Pianist Roh Hyunjin (25) won first place at the 13th International Paderewski Piano Competition. With this honor at the prestigious international competition that began in 1961, Roh Hyunjin once again proved her artistic quality and skill on the world stage.
The 13th International Paderewski Piano Competition was held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, from Nov. 9 to 23. The competition is held to give young pianists stage experience and international opportunities and to honor Ignacy Jan Paderewski, an outstanding pianist and composer who also served as a statesman and diplomat. A total of 234 applicants from 36 countries applied for this competition, and 43 pianists were selected for the finals through preliminary video screening. The selected performers competed over about 15 days in three rounds and a final stage. The final stage took place over two days, Nov. 22 and 23, at the Pomeranian Philharmonic Concert Hall in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Pianist Roh Hyunjin took the stage on the 22nd and performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, the "Emperor." With solid structural sense, a wide range of tone colors and balanced musical interpretation, he won strong approval from the judges and audience and took the top prize.
Pianist Roh Hyunjin, who is well known on the domestic stage after winning first place in the JoongAng Music Competition, graduated from Seoul National University, College of Music in 2023, studying under Professor Joo Hee-seong. She is currently studying and performing while receiving guidance from Professor Byeon Hwa-gyeong at the New England Conservatory in Boston, United States.
The competition was broadcast live online for the entire process and drew great interest from music lovers around the world. As the first-place winner receiving a prize of 30,000 euros, pianist Roh Hyunjin once again moved the audience by performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, the "Emperor," which she had played on the final stage, at the awards ceremony. The Winners concert will be held at 7 p.m. local time on Nov. 24 at the National Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw. <
[Photo] Pianist Roh Hyunjin
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