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Korean pianist gets Rubinstein award

June 2, 2014

By Do Je-hae

Pianist Cho Seong-jin.

Pianist Cho Seong-jin has added another coveted award to his resume as a prizewinner at the Rubinstein International Piano Competition.

Cho won the third prize at the prestigious event that took place in Tel-Aviv, Israel, on May 13-29, after Antonni Baryshevskyi (Ukraine) and Steven Lin (U.S. ), the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation said Friday.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the competition takes place every three years in Israel. Some of its winners have achieved international stardom, such as U.S. pianist Emmanuel Ex who took the inaugural event.

The competition honors the legendary Polish pianist Arthur Rubinstein, (1887-1982), one of the most respected Chopin interpreters.

Cho, 20, has won a string of major piano events in his budding career, starting with the 2008 Moscow International Chopin Competition; the 2009 Hamamatsu International Competition; and a third place finish at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011.

The pianist is a graduate of Seoul’s Yeowon School and is currently studying at “Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris,” the top music school in France.

In 2012, he surprised the local classical music fans when he accompanied the violin virtuoso Chung Kyung-wha in a Mozart recital in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.