In the 2023 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival held in Dallas on June 17, Seokyoung Hong, a talented 15-year-old musician from South Korea, emerged as the winner. This remarkable achievement earned Hong a cash prize of $15,000, as well as the Audience Award worth $500. Having previously won prizes in various international competitions, Hong relocated from Seoul to Boston in 2022 to pursue his piano studies at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School.
It is worth noting that Hong's victory in the Cliburn Junior competition coincided with the one-year anniversary of Yunchan Lim, another South Korean pianist, who won the gold medal and made history by delivering an exceptional performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 at the Sixteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Yifan Wu, a 14-year-old prodigy from China, secured second place in the Cliburn Junior, receiving a cash award of $10,000. Wu, who hails from Shanghai, made his concerto debut with the Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra and has been recognized as a laureate in Chinese national competitions.
Jan Schulmeister, a 16-year-old pianist from Czechia, claimed third prize in the competition, earning a cash award of $5,000. Schulmeister has garnered more than 30 accolades in piano competitions and has even recorded two CDs. The top three winners were also granted $2,500 scholarships to support their future musical endeavors.
Additionally, three semifinalists were acknowledged for their outstanding performances. Zihan Jin (14) and Zhonghua Wei (14) from China, along with Modan Oyama (17) from Japan, each received a cash award of $2,500. The announcement of the winners was made by Janina Fialkowska, the jury chairman, during the final round at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. In this round, all three finalists showcased their talent by performing a concerto with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Valentina Peleggi.
The competition unfolded before an enthusiastic audience comprising piano enthusiasts and supporters of the Cliburn event from the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Jan Schulmeister kicked off the afternoon with a delightful rendition of Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2, followed by Wu's captivating interpretation of Chopin's lyrical Piano Concerto No. 1. Hong concluded the competition with a dazzling performance of Rachmaninoff's virtuosic Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. The 2023 Cliburn Junior competition took place from June 8 to 17, with the initial three rounds occurring at Caruth Auditorium at SMU, followed by the finals with the DSO at the Meyerson.
A total of 23 pianists, aged 13 to 17, from different parts of the world traveled to Dallas to participate in the event. Out of 248 applicants, 38 pianists representing 13 countries were selected to either compete or take part in various festival events associated with Cliburn Junior. The competition's webcast attracted over 1.2 million views from 122 countries, nearly doubling the viewership of the 2019 Cliburn Junior event, which garnered 650,000 views. The Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival, established in 2015, aims to leverage the Cliburn's reputation and expertise to encourage and provide a platform for the upcoming generation of exceptional artists, facilitating their artistic expression and assisting them in their musical journeys.
Looking ahead, the next edition of the Cliburn competition, the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, is scheduled to take place in 2025 in Fort Worth.
