South Korean Cho Seong Jin Wins 17th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition In Poland
South Korean Cho Seong Jin tops the 17th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland. Head of the jury announced last Wednesday that the South Korean pianist won the first prize for the Chopin Competition, as noted by ABC News on Tuesday.
21-year-old Cho receives $33,600 and a gold medal. Aside from that, the first prize also includes recording contracts and gives Cho the opportunity to hold concerts in some of the world's well-known halls, BBC News reported on Wednesday.
"It became my dream to participate in the competition and I cannot believe this moment," Cho says during a press conference.
Chopin Competition is held every five years and for this year, the preliminary round took place last April 13 until 24. Cho says all the stages of the Chopin Competition were not easy.
"In the first round I was out of control. I didn't remember how I played so I checked on YouTube," he says.
Reports revealed that the pianists who joined the competition only played Chopin's works before the jury that is consist of 17 members including 1965 Chopin Competition winner Martha Argerich.
Meanwhile, Canadian pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin won the second prize, while Kate Liu of the United States was the third prize winner.
Cho, at a young age, has joined a number of piano competitions from different countries. The native of Seoul has won first prize in the International Fryderyk Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in 2008 and Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in 2009.
Aside from that, he has won third prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011 and Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in 2014.
The South Korean pianist has also performed in concert with Russia's Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Berlin Radio Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, Basel Symphony Orchestra and a lot more.
Cho has also participated in several European festivals as well as festivals in New York and Castleton.
Cho is currently a student of French pianist Michel Beroff at the Conservatoire de Paris.