The Long-Thibaud International Competition was founded in Paris in 1943 by the musicians Marguerite Long and Jacques Thibaud, who shared a dream of providing young musicians with opportunities to spread their wings around the world. It is recognized as one of the four major competitions, along with the Tchaikovsky Contest, the Chopin Contest and the Queen Elizabeth Contest. The Long-Thibaud International Competition is held in cycles of three years, the first of which is the violin contest and the second of which is the piano contest. The third is for commending the grand prize winners from the previous two years. At the Gala Concert, the winner each year and the runners-up are invited to present their exquisite musical culture. Crecia has been a cosponsor since the 2003 concert in Tokyo. Nippon Paper Industries joined the sponsorship for the Tokyo Concert in February 2005, and has decided to invite the visually impaired to the concert for the opportunity of enjoying performances by young musicians embarking on international careers. →Go Back to Major Activities