Radu Lupu of Romania, who won in 1966. Now based in London, he is one of the world's most respected pianists. Barry Douglas of Northern Ireland, who finished third in 1985. He later won the Leeds Competition in England and is now a highly successful concert artist. The preliminaries consist of solo recitals.
Chamber music is added for the semifinals.
The finals consist of concertos with orchestra. For the preliminaries and semifinals, tickets are usually easily available. The finals are generally a sellout. The preliminaries and semifinals are highly informal. For the finals, dress as you would for a symphony concert.