PIANIST Dr John O'Conor and the Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, launched the fourth Dublin International Piano Competition in Dublin yesterday. The tri annual competition which has been running since 1988, is sponsored this year by Guardian Insurance.
The 1997 Guardian Dublin International Piano Competition is the first to be sponsored by the insurance group. It took over the sponsorship from GPA which sponsored the previous three events.
The overall prize fund for the competition is £50,000 with a top prize of, £10,000. The best placed Irish entry will be awarded the Charles J. Brennan prize of £1,250.
A Guardian spokesman said the event should attract 200 competitors from around the world and would cost Guardian in the region of £500,000.
Dr O'Conor, the director and cofounder of the competition, said he was gratified that Ireland could attract such performers who would plays side by side with the best Ireland has to offer.
