Glossary: y

Yevgeny Sudbin

Yevgeny Sudbin – UNITED KINGDOM

Yevgeny Sudbin has been hailed by The Telegraph as “potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century.” As BIS Records’ only exclusive artist, all of his recordings have met with critical acclaim and are regularly featured as CD of the Month by BBC Music Magazine or Editor’s Choice by Gramophone. His Scriabin recording was awarded CD of the Year by The Telegraph and received the MIDEM Classical Award for Best Solo Instrument Recording at Cannes. It was described by Gramophone as “a disc in a million,” while the International Record Review stated that his Rachmaninov recording “confirms him as one of the most important pianistic talents of our time.” His 10th anniversary disc of Scarlatti sonatas was received with equal rapture and not only hit No. 1 in the Classical Music Charts but was also nominated for the Gramophone Classical Music Award. He was also nominated as Gramophone Artist of the Year in 2016.

Mr. Sudbin performs regularly in many of the world’s finest venues and concert series, both in recital and with orchestra, including Tonhalle Zurich; Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Wigmore Hall in London; Concertgebouw (Meesterpianisten, Amsterdam); and Avery Fisher Hall (New York) and Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco). Recent engagements and tours have included orchestras such as New Zealand Symphony, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Lucerne Symphony, Czech Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. His performance of Rachmaninov’s Concerto No. 1 at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall was described by The Telegraph as “sublime.”

He has collaborated with some of the world’s most influential conductors, such as Neeme Järvi, Charles Dutoit, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Osmo Vänskä, Hannu Lintu, Tugan Sokhiev, Mark Wigglesworth, Andrew Litton, Dmitri Slobodeniouk, and Vassily Sinaisky. His love of chamber music has led him to collaborate with many other musicians including Alexander Chaushian, Ilya Gringolts, Hilary Hahn, Julia Fischer, the Chilingirian Quartet, and many others. Appearances at festivals include Aspen, Mostly Mozart, Tivoli, Nohant, La Roque d’Antheron, Menton, and Verbier.

Mr. Sudbin lives in London with his wife and three young children. In his spare time, he is an avid photographer.

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Yiran Zhou

YIRAN ZHOU 周怡然

China  I  15

“Classical music is an indispensable part of the world. For me, playing classical music is a wonderful thing. It means inheritance to our generation. We should learn from the handling of old artists and combine our own thoughts.”

Yiran Zhou made her recital debut in her hometown of Shanghai in 2013; she was 5 years old. Just four years later, she won her first competition, the Frankfurt International Junior Piano Competition; she followed that with first-place finishes at the Rachmaninov and Melbourne Competitions, and third prize at the ClavierCologne NRW. For the past two years, she has studied with Xiao Luo at the Middle School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Yiran calls her participation in the Cliburn Junior “a dream I wanted to realize since I learned the piano” and has found great inspiration in the festivals and masterclasses she’s attended: “every master’s different understanding of the same piece makes me feel the charm of music.” Outside of the piano, she enjoys watching movies and opera, and reading detective novels.

REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round

BACH Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp Major, BWV 848
LISZT Transcendental Etude No. 10 in F Minor
KREISLER–RACHMANINOV Liebeslied
KREISLER–RACHMANINOV Liebesfreud

Quarterfinal Round

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, op. 7 (I)
LIEBERMANN Nocturne No. 4, op. 38
STRAVINSKY Trois mouvements de Pétrouchka

Semifinal Round – Recital

ZHAO XIAOXIANG When a Dancer Emerges from Clouds
RACHMANINOV Études-tableaux, op. 39

Final Round – Concerto 

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, op. 37

 

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Yifan Wu

YIFAN WU 吴一凡
Shirley Cox McIntyre Second Prize Winner 

China  I  14

“With its unique magic power and fascination, classical music is a treasure for our generation, and it waits for us to explore its beauty. It provides us with opportunities to reflect on ourselves and the world. It involves human history, emotions, artistry, which are shared by people around the world. Though we don’t speak the same language, we are touched by the same piece of music. It helps unite people of my generation together and encourages us to strive for peace and love.”

When he was very young, Yifan Wu’s grandmother would play the piano for him, and his mother shared this same passion for music. He started lessons when he was 4 and began to fall in love with the piano. At age 9, he was admitted to the Music Middle School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he has been awarded scholarships each academic year. He says his teacher, Ting Zhou, taught him “to learn music enthusiastically. Now music brings me happiness and gives me greater motivation to learn it further.” He made his recital debut at Steinway Hall in his native Shanghai and his concerto debut with the Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra, both in 2019.  A laureate of several national Chinese competitions, including four first-place finishes, he has not competed since 2018, making the Cliburn Junior his first in five years. He comes to Dallas seeing it as “a good opportunity to improve my piano skills, have a further understanding of music, and most importantly, tap my artistic potential.” Yifan is involved in his school’s badminton club—with weekly matches and/or lectures about the sport—and community cycling team. He also enjoys reading and camping.

REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round

BACH Prelude and Fugue in E Major, BWV 878
LISZT Transcendental Etude No. 5 “Feux follets”
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, op. 30

Quarterfinal Round

HAYDN Sonata in E Major, Hob. XVI:31 (I)
CHOPIN Nocturne in C Minor, op. 48, no. 1
LISZT Réminiscences de Norma

Semifinal Round – Recital

COUPERIN “Allemande la Verneville” from Pièces de clavecin
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Paganini, op. 35, Book II
CUI SHIGUANG Birds Chirp on the Silent Hill
BARBER Sonata, op. 26

Semifinal Round – Concerto Movement

CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11 (III)

 

Final Round – Concerto 

CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11

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Yuki Yoshimi

Yuki Yoshimi

Japan  I  Age 22

Tokyo-born Yuki Yoshimi did not decide to pursue music professionally; he first “met the piano” at a friend’s house when he was 5 years old and has “loved the piano since then.” A graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music, where he worked with Hisako Ueno and Kei Itoh, his studies eventually brought him to the United States; he has attended the New England Conservatory of Music under Alexander Korsantia since 2020.

Yuki won the first prize in the 86th Music Competition of Japan, becoming the youngest winner at the age of 17. Two years later, he won silver at the Manhattan International Music Competition and just last year made the semifinals of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition.

He has given recitals throughout Japan, including at Hamarikyu Asahi Hall and Toppan Hall. In addition, he was selected as a Chanel Pygmalion Days artist in 2019 and gave six recitals at Nexus Hall. He has performed with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. In December 2020, he substituted for Michel Dalberto at Suntory Hall, performing the Mozart Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453 with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra—a concert he calls “the most enjoyable performance I have ever had.”

REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round

HOUGH Fanfare Toccata
LISZT Sonata in B Minor

Quarterfinal Round

MOZART Sonata in D Major, K. 311
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Books I and II

Semifinal Round – Recital

DEBUSSY Preludes, Book II
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Minor, op. 83

Semifinal Round – Mozart concerto

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488

Final Round – Concerto I

CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11

Final Round – Concerto II

PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, op. 26

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Yutong Sun

Yutong Sun

China  I  Age 26

Yutong Sun, a native of Tianjin, China, is currently studying with Alexander Korsantia and Dang Thai Son at the New England Conservatory. He has gained international recognition by winning prizes at prestigious competitions, including placing in three in Spain: Santander (second), Canals (third), and Jaén (first). He returns to Fort Worth this year after competing in the 2017 Cliburn Competition.

Yutong’s formative studies began at the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School in Beijing under Hua Chang. He made his recital debut at age 10 in Beijing and his orchestra debut with the Orchestra of Granada in Spain at age 16. He has since made appearances in major venues around the world, such as the Salle Cortot in Paris, Palau de la Música in Barcelona, Jordan Hall in Boston, and Bolshoi Hall in St. Peterburg.

He has performed with the Quiroga Quartet and been soloist with major orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine; Symphony Orchestra of Galicia, City of Granada Orchestra, and RTVE Symphony Orchestra in Spain; St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra; and Phoenix and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras.

In 2013, he released a recital recording as part of the Laureate Series on the Naxos label.

REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round

HANDEL Chaconne in G Major, HWV 435
HOUGH Fanfare Toccata
LIGETI Etude No. 13 “L’escalier du diable”
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, op. 110

Quarterfinal Round

VINE Five Bagatelles
CHOPIN Fantasy in F Minor, op. 49
BACH–BUSONI Chaconne in D Minor, BWV 1004

Semifinal Round – Recital

ALBÉNIZ “Corpus Christi en Sevilla” from Iberia, Book I
CHOPIN Polonaise in F-sharp Minor, op. 44
LYATOSHYNSKY Prelude, op. 44, no. 4
LYATOSHYNSKY Prelude, op. 38, no. 3
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, op. 84

Semifinal Round – Mozart concerto

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466

Final Round – Concerto I

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, op. 73

Final Round – Concerto II

PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, op. 26

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Yunchan Lim

Yunchan Lim, 2022 Cliburn Gold Medalist

South Korea  I  Age 18

Yunchan Lim launched onto the international music stage when he was 14. He won second prize and the Chopin Special Award in his first-ever competition, the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists in 2018. That same year, he stood out as the youngest participant in the Cooper International Competition, where he won the third prize and the audience prize, which provided the opportunity for him to perform with the Cleveland Orchestra. 2019 meant more accolades, when, at the age of 15, he was the youngest to win Korea’s IsangYun International Competition, where he also took home two special prizes.
 
Now just 18, he has performed across South Korea—including with the Korean Orchestra Festival, Korea Symphony, Suwon Philharmonic, and Busan Philharmonic Orchestras, among others—as well as in Madrid, at the invitation of the Korea Cultural Center in Spain. He also participated in the recording of “2020 Young Musicians of Korea,” organized by the Korean Broadcasting System and released that November. 
 
A native of Siheung, Yunchan currently studies at the Korea National University of Arts under Minsoo Sohn. Coming to Fort Worth, he says he is “looking forward to playing in front of the warmest and most passionate audience in the world.” 

REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round

HOUGH Fanfare Toccata
COUPERIN “La Couperin” from Pièces de clavecin, Book IV, order 21
MOZART Sonata No. 9 in D Major, K. 311
CHOPIN Variations on “Là ci darem la mano,” op. 2

Quarterfinal Round

BACH “Ricercar a 3” from The Musical Offering, BWV 1079
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 2 in G-sharp Minor, op. 19 (“Sonata-Fantasy”)
BEETHOVEN Variations and Fugue in E-flat Major, op. 35 (“Eroica”)

Semifinal Round – Recital

LISZT 12 Transcendental Etudes

Semifinal Round – Mozart concerto

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482

Final Round – Concerto I

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, op. 37

Final Round – Concerto II

RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, op. 30

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Yangrui Cai

Yangrui Cai

China  |  Age 21

Yangrui Cai began his piano studies at age 4, though none of his family had any music- or art-related background. When he was 15, a first-place finish in the national auditions earned him a spot in China’s Xinghai Conservatory of Music Middle School. Upon his graduation with distinction in July 2019, the Hunan native was admitted to several prestigious conservatories in the United States with full scholarships. He is currently a third-year undergraduate student at Oberlin Conservatory, under the tutelage of 2001 Cliburn Gold Medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch.

Yangrui has taken top prizes in all major Chinese national competitions and went on to honors in international competitions, such as Sendai (Japan), USASU (USA), and Sydney (Australia). Concertizing from an early age, he has given solo recitals in China, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Italy, France, Canada, and the United States; and appeared as soloist with the Hong Kong Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra in China, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra in Japan, and TIMM Ensemble in Italy.

An artist of varied interests—ranging from painting to cooking to drone flying—Yangrui’s commitment to music is distinct: “Since a young age, I found piano playing as the best way to express feelings that are difficult to convey. It is the purest means of communication.”

REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round

HOUGH Fanfare Toccata
LISZT “Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude” from Harmonies poétiques et religieuses
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Paganini, op. 35, Book I

Quarterfinal Round

FANNY MENDELSSOHN Easter Sonata in A Major
COUPERIN Le Tic-Toc-Choc ou Les Maillotins
STRAVINSKY Trois mouvements de Pétrouchka

Semifinal Round – Recital

LISZT 12 Transcendental Etudes

Semifinal Round – Mozart concerto

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K. 503

Final Round – Concerto I

SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, op. 22

Final Round – Concerto II

PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, op. 26

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Yury Favorin

YURY FAVORIN
2017 CLIBURN FINALIST
CLIBURN COMPETITION QUARTERFINAL RECITAL (ORIGINALLY BROADCAST MAY 29, 2017)

PROGRAM:
BACH-BUSONI ICH RUF’ ZU DIR, HERR JESU CHRIST, BWV 639
RACHMANINOV VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY CORELLI, OP. 42
SCRIABIN SONATA NO. 10, OP. 70
LISZT SCHERZO AND MARCH

ABOUT YURY:
During the 2017 Competition, Yury won fans with his “high-octane approach” and “distinctive power and color;” one critic declared “the centuries-old Russian tradition of piano virtuosity lives on.” Since then, he has grown his career across the United States, Europe, and his native Russia; recent highlights include invitations from the Seattle and Montreal Symphony Orchestras and recordings featuring solo music by Alkan (MUSO) and Prokofiev violin sonatas (Melodiya). Also a proponent of new music, Yury is trained in composition and enjoys improvisation and premiering new work. Together with composer Alexey Sysoev (electronics) and Dnitry Schielkin (percussion), he formed the ensemble ERROR 404 devoted to free improvisatory music. In addition to his performance activities, he sits on the faculty of his alma mater, the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

 

Yekwon Sunwoo

YEKWON SUNWOO
2017 Cliburn GOLD MEDALIST

 

Final Round Quintet
webcast live from Bass Performance Hall on June 7, 2017

PROGRAM
DVOŘÁK Piano Quintet in A Major, op. 81 with the Brentano String Quartet

PRELIMINARY ROUND RECITAL
ORIGINALLY BROADCAST SUNDAY, MAY 28, 2017

PROGRAM
HAYDN Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:48
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme arme”
SCHUBERT-LISZT Litanei auf das Fest Aller Seelen
RACHMANINOV Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 36 (1931)

ABOUT YEKWON
The first Korean to win Cliburn gold, Yekwon is hailed for his “unfailingly consistent excellence,” and “ravishing pianism” in performances across North America, Europe, and Asia. Recent and upcoming highlights include Bravo! Vail with the Dallas Symphony, Royal Danish Orchestra at home and on tour, and a special collaboration with choreographer Trey McIntyre and the San Francisco Ballet. He has graced the cover of Forbes Korea as one of 40 power leaders, was declared “one to watch” by International Piano magazine, and was featured in Korean reality show “Stranger.” Desiring to nurture the next generation of musicians, he recently launched a mentorship program for young Korea pianists. When not on the road, Yekwon splits his time between Berlin and Seoul. yekwonsunwoo.com

YUKA OTOHATA

YUKA OTOHATA

AGE 51  I  TOKYO, JAPAN  I  JAPAN
MARKETING OPERATIONS PROFESSIONAL

Yuka Otohata’s education—B.A. in law from Tokyo’s Keio University, followed by a B.A. and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University in international studies—well prepared her for her career at IBM Japan, where she worked 13 years as a strategy consultant before moving to its marketing and communications department in 2010. In 2017, she had recently resumed the serious piano study that had been an important part of her earlier life, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The resulting surgery and treatment put her music studies on hold; nerve damage encroached on her limbs—she couldn’t feel her fingertips. As the side effects subsided, she recommitted to the piano once again. She says she’s entering this competition because: “I now know what it is like not being able to do what you want to do—to play music, to express yourself through the music you love, and to meet people who share the same love; I want to see how far I can reach.”

 

Repertoire

Preliminary Round

BACH Italian Concerto, BWV 971

Semifinal Round 

RACHMANINOV Moments musicaux, op. 16, nos. 1 and 4
FRANCK Prélude, Fugue et Variation, op. 18
CHASINS Three Chinese Pieces, op. 5

Final Round 

TCHAIKOVSKY Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23 (III)

YEON WOOK JEONG

YEON WOOK JEONG

AGE 53  I  SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA  I  SOUTH KOREA
ENTREPRENEUR/ATTORNEY

Yeon Wook Jeong’s first piano lessons, at 5, were with his father, a high school music teacher. Though he’s not sure of his depth of understanding at a young age, he says: “I have always been captivated by the sheer beauty and joy of music, and playing the piano became such an essential part of my identity that I cannot imagine my life without it, regardless of my non-musical career.” After earning a law degree from Seoul National University, Yeon Wook served a stint as an intelligence officer in the Korean Air Force, then was a deputy director in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which included work in U.S.- and Canada-Korean relations, as well as with the United Nations. He then earned a J.D. from Columbia Law School and went on to work as a corporate lawyer in the United States and Korea, before founding Tombali, a legal translation service, in 2015. In his free time, he regularly plays tennis in a local club.

 

Repertoire

Preliminary Round

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, op. 109

Semifinal Round 

BACH Italian Concerto, BWV 971
CHOPIN Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, op. 23
KAPUSTIN Concert Etude in B-flat Major, op. 40, no. 6 “Pastoral”

Final Round 

MOZART Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 (I)

YOUJIN HONG

YOUJIN HONG

AGE 41  I  GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA  I  SOUTH KOREA
PSYCHIATRIST

When Youjin Hong was a child, she always said, “I will be a concert pianist!” Now that she’s a doctor, she notes, she doesn’t say that anymore—but she still dreams of being on stage. After medical studies at Korea’s Ulsan University, she did her psychiatry residency at the Seoul Asan Medical Center and currently serves as an associate professor in psychiatry at Ulsan university.  She studied piano as a child for seven years and has been with her current teacher for four; she took home gold star at the 2020 music & stars awards and 1st prize at the 2021 spring chopin avenue competition, amateur division.  She’s looking forward to the 2022 Cliburn Amateur as “a global music festival” and calls it one of the biggest events in her life. With the rest of her time, she enjoys interior design and gardening.

 

Repertoire

Preliminary Round

DEBUSSY L’isle joyeuse
VERDI–LISZT Concert Paraphrase on Rigoletto

Semifinal Round 

BACH Italian Concerto, BWV 971
CHOPIN Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante, op. 22

Final Round 

MOZART Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 (I)

Yury Favorin, piano

During the 2017 Cliburn Competition, the Texas Classical Review declared that “the centuries-old Russian tradition of piano virtuosity lives on” in Yury Favorin with his “high-octane approach” and “distinctive power and color.” The Moscow native studied at the city’s venerated Conservatory and went on to win prizes at major international competitions including the Queen Elisabeth in Brussels and the Olivier Messiaen in Paris. He’s travelled the world, performing in Russia, the United States, France, Germany, Austria, Norway, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Poland, Japan, and more. His many recordings include Liszt and 20th-century Russian composers, but also new music and improvisations. He has been part of several groups devoted to freely improvised music, including his own ERROR 404.

Yekwon Sunwoo

Yekwon Sunwoo

2017 CLIBURN GOLD MEDALIST

Gold medallist of the Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Yekwon Sunwoo has been hailed for his “unfailingly consistent excellence” (International Piano) and celebrated as “a pianist who commands a comprehensive technical arsenal that allows him to thunder without breaking a sweat” (Chicago Tribune). A powerful and virtuosic performer, he also, in his own words, “strives to reach for the truth and pure beauty in music”.

The first Korean to win Cliburn Gold, Yekwon’s 2019–2020 season includes appearances with Fort Worth and Tuscon Symphonies and the Bucheon Philharmonic and debuts with Washington Chamber Orchestra, Royal Danish Orchestra and Danish Radio Orchestra amongst others as well as a debut appearance at the Vail Festival with Dallas Symphony. Recital highlights include Four Season Arts, San Antonio Arts and the Stadttheater Aschaffenburg. 2020–2021 will see Yekwon make his debut with Orchestra Chambre de Paris and Tugan Sokhiev and return to KBS Symphony with Jaap Van Zweden.

In previous seasons, he has performed as soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop, Houston Symphony, National Orchestra of Belgium, Sendai Philharmonic and Royal Scottish National Orchestra amongst others. Recital appearances include Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Elbphilharmonie, Salle Cortot and Kumho Art Hall.

An avid chamber musician, Yekwon’s collaborators include Benjamin Beilman, Linus Roth, Andrei Ioniță, Sebastian Bohren, Isang Enders, Tobias Feldmann, Gary Hoffman, Anne-Marie McDermott and the Jerusalem and Brentano Quartets. He has also toured Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama with the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, performed at Chamber Music of Lincoln Center’s Inside Chamber Music Lectures and been invited to the Summit Music, Bowdoin International and Toronto Summer Music Festivals.

In addition to the Cliburn Gold Medal, Yekwon won first prizes at the 2015 International German Piano Award, the 2014 Vendome Prize held at the Verbier Festival, the 2013 Sendai International Music Competition and the 2012 William Kapell International Piano Competiton.

Born in Anyang, South Korea, Yekwon began learning the piano at the age of 8 and made his recital and orchestral debuts in Seoul at 15. His teachers include Seymour Lipkin, Robert McDonald, Richard Goode and Bernd Goetzke.

In 2017, Decca Gold released Cliburn Gold 2017 two weeks after Yekwon was awarded the Gold Medal and includes his award-winning performances of Ravel’s La Valse and Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Sonata.

A self-proclaimed foodie, Yekwon enjoys finding Pho in each city he visits and takes pride in his own homemade Korean soups.

Contact Alan Coates (Keynote Artist Management) at alan@keynoteartistmanagement.com if you are interested in engaging Yekwon Sunwoo.

 

CLIBURN GOLD 2017 DIGITAL ALBUM AVAILABLE NOW

CLICK HERE to purchase digital album today.

CLICK HERE to purchase the CD.

 

 

 

 

Yekwon Sunwoo

Yekwon Sunwoo

South Korea | Age 28

Yekwon Sunwoo earned his bachelor’s degree at the Curtis Institute of Music and his master’s at The Juilliard School, and also studied with Richard Goode at the Mannes School of Music. He currently studies under Bernd Goetzke in Hannover. Mr. Sunwoo won first prizes at the 2015 International German Piano Award in Frankfurt, the 2014 Vendome Prize held at the Verbier Festival, the 2013 Sendai International Music Competition, and the 2012 William Kapell International Piano Competition. He has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra under Itzhak Perlman at Avery Fisher Hall, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop, Houston Symphony Orchestra, National Orchestra of Belgium, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, and others. He has given recitals at Carnegie Hall, Hamarikyu Asahi Hall in Tokyo, Wigmore Hall in London, Radio France and Salle Cortot in Paris, and Kumho Art Hall in Seoul. Mr. Sunwoo has been featured on WQXR’s McGraw-Hill Young Artists Showcase, and has performed chamber music for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, with Ida Kavafian and Peter Wiley as part of Curtis On Tour, and with Roberto Diaz on the Bay Chamber Concerts.

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COMPETITION REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Recital
HAYDN Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:48
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
SCHUBERT-LISZT Litanei auf das Fest Aller Seelen
RACHMANINOFF Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 36 (1931)

Quarterfinal Recital
SCHUBERT Sonata in C Minor, D. 958
RAVEL La Valse

Semifinal Recital
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, op. 109
STRAUSS-GRAINGER “Ramble on the Last Love-duet” from Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 6 in A Major, op. 82

Semifinal Concerto
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467

Final Round Piano Quintet
DVOŘÁK Piano Quintet in A Major, op. 81

Final Round Concerto
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, op. 30

 

Yutong Sun

Yutong Sun

China | Age 21

Yutong Sun studies with Alexander Korsantia at the New England Conservatory. He has won awards at a number of competitions, including third prize at the 2016 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona, first prize at the 2012 Jaén Award International Piano Competition (Spain), and second prize at the 2011 New Orleans International Piano Competition for Young Artists. He made his recital debut at age 10 in Beijing and his orchestra debut with the Orchestra of Granada in Spain at age 16. Mr. Sun has performed with orchestras and in recital in China, France, Spain, and the United States. In 2013, he released a recording of a recital performance as part of the Laureate Series on the Naxos label. When not playing music, he likes to watch movies and sports.

COMPETITION REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Recital
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
SHOSTAKOVICH Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, op. 87, no. 24
CHOPIN Nocturne in C Minor, op. 48, no. 1
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, op. 83

Quarterfinal Recital
CHOPIN Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat Major, op. 29
CHOPIN Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, op. 23
BACH Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Minor, BWV 853
LIGETI Etude No. 13 “L’escalier du diable”
BARTÓK Sonata (1926)

Semifinal Recital
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 26 in A-flat Major, op. 81a (“Les Adieux”)
LISZT Un sospiro
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition

Semifinal Concerto
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466

Final Round Piano Quintet
BRAHMS Piano Quintet in F Minor, op. 34

Final Round Concerto
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, op. 26

Yury Favorin

Yury Favorin

Russia | Age 30

Moscow native Yury Favorin started his music instruction at age 5, and pursued piano, clarinet, and composition at the Gnessins Moscow Secondary Special School. He continued his education at the Moscow Conservatory and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. In 2016, he was invited to be on the faculty of the Moscow Conservatory. Mr. Favorin has won prizes at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels and the Olivier Messiaen International Piano Competition in Paris. He has played with conductors including Pierre Boulez and Marin Alsop, and given recitals in Russia, the United States, France, Germany, Austria, Norway, Hungary, Italy,  Sweden, Poland,  Japan, and more. He is a regular participant in music festivals such as Crazy Days in Nantes, France, and in Japan; and La Rocque-d’Anthéron in France. Mr. Favorin enjoys premiering works by contemporary composers. His many recordings include Liszt and 20th-century Russian composers, but also new music and improvisations. He has been part of several groups devoted to freely improvised music, including his own ERROR 404.

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COMPETITION REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Recital
PROKOFIEV Four Etudes, op. 2
TCHAIKOVSKY Two Pieces, op. 10
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
LISZT Réminiscences de Puritains de Bellini

Quarterfinal Recital
BACH-BUSONI Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639
RACHMANINOFF Variations on a Theme by Corelli, op. 42
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 10, op. 70
LISZT Scherzo and March

Semifinal Recital
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, op. 106 “Hammerklavier”
SHOSTAKOVICH Sonata No. 1, op. 12

Semifinal Concerto
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467

Final Round Piano Quintet
FRANCK Piano Quintet in F Minor

Final Round Concerto
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, op. 16

 

Yvonne Liu

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.

COMPETITION REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round
BACH   “Sinfonia” from Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826
SCHUMANN-LISZT   Widmüng 

Quarterfinal Round
BACH-BUSONI   Chaconne in D Minor

Semifinal Round
FRANCK   Prélude, Choral et Fugue
DEBUSSY   L’Isle joyeuse

Final Round
MOZART   Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488: I. Allegro

Yasuo Kurimoto

Yasuo Kurimoto, M.D., 55
Ophthalmologist
Kobe, Japan
Japan

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.

COMPETITION REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round
GRANADOS   Allegro de concierto, op. 46

Quarterfinal Round
SCRIABIN   Two Poѐmes, op. 32
CHOPIN   Fantaisie in F Minor, op. 49

Semifinal Round
SCHUMANN   Kreisleriana, op.16

Final Round
BEETHOVEN   Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, op. 73: III. Rondo (allegro)

Yumi Ahn

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