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| ▲ This photo, provided by Kumho Cultural Foundation, shows Lee Hyuk. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pianist Lee Hyuk (21) has moved on to the finals for the 18th world-class “Chopin Competition.”
12 participants were listed for the final competition to be held in Warsaw Poland until the 20th, according to the competition’s official website on the 17th. The list includes those from 8 countries - 2 Italians, 2 Canadians, 2 Polish, 2 Japanese, a Spanish and a Chinese as well as Lee.
The Chopin Competition, which takes place every 5 years, is one of the world’s three best-recognized piano competitions with the International Tchaikovsky Competition of Russia and Queen Elizabeth International music competition of Belgium. This year’s Chopin competition has opened in 6 years after 1 year of postpone due to the spread of the COVID-19 infection.
500 participants entered, 96 were qualified and the 12 finalists were from the 23 qualifiers for the third stage. Lee played at 6 p.m. (local time) on the 16th, the last day of the third stage.
Another South Korean participant, Kim Su-yeon (27) rose on the third stage too but unfortunately couldn’t make it to the finals.
The results of the finals will be revealed after the last play at 6 p.m. (local time) on the 20th which is dawn of the 21st in KST.
Previously, Lim Dong-min·Lim Dong-hyek·Son Yeol-eum in 2005 and Cho Seong-jin in 2015 were the South Koreans to advance to the finals of the Chopin Competition. Cho in the age of 21 was the first Korean to win the competition and the Lim brothers tied for 3rd place.
Lee started learning violin and piano when he was 3 years old and received official education for music preparing for Sunhwa Arts High School. He showed extraordinary talent for music from his early age. He won the Little Mozart Concurs (translated) in 2009, was awarded first prize for the Moscow Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in 2012, was the youngest winner for Poland’s International Paderewski Piano Competition in 2016 and received 3rd place for Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in 2018.
Lee enrolled Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory when he was 16 years old and is learning from Professor Vladimir Ovchinnikov. Also, he is continuing his career as a concert pianist as well playing for Philharmonic hall in Warsaw, the 72th Duszniki Chopin Piano Festival, Bolshoi hall of Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Smetana Hall and Rudolfinum (Dvořák Hall) in Czechia, Eindhoven musichebo of Netherland and Seoul Arts Center. He has been sponsored by Doosan Yeongang Foundation since 2012.
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