All-male final, no Chinese, at first China International Music Competition

They jury, who swear they have never taught any of the contestants, have come up with a very old-fashioned set of finalists. Two are from Juilliard. One is the grandson of the formidable Soviet pianist, Tatiana Nikolaev. None is a Chinese national.

Leonardo Colafelice, Italy, 23, Gnessin Moscow Special School of Music

Alexander Malofeev, Russia, 17 Bari Conservatory of Music

MacKenzie Melemed, USA, 24, Juilliard School

Sandro Nebieridze, Georgia, 18, Tbilisi State Conservatory

Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev Russia, 25, Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (pictured)

Tony Yun, Canada, 17, Juilliard School, Pre-College Division

The first prize is a record $150,000, about half a footballer’s weekly wage.

The CIMC jury is headed by Li-guang Wang, president of the China Conservatory of Music, and Yoheved Kaplinsky, chair of the piano department and artistic director of the Pre-College Division, The Juilliard School.