As in previous competitions, this year’s participants could choose from five pianos made by four companies: Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai and Fazioli, and they had to make a decision within 15 minutes.
Instruments produced by Steinway & Sons, a piano maker dating back to 1853, proved to be the most popular with the competitors in the Polish capital.
Steinway pianos have the longest tradition in the almost 100-year-old Chopin competition as the instrument of choice for leading pianists.
The long list of competition winners playing on Steinways includes Halina Czerny-Stefańska, Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Krystian Zimmerman, Rafał Blechacz and Dang Thai Son.
During rehearsals before the final stage of this year's competition at the Warsaw Philharmonic, Monika Pilch spoke to Gerrit Glaner, Head of the Concert and Artist Department at Steinway & Sons.
Click on the audio player above to hear the interview.