Chinese Pianist Wins Gold in Poland's Chopin CompetitionChinese pianist Li Yundi won the gold medal Friday at the 14th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition, the first time the event's top prize has been awarded since 1985.The Chopin competition, held every five years since 1927, is devoted entirely to music by the 19th-century Polish composer. The judging is so tough that in 1990 and 1995 no performances were deemed good enough for a gold medal. Li, still a student at Shenzhen Art School, has won several prizes at the international level. His past honors include a first place at the Gina Bachauer Young Artists International Piano Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1999, and a third place at the International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in the Netherlands. Second place in the Chopin competition was awarded to Ingrid Fliter, 27, of Argentina, and third went to Alexander Kobrin of Russia. The 14th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition, which opened on October 4, 2000, attracted 98 players from 25 countries. Three rounds of competitions were held before the final began. The Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition is a major cultural event in Poland. It sets the world standard for interpreting Chopin's complex and highly emotional works. |
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