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Winner of the 2023 Sydney Intl. Piano Competition is Jeongwhan Kim

Competitions

Jeonghwan Kim has been announced as the winner of 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition (The Sydney). Kim takes home a $50,000 cash prize award, as well as concerts, a national tour of Australia, a digital and CD release of his performances during the competition, and further recording engagements.

The announcement was made following four intense concerts with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House including the electrifying final session held on Saturday 22nd July.

Kim, a Berlin-based competitor who turned 23 during the competition said, "To win first prize is such a rewarding experience, and a motivation to go further and explore more. I was really glad that I was able to connect with the audience, and to share beautiful music during the competition."

Kim has previously won the Aarhus International Piano Competition and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Conservatory Competition, and has performed with the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin and the Odense Symphony Orchestras. He entered the finals of The Sydney playing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 in E♭ major and Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 2.

Jeonghwan Kim

Uladzislau Khandohi

Yungyun Guo

Prizes:

1st Prize: Jeonghwan Kim (23)

2nd Prize: Uladzislau Khandohi (21)

3rd Prize: Yungyung Guo (19)

Jury:

Piers Lane (Chair), Tanya Bannister, Alexander Gavrylyuk, Konstantin Shamray, Kathryn Stott, Alasdair Tait, Xiaohan Wang, Uta Weyand

Artists:

Sydney Symphony Orchestra / Benjamin Northey (Conductor)

 

Throughout July, 32 contenders from 16 countries competed in The Sydney for a total prize pool of $207,500 in cash prizes.

The preliminary rounds of the competition began on 6 July in the Verbrugghen Hall at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. From 12 July, 12 pianists progressed to the semi-finals, where they were required to play a 70 minute recital as well as partnering in a string sonata. Six of the semi-finalists then performed two major concertos, alongside the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the Opera House. 

The prizes, announced at a ceremony on the evening of 22 July, honoured competitors across all stages of the competition.

"To emerge from such intense tests as the winner [of The Sydney] is an extraordinary achievement," the chair of The Sydney, former competitor and jury member Piers Lane, reflected. "It implies not only superlative piano playing and musicianship, but stamina and the ability to impress a wide range of discerning listeners while communicating the joys and heartbreaks of music."

Lane said about Kim's performance, "He's got it all. He will be the perfect ambassador for The Sydney".

Kim will immediately start a national tour of Australia, giving his Winner's recital across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Townsville and Perth. He will also be invited as an artistic director for one edition of Out West Piano Fest, a chance to perform at London's Wigmore Hall, as well as engagements in New York, Dubai and Portugal.

The Second Prize of The Sydney was awarded to Belarusian pianist Uladzislau Khandohi, with Shanghai Conservatorium student Yungyung Guo receiving the Third Prize. 19-year-old Reuben Tsang, the only Australian pianist who progressed past the first stage of the competition, was awarded The Best Australian Pianist and received a Medal for the Most Promising Competitor. Meanwhile Korkmaz Can Saǧlam was awarded The People's Choice Prize of $ 10,000, where voters can choose their favourite pianist out of all 32 competitors from across the competition, and is also offered an engagement in the Sydney Festival 2024. Wynona Yinuo Wang was awarded the Board of Directors’ Prize for Excellence of $10,000 and she was offered a recording to be issued physically and digitally on the Decca (Australia) label.

©ABC