Composers: Robert Schumann

Evelyn Mo – Cliburn Junior 2015 Preliminary Round Recital

EVELYN MO
United States |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
HAYDN Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:50: I. Allegro
CHOPIN Etude in F Major, op. 10, no. 8
SCHUMANN Variations on the Name “Abegg,” op. 1
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, op. 14: IV. Vivace

Evelyn Mo made her orchestra debut at age 13 with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, and has since performed with the Orchestra of Northern New York, Camerata New York, and Shenandoah University Symphonic Orchestra. Currently under the guidance of John O’Conor, she has previously studied with Thomas Mastroianni, and attended the Lee University and Southeastern Piano Festivals and the International Institute for Young Musicians. In addition to piano, Evelyn plays the violin and is active at her school as member of the yearbook staff, writer for the newspaper, and coordinator for Tomorrow’s Women in Science and Technology.

Yasuo Kurimoto– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

YASUO KURIMOTO, M.D., 55
Ophthalmologist
Kobe, Japan
Japan

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Dr. Yasuo Kurimoto says he has wanted to participate in the Cliburn Amateur Competition for 10 years, and his interest in the competition’s namesake goes back further: “Van Cliburn has been my hero since I was a child.” He took private piano lessons, but pursued medicine as a career, receiving his medical degree in 1986, and a Ph.D. in 1995 from Kyoto University. Currently, he is the director of the department of ophthalmology at Kobe City General Hospital. Dr. Kurimoto has found success competing in amateur contests around the world. In 2001, he was a semifinalist in the first Boston International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs; a semifinalist in 2002 at the Paris Concours des Grands Amateurs de Piano; first-prize winner at the 14th Osaka International Music Competition and first-prize winner at the International (Tokyo) Amateur Piano Competition in 2014. An opera buff who also enjoys skiing and wine, he looks forward to meeting piano-lovers from around the world in Fort Worth.

Program:
SCHUMANN, Kreisleriana, op.16

Matthias Fischer– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Quarterfinal Round Recital

MATTHIAS FISCHER, 42
Physician
Würzburg, Germany
Germany

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Born in 1973, in Bad Kissingen, Germany, Matthias Fischer received his first piano lessons from his parents at age 5. Throughout his childhood, he won prizes in the German youth competition, Jugend Musiziert, and briefly studied the piano at Munich Musikhochschule with Karl-Hermann Mrongovius from 1993–1994. One year later, he began his career in medicine as a student at the University of Würzburg. He finished his medical thesis in 2000 and pursued an M.D./Ph.D. thesis on mental retardation. Since 2007, he has been an assistant doctor and researcher at the university hospital for psychiatry in Würzburg. Throughout his work in medicine, however, Dr. Fischer continued to hone his piano skills. In 1996, he placed second at the first amateur competition in which he participated, in Utrecht, Netherlands, and he looks forward to this Competition and the possibility of playing with an orchestra.

Program:
SCHUMANN, Davidsbündlertänze, op. 6

Jasmin Tiodang – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Quarterfinal Round Recital

JASMIN TIODANG, 44
Stay-at-home mother
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Indonesia

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round – Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Born in Indonesia, Jasmin Tiodang began private piano lessons at age 4, studied with Iravati M. Sudiarso in Indonesia, and continued to play until she moved to the United States to pursue her undergraduate studies. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Winthrop University (South Carolina), where she studied with Dr. Eugene Barban, and a master’s in music and an MBA from the University of Louisville. After several years teaching children at a local music academy and serving as music director at a Catholic church in Louisville, she relocated to Puerto Rico in 2003 with her husband. Now, she is focused on caring for her daughter full time, and she recognizes the importance of being a strong role model: “I need to set an example for my daughter,” she says. Competing at the Cliburn Amateur is Ms. Tiodang’s way of paying tribute to the special people who have encouraged her: her late parents as well as her husband, daughter, teachers, and mentors.

Program:
BACH-BUSONI Chaconne in D Minor
SCHUMANN-LISZT Widmüng

Clark Vann Griffith – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Quarterfinal Round Recital

CLARK VANN GRIFFITH, 52
Retired database programmer
Fort Worth, Texas
United States

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round – Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Clark Vann Griffith was the third-prize winner here at 2007 and took second prize in 2011. The Fort Worth resident’s Cliburn connection doesn’t end there: As a child in Phoenix, he was a student of 1977 Cliburn Gold Medalist Steven De Groote. Mr. Vann Griffith was a composition major at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and in ensuing years, has worked as a programmer, website developer, classical music announcer, and orchestral pianist. A chamber-music aficionado, Mr. Vann Griffith is motivated to compete again this year because he enjoys being a performing conduit for the audience, enjoying helping “someone I’ve never met hear something familiar in an utterly new way.” When he’s not playing piano, Mr. Vann Griffith enjoys watching movies, solving puzzles, and the perks of being married and owning cats.

Program:
CHOPIN Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, op. 47
SCHUMANN Arabeske in C Major, op. 18

Shinji Wada – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Quarterfinal Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Shinji Wada, 40
Human resources director
Foster City, California
Japan

Largely self-taught, Shinji Wada learned how to read music himself and began playing piano in elementary school. By 13, he started private lessons, and he continued them after a move to the New York/New Jersey area. At that time, he met his longtime teacher, Seymour Bernstein, who continues to be a source of much inspiration for Mr. Wada. Back in Japan, he finished his bachelor’s degree (Keio University) in economics, and returned to the United States in 2014. A career loyalist to the Sony Corporation, Mr. Wada is a human resources director for Sony Interactive Entertainment (aka PlayStation) in Foster City, California. He views entering this Competition as a means to add balance to his work-heavy life. A father of two, he enjoys traveling to new places throughout the United States with his family in tow.

Program:
SCHUMANN-LISZT, Widmung
RAVEL, La Valse

Thomas Yu – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Quarterfinal Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Thomas Yu, D.M.D., 38
Periodontist
Calgary, Alberta
Canada

It is Thomas Yu’s belief that one can balance both a career and one’s passions. To that end, the periodontist from Calgary, Alberta, has maintained a private dental practice for seven years while successfully competing at amateur contests around the world. Dr. Yu has taken top honors at the Paris International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs (2006), Chetham’s International Amateur Piano Competition in Manchester, United Kingdom (2012), Honens Pro Am Competition in Calgary (2014), and Canada’s CBC Piano Hero contest (2015). Dr. Yu hopes to grow public awareness about amateur piano pursuits through his continued participation in contests. Dr. Yu’s greatest joy, however, is spending time with his wife. Having recently lost his mother to cancer, he is dedicating every note of his performance here to her.

Program:
DEBUSSY, “Reflets dans l’eau” from Images, Book I
CHOPIN, Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, op. 39
SCHUMANN-LISZT, Widmung

Madalyn Taylor – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Quarterfinal Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Madalyn Taylor, 66
Retail store owner
Ogden, Utah
United States

A mother of six and grandmother of 24, Madalyn Taylor firmly believes in making challenges. “They help you push yourself towards higher levels of achievement,” she says. While she took private piano lessons as a child and studied music for two years at Weber State University, Ms. Taylor changed her focus to raising her children and helping with her family business, a tire store, for 46 years. Since resuming her studies, she was won awards at the 2008 Seattle International Amateur Competition and the Bradshaw & Buono International Competition. She has studied with Eugene Watanabe, which she calls a highlight of her musical pursuits, and was a Cliburn Amateur semifinalist in 2011. In her downtime, Ms. Taylor’s large family consumes most of her time but she is also a seamstress and a professional candy maker.

Program:
BACH-KEMPFF, Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639
SCHUMANN, Kinderszenen, op. 15

Utako Tanigawa – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Preliminary Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Preliminary Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall

Utako Tanigawa, 61
Computer science/information systems advisor
Dawsonville, Georgia
United States

Utako Tanigawa, a native of Japan, started playing the piano at the age of 3, but she stopped after 10 years. Later, she came to the United States and earned degrees in mathematics, computer science, software engineering, management science and engineering, and a Ph.D. in information systems. Dr. Tanigawa, who competed at the Cliburn Amateur in 2011, has been engaged in executive positions at global corporations such as American Express and Walmart for more than two decades, and she is also passionate about leadership development. About five years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer; at the same time, her love of music returned and provided what she calls a “tangible lifeline.” Today, music continues to play a key healing role as her recovery continues.

Program:
HAYDN, Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI:52: I. Allegro
SCHUMANN-LISZT, Widmung

Lawrence Hsu – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Preliminary Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Preliminary Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall

Lawrence Hsu, 58
Real estate agent
Seattle, Washington
United States

Lawrence Hsu began private piano lessons when he was 10, switched to the violin at 12, and then went back to piano at age 15. Mr. Hsu studied with Randolph Hokanson as a non-music major at the University of Washington, where he graduated with degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering. He worked at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Veterans Administration in a variety of capacities until 2014, when he transitioned into a completely different career as a real estate agent. Since then, he has focused on his clients, as well as the piano. For the past three years, he has attended a summer piano academy in Victoria, British Columbia, as well as master classes with Paul Robert at the Portland Piano Company in Portland, Washington. Among his diverse interests, Mr. Hsu lists gardening, foreign languages, singing, traveling, and cooking.

Program:
DEBUSSY, “Reflets dans l’eau” from Images, Book I
SCHUMANN, “Traumerei” from Kinderszenen, op. 15
BACH, “Praeludium” from Partita No. 5 in G Major, BWV 829

Thomas Maurice – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Preliminary Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Preliminary Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall

Thomas Maurice, 56
Senior program manager
Baltimore, Maryland
Canada

Returning to this competition for the third time, Thomas Maurice is currently semi-retired from his career as a senior program manager at General Dynamics Information Technology. Mr. Maurice earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance at Towson University and the University of Maryland, College Park, respectively, and worked as a network engineer for years while also attaining honors at amateur competitions like the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition (2004) and the Vienna International Amateur Piano Competition (2008). In 2007 and 2011, he was a Cliburn Amateur semifinalist. Mr. Maurice says he was thrilled to learn the 2016 Cliburn Amateur features a concerto round, “as there are so few opportunities for amateur pianists to perform with an orchestra.” An active feral cat rescuer, Mr. Maurice also dabbles in home renovation and piano tuning, and is involved in his community association.

Program:
TCHAIKOVSKY-PLETNEV “Andante maestoso (Pas de deux)” from Concert Suite from The Nutcracker
SCHUMANN Toccata in C Major, op. 7

Yvonne Liu – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Preliminary Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Preliminary Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall

Yvonne Liu, 45
Preschool music teacher
Foster City, California
China/United States

Born in Shanghai, China, in 1970, Yvonne Liu began private piano lessons at age 3. After immigrating to the United States as a teenager, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the California Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in international policy studies from Stanford University. Ms. Liu enjoyed being a full-time mother, but when her son was diagnosed with autism at 2, she discovered the healing power of music and began a career as an early childhood music educator. A competitor in 2011, she enjoys setting goals for herself and feels the Amateur Competition offers her an opportunity to become more disciplined in her practice, and she finds it inspirational. Ms. Liu likes to garden, hike, and cook in her free time.

Program:
BACH, “Sinfonia” from Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826
SCHUMANN-LISZT, Widmung

Gorden Cheng – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Preliminary Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Preliminary Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall

Gorden Cheng, 35
Systems engineer
San Diego, California
United States

An information technology and network security executive, Gorden Cheng received a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2003 from the University of Texas at Dallas, and worked at two Dallas-area computer companies until 2004 before relocating to Southern California. He has taken private piano lessons for years, and the practice has netted results: From 2011–2015, he placed in amateur competitions in Paris (2011), Chicago (2012), Colorado Springs (2012), Warsaw (2012), Washington, D.C. (2012), and Boston (2015). Currently head of technology operations for eMolecules, Inc., Mr. Cheng calls himself a computer nerd and Internet plumber. He enjoys spending time with his wife and children and is a huge fan of FC Barcelona and the UFC.

Program:
SCHUMANN, Variations on the Name “Abegg,” op. 1
BRAHMS, Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor, WoO 1

Joel Goodman – Cliburn Amateur 2016 Preliminary Round Recital

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Preliminary Round
Van Cliburn Recital Hall

Joel Goodman, 67
Cell Biologist / Professor of Pharmacology
Carrollton, Texas
United States

Joel Goodman’s first teacher was his mother, who taught him as a young boy. At college—where he petitioned the dean to have a piano in his dorm room—he minored in music. He took piano for a few years after college, and started up again in 1999, with Adam Wodnicki (University of North Texas) after being inspired by the first Cliburn Amateur Competition. Dr. Goodman plays regularly with the DFW Amateur Piano Club and often attends PianoTexas, where he has had the opportunity to perform with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra three times. Meanwhile, Dr. Goodman is on the faculty of University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (Dallas), where he directs a research program to understand how cells store fat, teaches medical and Ph.D. students, and administers the STARS outreach office to promote science education in secondary schools. Dr. Goodman enjoys riding his bicycle, attempts to read the New York Times 10 Best Books each year, and relaxes with his wife, daughter, and two young grandchildren.

Program:
SCHUMANN, Variations on the Name “Abegg,” op. 1
BRAHMS, Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor, WoO 1

Eva Gevorgyan – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Recital

Eva Gevorgyan
Russia/Armenia  | Age 15

Semifinal Round Recital – Wednesday, June 5, 2019 – 4:12 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
SCHUMANN Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, op. 22
BOLCOM Butterflies, hummingbirds from Twelve New Etudes, Book II
HINDEMITH Suite ‘1922’, op. 26

Eva Gevorgyan has received prizes in more than 40 international competitions for piano and composition—in the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Estonia, Malta, Kazakhstan, Poland, Czech Republic, Georgia, Russia, and Serbia. Born and raised in Moscow, she has studied with Natalia Trull at the Central Music School of the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory, and has performed across Russia, Europe (including a Royal Albert Hall debut in April), and in the United States. She also receives a scholarship from the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein and participates regularly in its intensive music weeks and activities. In 2017, Eva performed in front of Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and she has taken part in a national television show for young talent, advancing to the final as the only pianist. Last year, she appeared on live television with Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked him about education reform. She likes composing, growing exotic plants, jogging, and playing table tennis.

“When I play, I hope people can hear words which I would never say in my real life. Being on stage at the Cliburn Junior Competition will charge me with energy and love for a long time forward.”

Hao-Wei Lin – Cliburn Junior Quarterfinal Round Recital

Hao-Wei Lin
Taiwan | Age 14

Quarterfinal Round Recital – Sunday, June 2, 2019 – 3:52 p.m.

Program:
CHOPIN Nocturne in D-flat Major, op. 27, no. 2
HAYDN Sonata in B Minor, Hob. XVI:32
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen, op. 15

Hao-Wei Lin enjoys studying geography in his free time, which fits with one of his favorite results of playing the piano: “Music takes me all over the world to meet new friends.” He gave his first recital at the age of 10, and has performed in Taiwan, Canada, China, the United States, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. His international young artist competition achievements include first-place finishes at Bradshaw & Buono in New York and Grotrian-Steinweg in Germany, as well as prizes at Cleveland, Aarhus, Ettlingen, and Fryderyk Chopin (Poland). He currently attends Taipei Municipal Zhongzheng Junior High School and studies piano with Chun-Chieh Yen.

“Music is like air to me. It can calm my mind and allows me to mature. I love the French composer Ravel, whose music reflects the real world we live in—his work has vibrant emotions and vivid colors, full of imagination.”

Naomi Yamaguchi – Cliburn Junior 2019 Preliminary Round Recital

Naomi Yamaguchi
United States/Japan  | Age 15

Preliminary Round Recital – Saturday, June 1, 2019 – 2:30 p.m.
Caruth Auditorium, SMU I Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
BACH Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp Major, BWV 872
CHOPIN Etude in G-flat Major, op. 10, no. 5 (“Black Key”)
DEBUSSY Feux d’artifice from Preludes, Book II
SCHUMANN Variations on the Name ‘Abegg,’ op. 1

Michigan-born Naomi Yamaguchi made her orchestral debut at 8 and her recital debut when she was 10. Appearances since include the Detroit Institute for the Arts, Jordan Hall, Detroit Symphony Hall, Consulate of Japan, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, and in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts, Switzerland, and Italy. She has several first-prize finishes to her name and has been featured on From the Top and WQXR’s Young Artist Showcase. A second-year student of Hitomi Koyama at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. She is a scholarship recipient of the Chopin Foundation of the United States, the Tatum Foundation for the Arts, and selected as the Young Artist of the Year 2017 of the Ruth Laredo Foundation. Naomi has a passion for performing at senior centers and a particular interest in the relation between music and memory in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. She also plays clarinet in her school’s marching band.

“I believe music is a medicine. Researchers are exploring how music therapy can improve the health of their patients, including premature infants and those with Parkinson’s disease. I feel honored to have the ability to play for them, and it is my passion to help others with my music.”

Avery Gagliano – Cliburn Junior 2019 Preliminary Round Recital

Avery Gagliano
United States | Age 17

Preliminary Round Recital – Friday, May 31, 2019 – 7:30 p.m.
Caruth Auditorium, SMU I Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
BACH Prelude and Fugue in G-sharp Minor, BWV 887
LISZT La leggierezza from Three Concert Etudes
SCHUMANN Variations on the Name ‘Abegg,’ op. 1

Avery Gagliano cannot remember a time that music wasn’t a part of her life; it has always been her “most natural form of expression.” At age 9, she made her Carnegie Hall debut and her orchestral debut at the Strathmore Concert Hall. The following year she appeared on the NPR’s “From the Top” and made her solo recital debut. Currently in her third year at the Curtis Institute of Music studying with Jonathan Biss and Gary Graffman, she has taken first prize at the Aspen Music Concerto, MostArts Festival Piano, and Chopin International Piano (Hartford) Competitions, was young scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, and is a 2019 National YoungArts winner in music. As a soloist and an avid chamber musician, the Washington, D.C.-native has performed in major concert venues in her hometown, as well as across the United States, and in Paris, Oxford, Munich, and Perugia in Europe. During her free time, Avery writes pop songs, and loves to sing, read, and play ultimate frisbee.

“This competition will provide me a chance to internalize music in a way that elevates it to a higher level of artistry and make it possible for me to successfully convey my ideas to audiences.”

Sara Daneshpour- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital I

SARA DANESHPOUR
United States I Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Variations on the Name “Abegg,” op. 1
CHOPIN Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, op. 54
RACHMANINOV Étude-tableau in C Minor, op. 39, no. 1
Étude-tableau in A Minor, op. 39, no. 2
Étude-tableau in F-sharp Minor, op. 39, no. 3
Étude-tableau in E-flat Minor, op. 33, no. 6
Étude-tableau in A Minor, op. 39, no. 6

Since her debut in 2002 at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., Sara Daneshpour has performed on the stages of the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Salle Cortot in Paris, and the Great Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. She has appeared as soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain, among others. Ms. Daneshpour has also been featured on 160 public radio stations nationwide. Competition credits include first prize at the XII Concours International de Musique du Maroc in 2012, second prize at the 2007 William Kapell International Piano Competition, and first prize and gold medal at the 2007 International Russian Music Piano Competition. She is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at The Juilliard School.

Gustavo Miranda-Bernales – Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital II

GUSTAVO MIRANDA-BERNALES
Chile | Age 22

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

CHOPIN Mazurka in G Major, op. 50, no. 1
FAURE Valse caprice No. 2 in D-flat Major, op. 38 S
SCHUMANN Fantasy in C Major, op. 17

Born in Santiago, Gustavo Miranda-Bernales began studying piano at the age of nine. He has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra, Orquesta de Cámara del Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile. Competition credits include first prize at the Juilliard Concerto Competition, and first prizes in 2001, 2003, and 2005, at the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition in Quilpué, Chile. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and is currently pursuing his master’s degree there.

Ruoyu Huang- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital II

RUOYU HUANG
China | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Fantasy in C Major, op. 17
DEBUSSY From Preludes, Book I
BALAKIREV Islamey

Ruoyu Huang was born in Chengdu and began learning piano at four years of age. He made his debut recital at the age of fourteen, and has since performed with the Chengdu, China, Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras. Competition credits include major prizes at the Asian Chopin International Concerto Competition, China International Piano Competition, and Oberlin International Piano Competition. Mr. Huang moved to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2002. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at The Juilliard School.

Jie Yuan- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Round Recital I

JIE YUAN
China| Age 27

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN    Variations on the Name “Abegg,” op. 1
HAYDN           Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI: 50
STRAVINSKY    Trois mouvenments de Petrouchka

Born in Changchun, Jie Yuan received major prizes at both the 2009 Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition and the 2007 Shanghai International Piano Competition. He maintains an active performance schedule and has appeared with the China Philharmonic, Haydn Festival, Morocco Royal Philharmonic, Shenzhen Symphony, and Tulsa Symphony Orchestras. Mr. Yuan earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Christian University. He currently resides in New York City, where he studies at The Juilliard School.

Beatrice Rana- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

BEATRICE RANA
2013 Silver Medalist
Italy | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Born into a family of musicians, Beatrice Rana began musical studies at the age of four and made her concerto debut when she was nine. She has been invited to perform at the Busoni, La Folle Journée, La Roque d’Antherón, Lanaudière, and Radio-France Festivals, and as soloist with the Aarhus Symfoniorkester, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Kuala Lumpur Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. First prize winner of the 2011 Montreal International Musical Competition, Ms. Rana also took first prize at the Muzio Clementi and Bang & Olufsen Piano Competitions. She released her first CD in 2012 of works by Scriabin and Chopin on ATMA Classique. She currently studies at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, having previously graduated from the Nino Rota Conservatory of Music.

Nikolay Khozyainov- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

NIKOLAY KHOZYAINOV
Russia | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Nikolay Khozyainov made his debut at age seven in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He has since garnered numerous prizes, including top prizes at the Dublin and Sydney International Piano Competitions and the Moscow International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition for Young Pianists. Additionally, he was the youngest finalist competing in the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2010. He has appeared with the Sydney Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras, among others. Mr. Khozyainov released his first CD, featuring works by Chopin and Liszt, on the Accord label in 2010. He followed this in 2012 with an all-Chopin disc released by the Chopin Institute in Warsaw and another recording on the JVC Victor label in Japan. He is currently enrolled at the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Jayson Gillham- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

JAYSON GILLHAM
Australia-United Kingdom | Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Jayson Gillham has performed with the United Kingdom’s Hallé Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, China’s Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra, and in major venues throughout Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He plays regularly in Australia, returning each year for recital, concerto, chamber music, and festival appearances. Mr. Gillham was named Commonwealth Musician of the Year in 2012, upon winning the Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition, and received a gold medal from HRH Princess Alexandra. A graduate of Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, he relocated to London in 2007 to pursue a master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music. Mr. Gillham is also a cultural ambassador for the Hearts for Africa (Amani) Foundation.

Claire Huangci- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Recital

CLAIRE HUANGCI
United States | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Recital
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
THEOFANDIS Birichino
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major, op. 81a (“Les adieux”)
SCHUMANN Symphonic Études, op. 13
PROKOFIEV Romeo and Juliet before Parting, op. 75, no. 10

Born in Rochester, New York, Claire Huangci has made debuts with the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, and with various other orchestras across Europe and the United States. She has appeared in recital as part of the Ravinia, Verbier, International Keyboard Institute, and Kissinger Summer Festivals, and at the Salle Cortot in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, Bonn Beethovenhaus, and in other venues throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States. She recently recorded her first CD for Berlin Classics, which will be released in fall of 2013. Ms. Huangci graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2007 and has studied at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover since 2007.

Tomoki Sakata- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

TOMOKI SAKATA
Japan | Age 19

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Born in Nagoya, Tomoki Sakata received his first piano lesson at the age of five. A prizewinner at various competitions throughout Asia and Europe, Mr. Sakata has appeared in concert in Osaka, Tokyo, and Yokohama, as well as in Geneva, Lugano, Paris, Prague, Utrecht, Vienna, and in Moscow for the twelfth International Festival “Musical Kremlin.” He has also performed as soloist with the Hamamatsu Symphony, Lubrin Philharmonic, and Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestras. Mr. Sakata currently studies at both the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and at the International Piano Academy Lake Como.

Alexey Chernov- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Recital

ALEXEY CHERNOV
Russia | Age 30

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
THEOFANIDIS Birichino
BARTOK Étude, op. 18, no. 3
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 5, op. 53
PURCELL Suite in C Major, Z. 666
SCHUMANN Symphonic Études, op. 13

Born in Moscow to a family of musicians, Alexey Chernov began studying music at the age of four. A graduate of the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Royal College of Music in London, he has won prizes at more than twenty international piano competitions, including first prize at the 2012 International Competition for Piano and Orchestra in Cantù, Italy; second prize at the 2011 Cleveland International Piano Competition; and fifth prize at the XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition, also in 2011. Since his 2005 debut in Moscow’s Rachmaninov Hall, Mr. Chernov has performed under the batons of Mikhail Pletnev, Enrique Bátiz, Alexander Sladkovsky, and Dmitry Orlov, among others. He maintains a busy concert schedule, performing solo recitals and with orchestras throughout Russia and Europe.

Alessandro Deljavan- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

ALESSANDRO DELJAVAN
Italy | Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

MOZART Variations on Gluck’s Unser dummer Pobel meint,” K. 455
SCHUMANN Fantasy in G Major, op. 17
SCHUBERT Variation on a Waltz by Diabelli, D. 718

 

Alessandro Deljavan began studying piano before he was two years old, and went on to win top prizes at national and international competitions as a child and teenager. He has since performed in the major cities of Italy, as well as in Argentina, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and the United States, and with the Haydn Orchester, as well as the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra. He has recorded the works of Alkan, Brahms, Busoni, Cramer, Rubinstein, Satie, Schubert, and Schumann for the Naxos, Brilliant, OnClassical, Piano Classics, and Stradivarius labels. He will also be featured alongside Evgeny Kissin, Antonio Pappano, and Charles Rosen in a film about Liszt, produced and broadcast by Italian RAI TV. An avid chamber musician, he has performed with the Sine Nomine Quartet, the Takács Quartet, and the Orchestra Sinfonica Verdi, with which he also conducted. He plays regularly with his violinist partner Daniela Cammarano as well. Mr. Deljavan makes his home in Pescara, Italy, and is currently a Theo Lieven Scholar at the Conservatory of Lugano.

Beatrice Rana- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

BEATRICE RANA
2013 Silver Medalist
Italy | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
CLEMENTI Sonata in B Minor, op. 40, no. 2
SCHUMANN Etudes en forme de variations, op. 13

Born into a family of musicians, Beatrice Rana began musical studies at the age of four and made her concerto debut when she was nine. She has been invited to perform at the Busoni, La Folle Journée, La Roque d’Antherón, Lanaudière, and Radio-France Festivals, and as soloist with the Aarhus Symfoniorkester, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Kuala Lumpur Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. First prize winner of the 2011 Montreal International Musical Competition, Ms. Rana also took first prize at the Muzio Clementi and Bang & Olufsen Piano Competitions. She released her first CD in 2012 of works by Scriabin and Chopin on ATMA Classique. She currently studies at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, having previously graduated from the Nino Rota Conservatory of Music.

Fei-Fei Dong- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

FEI-FEI DONG
China | Age 22

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
CLEMENTI Sonata in F Sharp Minor, op. 25, no.5
SCHUMANN Novelette in F-Sharp Minor, op. 21, no.8
CHOPIN Rondo in E-flat Major, op. 16
LIEBERMANN Gargoyes, op. 29

Born in Shenzhen, Fei-Fei Dong gave her first recital at age ten; this was followed three years later by her orchestral debut with the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has since made debuts in Alice Tully Hall and the Louvre Auditorium, and with the Aspen Music Festival, Hong Kong, Juilliard, Shanxi, and Shenzhen Symphony Orchestras. Ms. Dong is a first-prize winner of several competitions in China, including the Schumann International Piano Competition for Young Musicians, the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Piano Competition, and the 65th Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition. Ms. Dong currently lives in New York, where she is pursuing her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School.

Luca Buratto- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

LUCA BURATTO
Italy | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
BACH Toccata in C Minor, BWV 911
SCHUMANN Novelette in D Major, op. 21, no. 2
Novelette in F-sharp Minor, op. 21, no. 8
BARTÓK Sonata (1926)

Luca Buratto made his debut in 2003 at the age of ten in the Sala Verdi of the Conservatory of Milan, performing music by his great-grandfather Renzo Massarani on Holocaust Remembrance Day. He has since performed with Milan’s I Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Giuseppe Verdi, and Magdeburgische Philharmonie, and in recital in France, Italy, and Switzerland. Mr. Buratto has received top prizes in several competitions, including third prize in the 2012 International Robert Schumann Competition and the Special Prize “Acerbi” at the Shura Cherkassky International Piano Competition. He currently resides in Milan while attending a two-year intensive course at the C. Monteverdi Conservatory in Bolzano; he is also studying at the Conservatory of Lugano as a Theo Lieven Scholar.

Kuan-Ting Lin- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

KUAN-TING LIN
Taiwan | Age: 21

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Humoresque in B-flat Major, op. 20
STRAVINSKY Trois mouvements de Petrouchka

Born in Taipei, Kuan-Ting Lin began piano studies at the age of four. Ten years later, he moved to Russia, first studying at Moscow’s Gnessin State Musical College, and then enrolling at the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He was awarded several prizes in Taiwan as a teenager, and recently received top prize at the International Competition ofYoung Artists “A Step Towards Mastery”and second prize at the International Vladimir Viardo Competition in Ukraine.Mr. Lin has performed with the Gnessin State Musical College Orchestra, the Parlarte Symphony Orchestra in Italy, the St. Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra, the Taipei SymphonyOrchestra, and in recital throughout Asia and Europe.

Luca Buratto – Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital I

LUCA BURATTO
Italy | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital I
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
HAYDN Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:50
SCHUMANN Fantasy in C Major, op. 17

Luca Buratto made his debut in 2003 at the age of ten in the Sala Verdi of the Conservatory of Milan, performing music by his great-grandfather Renzo Massarani on Holocaust Remembrance Day. He has since performed with Milan’s I Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Giuseppe Verdi, and Magdeburgische Philharmonie, and in recital in France, Italy, and Switzerland. Mr. Buratto has received top prizes in several competitions, including third prize in the 2012 International Robert Schumann Competition and the Special Prize “Acerbi” at the Shura Cherkassky International Piano Competition. He currently resides in Milan while attending a two-year intensive course at the C. Monteverdi Conservatory in Bolzano; he is also studying at the Conservatory of Lugano as a Theo Lieven Scholar.

Alyosha Jurinic – Cliburn 2017 Quarterfinal Recital

ALYOSHA JURINIC
Croatia| Age 28

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round Recital – Tuesday, May 30, 2017 – 9:25 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

DEBUSSY Images, Book II
SCHUMANN Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, op. 11

Alyosha Jurinic won the International Robert Schumann Competition in 2012, and was a fifth-prize winner of the 2016 Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition and a finalist at the 2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. He won the Best Young Musician Award from the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, and is the youngest-ever recipient of the Croatian Ministry of Culture’s Vladimir Nazor Award, given annually for highest achievement in the arts. Mr. Jurinic made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2015 and has performed with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Croatian Radio-Television Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, National Orchestra of Belgium, Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosovo Philharmonic, and others. His festival appearances include Piano Fortissimo in Zagreb, Dubrovnik Summer Festival in Croatia, Kiev Summer Music Evenings, and Serate Musicali in Milan, as well as Chopin festivals in Serbia, France (the George Sand House), and Chopin’s birthplace in Poland. Mr. Jurinic is currently studying with Grigory Gruzman at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar. His passions include film, TV, pop music, books, fitness, and soccer tactics.

Rachel Kudo – Cliburn 2017 Quarterfinal Recital

RACHEL KUDO
United States | Age 30

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round Recital – Tuesday, May 30, 2017 – 8:20 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, op. 31, no. 3
SCHUMANN Carnaval, op. 9

A winner of the Gilmore Young Artist Award, Rachel Kudo gave her first performances with orchestra at age 16 in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and De Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has since performed with the Warsaw Philharmonic in Poland and the RTE National Symphony Orchestra in Ireland, among others. She has appeared in recital at Chopin’s birthplace in Poland, Salle Cortot in Paris, Musikverein in Vienna, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Aspen Music Festival, Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, and Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Carnegie Hall in New York. Born in Washington, D.C., to Japanese-Korean parents, Ms. Kudo began studying piano at age 4 with Emilio del Rosario and continued at The Juilliard School and the Mannes College of Music. Her past teachers include Richard Goode, Yoheved Kaplinsky, and Gilbert Kalish, and she currently studies with Leon Fleisher. She enjoys yoga, cooking, and traveling.

Su Yeon Kim – Cliburn 2017 Quarterfinal Recital

SU YEON KIM
South Korea | Age 23

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Quarterfinal Round Recital – Monday, May 29, 2017 – 10:00 a.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCHUMANN Kreisleriana, op. 16
LISZT Vallée d’Obermann

Su Yeon Kim began playing piano at age 5 and studied at the Korean Institute for the Gifted in Arts at Korea National University of Arts. Since 2013, she has continued her studies with Pavel Gililov at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg. Ms. Kim was a semifinalist at the 17th Chopin International Piano Competition in 2015 and at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2016. She also won first prize at the 2014 Johann Nepomuk Hummel International Piano Competition. In 2015, Ms. Kim performed a recital at Hercules Hall in Munich, Germany. She has appeared on KBS Classic FM (the Korean Broadcasting System) and performed extensively in Korea, Japan, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Italy, and Slovakia, including on a concert series sponsored by Kawai Piano.

Sun-A Park- Cliburn 2017 Preliminary Recital

SUN-A PARK
United States | Age 29

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Round Recital – Saturday, May 27, 2017 – 4:25 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

BACH Capriccio in B-flat Major, BWV 992 (“On the departure of a beloved brother”)
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
SCHUMANN Humoreske in B-flat Major, op. 20

Sun-A Park was born in Busan, South Korea, and grew up in New Jersey. She began piano at age 4 and studied at The Juilliard School, where she completed undergraduate and graduate programs. She currently studies with Boris Berman at the Yale School of Music. Ms. Park has won prizes at several competitions including the 2013 Sendai International Music Competition, 2011 Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition, and the 2000 Gina Bachauer Junior International Piano Competition. Concerto engagements have included performances with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, San Marino Republic Orchestra, Orchestra Haydn, New Jersey Symphony, and Albany Symphony. She has performed at Alice Tully Hall and Benaroya Hall in the United States, National Dublin Hall in Ireland, Sejong Arts Center in South Korea, the Miguel Delibes Cultural Center in Spain, and the Sendai Cultural Center in Japan. Ms. Park loves animals (especially dogs) and relishes traveling and visiting art galleries and museums.

Kenny Broberg – Cliburn 2017 Semifinal Recital

KENNY BROBERG
2017 CLIBURN SILVER MEDALIST
United States | Age 23

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital – Monday, June 5, 2017 – 3:50 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCHUBERT Four Impromptus, D. 899, op. 90
LISZT Sonata in B Minor

A native of Minneapolis, Kenneth Broberg studied piano from age 6 through high school under Dr. Joseph Zins. He continued his studies with Nancy Weems at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree. He is now a graduate student working with 2001 Cliburn gold medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch at Park University in Parkville, Missouri. Mr. Broberg has won first prizes at the Hastings and Dallas international piano competitions, in addition to medals at the Sydney, Seattle, New Orleans, and Wideman (Shreveport) competitions. Several of his performances at last year’s Sydney International Piano Competition were released on CD on the Universal Music label. He has performed as soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Dallas Chamber Symphony, and the Louisiana Philharmonic, among others. Mr. Broberg has had solo, chamber, and concerto performances broadcast on NPR and ABC (Australia) radio. His passions include hockey, baseball, books, and movies.

Rachel Cheung – Cliburn 2017 Semifinal Recital

RACHEL CHEUNG
Hong Kong | Age 25

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital – Sunday, June 4, 2017 – 3:50 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCHUMANN Kreisleriana, op. 16
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 6 in A Major, op. 82

Rachel Cheung, who has been a Young Steinway Artist since 2011, has studied with Peter Frankl at the Yale School of Music and with Eleanor Wong at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. She has won numerous prizes and awards, including fifth prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition, and was a semifinalist at the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Last year, she won a Carnegie Weill Hall debut recital as a special prize in the New York Concert Artists Worldwide Debut Audition—that debut will take place in March 2018. She has collaborated with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under Edo de Waart, Sydney Symphony with Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Chamber Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, and Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. She has performed recitals at the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, London’s Steinway Hall, and the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts in Toronto, among others. Ms. Cheung has twice been honored by the Hong Kong government for her contributions to culture and performed in the gala concert in Kiev celebrating the centenary of Vladimir Horowitz.

Georgy Tchaidze – Cliburn 2017 Semifinal Recital

GEORGY TCHAIDZE
Russia | Age 29

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital – Friday, June 2, 2017 – 8:50 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

SCHUMANN Waldszenen, op. 82
MEDTNER “Alla Reminiszenza” from Forgotten Melodies, op. 38
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition

Georgy Tchaidze was born in St. Petersburg and earned his master’s degree at the Moscow Conservatory. He has won prizes at several competitions, including first at the 2009 Honens International Piano Competition, fourth at the 2016 Cleveland International Piano Competition, and first at the 2015 Top of the World International Piano Competition in Tromsø, Norway. Mr. Tchaidze has performed throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, including at Wigmore Hall in London, Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. He performed with Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra under Pinchas Zukerman and with the Cleveland Orchestra with conductor Bramwell Tovey. As a chamber artist, he tours with the Cecilia and Borodin string quartets. Mr. Tchaidze has released three recordings on the Honens label: a live recording with the Cecilia String Quartet, an all-Schubert album, and a disc of works by Medtner, Mussorgsky and Prokofiev. He studies in Berlin, where his other passions include literature, cinema, and nature.

Honggi Kim -Cliburn 2017 Semifinal Recital

HONGGI KIM
South Korea | Age 25

Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Recital – Friday, June 2, 2017 – 3:50 p.m.
Bass Performance Hall

Program:

VINE Sonata No. 1
SCHUMANN Kreisleriana, op. 16
TCHAIKOVSKY-FEINBERG Scherzo from Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique”

Honggi Kim won the Isang Yun International Music Competition in Korea and also has earned top prizes at the Geneva International Music Competition and China International Piano Competition. He was born in Seoul and pursued music at the Seoul Arts High School and Korea National University of Arts. He is a graduate of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München and is now studying at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt with Arnulf von Arnim. Mr. Kim has given recitals in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, China, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, and performed with orchestras including Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Macau Orchestra, Changwon Symphony Orchestra, Wonju Symphony Orchestra, and Korean Symphony Orchestra. Away from the piano, Mr. Kim enjoys jogging and cooking.

Yekwon Sunwoo- Cliburn 2013 Preliminary Recital II

YEKWON SUNWOO
South Korea | Age 14

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Preliminary Recital II
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCARLATTI Sonata in D Minor, K. 213
SCHUMANN Faschingsschwank aus Wien, op. 26
KIRCHNER Interlude II
RAVEL La valse

First-prize winner of the 2012 William Kapell International Piano Competition and 2012 Piano Campus International Concours, Yekwon Sunwoo has appeared with the Baltimore Symphony, Orchestre National de Belgique, l’Orchestre Philharmonique du Maroc, and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, among others, with such conductors as Marin Alsop, Paul Goodwin, David Lockington, and Christopher Wilkins. He made his New York debut at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall in 2009 and performed at Avery Fisher Hall as soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra in 2012. He has also performed in Canada, France, Germany, Morocco, Switzerland, and throughout the United States. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with Roberto Diaz, Gary Hoffman, Ida Kavafian, Michael Tree, and Peter Wiley. Mr. Sunwoo currently resides in New York, where he is pursuing his master’s degree at The Juilliard School.