SEMI-FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 21st LEEDS INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
Ten pianists now compete for chance to perform in Concerto Finals
Semi Finals at The Great Hall, University of Leeds, 15-17 September
The Leeds International Piano Competition is delighted to announce the ten pianists who have progressed to the Semi-Finals of the 2024 Competition following the Second Round sessions this week. The remaining competitors from 7 countries now vie for one of the most prestigious prizes in music.
The ten pianists are:
Kai-Min Chang (Taiwan)
Xuehong Chen (China)
Junyan Chen (China)
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (Canada)
Elizaveta Kliuchereva (Russia)
Khanh Nhi Luong (Vietnam)
Callum McLachlan (United Kingdom)
Julian Trevelyan (United Kingdom)
Tomoharu Ushida (Japan)
Ryan Zhu (Canada)
These competitors will perform both solo work and chamber music with the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective in the Semi-Finals, taking place at The Great Hall, University of Leeds – the Principal Partner of the Competition – on 15-17 September. Five of these pianists will then be selected to perform in the Concerto Finals on 20 and 21 September, joining the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and their Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan. The competitors are chosen by an international, artist-led jury chaired by Dame Imogen Cooper; the other jurors include Adam Gatehouse, Eleanor Alberga, Ingrid Fliter, Mariam Batsashvili, Pavel Kolesnikov, Sa Chen, Till Fellner and Adrian Brendel.
For the first time, the Finals of the competition will relocate outside of Leeds due to renovations at the Leeds Town Hall. The host venue for the Finals will be the historic St George’s Hall in Bradford, known for its excellent ‘shoebox’ acoustic.
Audiences around the world will be able to experience every single note of the Competition live via The Leeds Media Hub and YouTube channel, presented by Petroc Trelawny and Alexandra Dariescu. Audiences can also view via medici.tv and Amadeus.tv, highlights from the Semi-Final performances will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds on Classical Live on 16-20 September and in a special edition of Radio 3 In Concert on Friday 20 September. The Finals will also be broadcast on 21 September on BBC Radio 3 In Concert, presented by Andrew McGregor in conversation with acclaimed pianist and broadcaster Lucy Parham.
Offering medallists not only significant cash prizes and recognition but a major career launch, The Leeds’ pioneering prize package includes artist representation with Askonas Holt, a debut recording with Warner Classics, tours with Steinway & Sons in South Korea and Europe, and prestigious concerts in the UK and beyond. There is also important career-development advice offered to all competitors in the Leeds’ innovative Competitor+ programme.
Tickets for the Semi-Finals and Finals are available on the Leeds International Piano Competition website.
Thank you for clarifying that Kai-Min Chang is from Taiwan instead of Leeds’ designation of “China Taiwan” (itself an erroneous designation of “Chinese Taipei”).
It is a shame Leeds has kowtowed to Chinese government funding and now taking a stand on this political situation.
Hello, I do agree 100% with Justice commentary, we owe to recognize Taiwan, where Chinese Taipei is not a country. I went and even worked for two institutions in Taiwan, just as I worked for one Chinese group in Hong Kong. The People’s Republic of China is a non-democratic authoritarian regime whose justice system is so flawed the country should be rejected from the WTC. Taiwan, on the other hand is a straightforward democratic member in good standing that practices Fair Trade.