The winners take it all
Twenty-year-old Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov has become the Grand Prix winner at the 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition. Apart from the coveted gold medal and a $29,000 prize, he has also picked up an Audience Choice Award.
ґTrifonov has been studying music since he was five years old. His bronze medal and special prize last October at the International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition brought him invitations to perform in Europe, Asia and America. He also toured extensively around the world performing as soloist with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra Sinfonica Giuseppe Verdi in Milan and Moscow`s Musica Viva Chamber Orchestra, among others.
Trifonov`s role model, celebrated American pianist Van Cliburn - winner of the first Tchaikovsky competition back in 1958 - took the stage by storm when he came to announce the winners. The legendary pianist was met with an avalanche of applause and a standing ovation at the festive ceremony at Moscow`s Conservatoire.
Congratulations continued to pour when the cello competition appraised by such luminaries as Mario Brunello (winner in 1986), Lynn Harrell, Ralph Kirshbaum, Antonio Meneses and Clive Gillinson (former orchestral cellist and now Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall) has found the best cellist to be Armenian musician Narek Hakhnazaryan.
The biggest surprise, though, came when the gold medal for the violin was not awarded to anyone and the second place award was shared between Russia`s Sergey Dogadin and Israel?s Itamar Zorman.
Winners of the first prize of the vocal category - judged by Elena Obraztsova (winner in 1970) and Plácido Domingo, among others - became two South Korean singers, Sun Young Seo and Jong Min Park.
|
