Local piano prodigy wins at prestigious competition
Calgary piano prodigy Kevin Chen received the top prize in the unusual e-piano Junior Competition. The international event, held in Minneapolis, Minn., from July 7-13, showcased some of the world’s best classical pianists ages 17 and under.
Chen, 14, was also awarded the Schubert Prize for the best performance of the required Schubert piece in the second round, as well as the prize for best performance of Russian music.
The e-piano Junior Competition is unique in that it invites contestants to audition “virtually” on Yamaha Disklavier reproducing pianos, in their hometown or country. Contestants’ performances are captured by the instrument, along with a synchronized video recording. Both performance and video data are then sent electronically to the e-piano Junior Competition for preliminary auditions, where judges are able to evaluate each contestant on a big screen, as their performance is re-created note-for-note on an adjacent Disklavier.
Following the preliminary selection, 25 contestants from South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Russia, Canada and the United States were invited to compete at the University of Minnesota. There, the field was narrowed down to 12 who had solo recitals that included required works by Schubert and Variations by either Beethoven or Mendelssohn. On July 13, the top five finalists performed with the Minnesota Orchestra where winners were announced.