The Piano Duo Competition was established under the auspices of AMGD in 2009, driven by the desire of pianists Mihaela Gavriș and Vera Negreanu to promote the repertoire for two pianos from both universal and Romanian musical literature, thereby stimulating the interest of composers and performers in this genre. In line with the specific nature of the chamber ensemble, the competition is designed around several pairs: composer/performer, universal/Romanian, optional repertoire/required repertoire, established musical language/contemporary language. These are the guiding principles of this artistic event, which offers participating students an exceptional interpretive experience. The variety of repertoire and the quality of performances have developed this competition into an inter-university artistic event, with participants from universities in Cluj, Iași, Timișoara, and Oradea.
The competition is uniquely characterized by the fact that, annually during the 2010-2014 editions, a young composer from Cluj wrote a special piece for two pianos, which was required in the competition. These works were compiled and published by MediaMusica Publishing House in 2014.
The competition jury has included distinguished personalities and university faculty members, both pianists and composers. Starting with the 2013 edition, the organizers introduced the Grand Prize, which involved the performance of a concerto for two pianos and orchestra in partnership with the Philharmonics of Satu Mare, Târgu Mureș, and Sibiu. As a result, concertante works by Răzvan Metea, Șerban Marcu, Cristian Bence-Muk, Ionică Pop, and Ciprian Pop were performed in world premieres.
