His ten fingers danced freely across the keyboard. He played the piano with all his might and finished by hitting the notes quite strongly. He smiled as the orchestra accompanied him. His playing was perfect.
On Oct. 21, the Fryderyk Chopin Institute announced that pianist Seong-Jin Cho won the gold medal at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. This is the first time for a Korean pianist to win the gold medal, and it’s only the third time an Asian pianist has won, after Dang Thai Son from Vietnam in 1980 and Li Yundi from China in 2000.
The International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition is one of the world’s three major music competitions, along with the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia and the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium.
Seong-Jin Cho started to play the piano when he was 6 years old. He made his debut at Kumho's Gifted People Concert when he was 11 years old. After that, he was the youngest winner many times at various competitions and has long been in the spotlight. He won third place at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia in 2011.
Seong-Jin Cho will receive not only EUR 30,000, about KRW 37.6 million, and the gold medal for taking first place, but also EUR 3,000, about KRW 3.8 million, for having played the best polonaise. In addition, he has strengthened his foothold as a global artist and will continue to play the piano all over the world.
After appearing on stage in Europe and Asia, he will hold a gala concert with other prize-winners from this competition at the Seoul Arts Center on Feb. 2 next year. Finally, an album, including his playing at this competition, will be released by Deutsche Grammophon next month.
By Shin Jaewon
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Yonhap News
jennys88@korea.kr
Pianist Seong-Jin Cho is the first Korean winner of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition.
On Oct. 21, the Fryderyk Chopin Institute announced that pianist Seong-Jin Cho won the gold medal at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. This is the first time for a Korean pianist to win the gold medal, and it’s only the third time an Asian pianist has won, after Dang Thai Son from Vietnam in 1980 and Li Yundi from China in 2000.
The International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition is one of the world’s three major music competitions, along with the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia and the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium.
Pianist Seong-Jin Cho plays the piano during the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.
Seong-Jin Cho started to play the piano when he was 6 years old. He made his debut at Kumho's Gifted People Concert when he was 11 years old. After that, he was the youngest winner many times at various competitions and has long been in the spotlight. He won third place at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia in 2011.
Seong-Jin Cho will receive not only EUR 30,000, about KRW 37.6 million, and the gold medal for taking first place, but also EUR 3,000, about KRW 3.8 million, for having played the best polonaise. In addition, he has strengthened his foothold as a global artist and will continue to play the piano all over the world.
After appearing on stage in Europe and Asia, he will hold a gala concert with other prize-winners from this competition at the Seoul Arts Center on Feb. 2 next year. Finally, an album, including his playing at this competition, will be released by Deutsche Grammophon next month.
By Shin Jaewon
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Yonhap News
jennys88@korea.kr
President of Poland Andrzej Duda (left) presents Seong-Jin Cho (right) with the first-place gold medal at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.
Winners of the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition pose for the cameras in Warsaw. They include Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho (middle), silver medalist Charles Richard-Hamelin (left) of Canada and bronze medalist Kate Liu (right) from the U.S.
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