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Tickle the ivories: Vu Duc Manh Vincent (from Canada) performs at the Ha Noi International Piano Competition. He won second prize in the 10-13 age group. — VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa |
HA NOI — Pianists from Japan and South Korean were winners in the nation's first international piano contest, which concluded in the capital on Sunday. Kuroki Yukine won the 10-13 years section and Kim Kyung-hoon won the 18-25 years section. No first prize was awarded in the 14-17 years group.
Yukine also won the Best Chopin Player prize.
Second equal in the 10-13 years age group were Do Hoang Linh Chi (Viet Nam) and Vu Duc Manh Vincent (Canada); third was Ngo Phuong Vi from Viet Nam.
Second equal in the 14-17 years group were Tran Viet Bao (Viet Nam), Luu Duc Anh (Viet Nam) and Montesclaros Ma Regina (the Philippines); third was Nguyen Le Binh Anh (Viet Nam).
Second equal in the 18-25 years group was Chung Da-hyun (South Korea); next were Luu Hong Quang (Viet Nam) and Shih Wei Chen (Taiwan).
The Chopin Nocturne winner was Tran Viet Bao (Viet Nam); Most Promising Player was Bui Khanh Linh (Viet Nam) from the 10-13 age group; music of the 20th Century was won by Kim Kyung-hoon (South Korea).
Organising board member Ta Quang Dong said most Vietnamese contestants showed their lack of international competition experience compared to many of the foreigners.
Jury chairwoman Tran Thu Ha said the competition was a chance to expose local talent and give them international competition experience, which might otherwise be beyond their families' budgets.
Musician Nguyen Thien Dao said, "I think this is an encouraging result for our first international piano competition, to gather 63 contestants from 10 countries and territories. After attending some of their performances, I believe in the young generation of Vietnamese pianists. They possess very good capabilities."
Competition president and art director People's Artist Dang Thai Son said such events gave music students the chance to compare and gain inspiration.
"Many domestic and overseas individuals and organisations have shown their willingness to support more competitions in Viet Nam. The important thing is to maintain this competition and develop it."
The biennial competition was sponsored by Techcombank and Viet Nam Airlines.
Contestants in the youngest age group who made it to the final round had to play a piece by Chopin, followed by the first, second and third movements of sonatas by either Mozart, Haydn, or Kuhlau.
Pianists in the 14-17 years group played two 20-minute pieces by Chopin in addition to one work by a romantic or 20th century composer, while the oldest contestants had to play Chopin's Concerto No 1 or No 2 with Polish conductor Jacek Rogala and the Ha Noi Philharmonic Orchestra.
The jury included Michel Bourdoncle (France), Hae Won-chang (South Korea), Teruko Hakuta (Japan), Kyunghee Lee (Australia), Ruvim Ostrovsky (Russia) and Snezana Panovska (Macedonia/Malaysia). — VNS