CANCELLATION STATEMENT
We are thankful to our candidates and partners who allowed us to postpone our deadline to May 20 with the hope that by this date we will know more about our chances of meeting live in Klaipėda this July.
Sadly today we had to come to a decision to cancel this year’s edition. Although the security measures in Lithuania are now significantly more free than three weeks ago, there is still not sufficient information on safety, travel, group activities, and quarantine restrictions available. This puts our students and us at an uncomfortable level of risk.
We also feel that with all the necessary safety measures intact, we will be unable to provide our students with the same atmosphere and learning impact that they rightfully expect from the KPM. One lesson we teach our students is „always deliver the expected standard, and if you feel you won‘t be able to, respectfully decline the invitation“. After three years of constantly increasing amount of applications and positive feedback there would be no decision more wrong than to compromise on an academy of significantly lesser standard and value. KPM was never only about lessons and lectures - it is about musical and social experiences, an atmosphere of support and inspiration. We don’t believe that our goals can be achieved with a drastically altered program or an online offer.
With all the ideas, planning, and work made by our team, it‘s definitely a sad day for us. Still I am proud that we did everything we could to make the KPM 2020 happen. I have nothing but the deepest appreciation for the community of the Klaipėda Eduardas Balsys Gymnasium of Arts, my outstanding team, esteemed colleagues, and partners!
Despite the Covid-19 situation, we received a great number of applications from the whole world that surpassed our wildest predictions. As my personal sign of appreciation, I will offer each applicant my personal online session of one hour that may be used as a lesson, a career consultation, or a friendly coffee talk on any subject they find fit. I will also continue my free online masterclass series until the end of July and invite everyone to apply.
Some of the KPM July concerts will remain scheduled with me performing a solo programme. All the proceeds of these concerts will go to the fund of KPM 2021.
I will also encourage the students to join me in July for an online edition of the „Sea Festival Piano Trophy“. Klaipėda needs its piano King and we are not going to let them down!
See you in Klaipėda in 2021!
Kind regards,
Gintaras Januševičius, artistic director of KPM
