Yumi Ahn, 35
Attorney
Singapore
South Korea

Yumi Ahn began her piano studies at age 5. Originally from Seoul, South Korea, she moved to suburban London to study at the Purcell School for Young Musicians with Tessa Nicholson. From 1996–1999, she gave performances in London at the Purcell Room (Southbank Centre), St. John’s Smith Square, and Buckingham Palace for Prince Charles’ 50th birthday celebration. She received the gold prize at the Hankook Ilbo National Piano Competition (Korea) in 1990 and the concerto award at the Ealing Festival of Music (United Kingdom) in 1998. However, Ms. Ahn, an energy infrastructure lawyer practicing in Singapore, took a break from the piano for 17 years, and it wasn’t until last year that she resumed playing: She was inspired after watching They Came to Play, the documentary about the 2007 Cliburn Amateur Competition.

COMPETITION REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round
CHOPIN   Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, op. 47

Quarterfinal Round
CHOPIN   Waltz in A-flat Major, op. 42, no. 5
MENDELSSOHN   Variations sérieuses, op. 54

Semifinal Round
MOZART   Sonata No. 17 in B-flat Major, K. 570: I. Allegro
BERG   Sonata in B Minor, op. 1
RACHMANINOV   Etudes-Tableaux, op. 39, no. 5 in E-flat Minor; no. 6 in A Minor

Final Round
BEETHOVEN   Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, op. 37: I. Allegro con brio