novum Publishing, London) – released in November 2021 – has received rave reviews. “Subtlety, which is a hallmark of her playing on the piano keys, distinguishes also her writing … an original writer couldn’t have done a better job.” (Augsburger Allgemeine). A “mesmerizing memoir” (Classical Voice North America).
Her 75th birthday tour coincided with the release of her new album, Invitation à la valse, her 16th recording published in February 2026 on the ATMA Classique label.
The International Jury of the Concours musical international de Montréal is housed at the Ritz-Carlton – Montréal
