Russia has played host to the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition. The event, held every four years, is considered to be the Olympics of classical music. Artists from various disciplines, including piano, violin, cello and vocals, have taken part in the prestigious Russian event, which was held in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

One winner is chosen from each instrumental division and an overall champion is awarded the Grand Prix, worth 100,000 U.S. dollars. Over two weeks, 238 competitors from 38 countries have performed in front of a jury, local audiences and millions of viewers online. Pianist Aleksei Melnikov said the level of interest in the event is a major motivating factor for musicians like him.

He said, "It gains a lot of attention, that's the main reason it's important. Millions of people are watching it online, a lot of people. That's what makes it special. There are a lot of competitions with big prize money and great jury members, but no competition like this has this kind of audience attention."

The competition is named after Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, one of Russia's most illustrious 19th century composers. Tchaikovsky was one of the first Russian musicians to achieve fame worldwide, and is particularly well known for his ballets The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. The performances in Moscow take place at the conservatory that bears his name.

The event has been running since 1958 in an effort to foster peace through the arts. Those taking part insist that that legacy, and classical music as a genre, is just as relevant today.

"The masterpieces we are playing are the best what humankind can do. It's our best legacy. If everyone died and aliens came, the best things that we left are our music, our art galleries and our literature," said Aleksei Melnikov.

With its impressive history of classical music, Russia has never stopped appreciating the genre. The Tchaikovsky Competition attracts large audiences in the cities where it's held, with even the middle-of-the-day events consistently selling out.