Thursday 3 May 2018

LEEDS INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION 2018: 2ND ROUND PIANISTS NAMED



The 24 pianists selected to perform in the Second Round of the Leeds International Piano Competition 2018 were named on 1 May 2018. They are:

Jean-Selim Abdelmoula (Switzerland)
Evelyne Berezovsky (UK)
Florian Caroubi (France)
Sae Yoon Chon (South Korea)
Anna Geniushene (Russia)
Salih Can Gevrek (Turkey)
Yilei Hao (China)*
Mario Häring (Germany)
Wei-Ting Hsieh (Taiwan)*
Fuko Ishii (Japan)
Aljosa Jurinic (Croatia)
Yoonji Kim (South Korea)
Taek Gi Lee (South Korea)*
Siqian Li (China)
Eric Lu (USA)
Alexia Mouza (Greece/Venezuela)
Jinhyung Park (South Korea)*
Samson Tsoy (Russia)
Chao Wang (China)*
Xinyuan Wang (China)
Andrzej Wiercinski (Poland)
Wu Yuchong (China)
Yuanfan Yang (UK)
Pavel Zeman (Czech Republic)

* Pianists selected from Singapore leg (First Round)

Taek Gi Lee (South Korea)
Chao Wang (China)
Jinhyung Park (South Korea)
Yilei Hao (China)
Wei-Ting Hsieh (Taiwan)

It was interesting to note that 5 of these pianists had performed their First Round in Singapore, at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music on 8 April 2018. Playing within a field of 11 pianists, the success rate here was a staggering 45.45%. The success rates in Berlin and New York were 35% (14 out of 40) and 29.4% (5 out of 17) respectively. 

Thus those who attended the First Round were treated to a standard of playing that was more than representative of the high standards of this prestigious competition. It was a pity that the two Singapore-based pianists Clarence Lee and Kseniia Vokhmianina were not among them despite their very fine  showings. 

China will be represented by 6 pianists (including 1 from Taiwan) and South Korea by 4 pianists. There are only 2 pianists from Russia among the 24. There are 2 pianists representing the United Kingdom, and both are children of emigrés from Russia and China. The only pianist from USA is of Chinese origin. That 13 out of 24 pianists are of East Asian origin reflect the changing demographics that is taking place in piano competitions and classical music in general. 

The Second Round takes place at Leeds from 6 September 2018, and the competition may be followed at www.leedspiano.com

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