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News A Korean (조성진) Won International Chopin Piano Competition
2015.10.20 15:00
  On 20 October, the final-round auditions of the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition were completed. The 17-person jury, led by Prof. Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń, awarded prizes and honorable mentions.
MAIN PRIZES HONORABLE MENTIONS - Aljoša Jurinić, Aimi Kobayashi, Szymon Nehring, Georgijs Osokins. SPECIAL PRIZES Appearing in the finals were 10 pianists from 8 countries, who performed one of Fryderyk Chopin’s piano concerti with the Warsaw Philharmonic under the direction of Jacek Kaspszyk. Nine of the participants selected the Concerto in E minor op. 11; and only one, Charles Richard-Hamelin, the Concerto in F minor op. 21. According to the rules and regulations, pianists from all over the world born from 1985 to 1999 were permitted to apply for the Competition. In order to take part in the rivalry, they were required to send in their applications, together with a video recording containing the program from the first round, by 1 December 2014. After announcing that applications were being accepted, The Fryderyk Chopin Institute received the record number of over 450 applications from all over the world. Based on analysis of the recordings and applications sent in, the Admission Committee selected 160 pianists, who took part in public Preliminary Round in April of this year in Warsaw. From this group, the jury admitted 77 pianists to the main competition. Seven pianists – winners of the international competitions mentioned in the Rules and Regulations, as well as the prizewinners at the Polish Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition 2015 – ensured themselves participation in the October competition, bypassing the Preliminary Round. Fryderyka Chopina 2015. From among this group, six people resigned from participation in the Competition before it began. Among those taking part, the most numerous groups were from Poland (14 people) and China (13 people); beyond this, 12 pianists from Japan; 8 from South Korea; 6 from Russia; 4 from the United States; 3 each from Italy, Canada and Great Britain; 2 from the Czech Republic; and 1 representative each from Belarus, Croatia, France, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Latvia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The organizer of the Competition is the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. The project is included in the Accessible Culture Program of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. The Competition Patron is Bank Zachodni WBK Santander Group. The second prize went to Charles Richard-Hamelin of Canada and the third prize winner was Kate Liu of the United States. The first prize includes concerts in some of the world's best-known halls, contracts for recordings, and a 30,000-euro ($33,600) award with a gold medal. A 21-year-old native of Seoul, Cho said he wanted to take part in the renowned competition ever since he was 11 and listened to its 2005 edition. "It became my dream to participate in the competition and I cannot believe this moment," he told a news conference, speaking in English. He said all stages of the competition were "really tough for me" except the final concerto with an orchestra, when he was "not so nervous." "In the first round I was out of control," he said. "I didn't remember how I played so I checked on YouTube how I played." Cho also won a euros 3,000 award for the best polonaise performance. During the three weeks of the competition the pianists played only Chopin's works before a 17-member international jury that included the 1965 winner Martha Argerich. In its 88-year history, the Chopin competition has earned a reputation as one of the world's top piano events, opening international careers to young pianists. Past winners include Maurizio Pollini in 1960, Garrick Ohlsson in 1970, and Krystian Zimerman in 1975. |
