Pianist Kim Su-yeon Wins 1st Place at the 2021 Montreal International Music Competition

Pianist Kim Su-yeon. (Photo by Kumho Cultural Foundation)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Kumho Cultural Foundation announced on the 14th (local time) that pianist Kim Suyeon, a Kumho Young Artist alumnus, won first place at the 2021 Montreal International Music Competition held in Montreal, Canada. This is the first time a Korean pianist has won first place in this competition.

Kim Suyeon will receive a total prize package worth 150,000 Canadian dollars (approximately 139.66 million KRW), including the first prize of 30,000 Canadian dollars (about 28 million KRW), album production (Steinway & Sons label), and performance support funds. She will also have the opportunity to perform with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and go on a North American tour.

The Montreal International Music Competition, considered one of Canada's representative cultural events, was first held in 2002 focusing on vocal music. Currently, the competition alternates annually among vocal, violin, and piano categories. Past winners include Kumho Young Artist alumni violinists Jo Jinju (1st place, 2006), Choi Yaeun (2nd place, 2006), Kim Bomsoli (2nd place, 2016), tenor Kim Geonwoo (1st place, 2015), and soprano Park Hyesang (2nd place, 2015).

This year, the piano category competition was held online from April 26 to May 14. The second place was awarded to Dimitri Malignan from France, and third place to Yoichiro Chiba from Japan. The vocal category will be held in 2022, and the violin category in 2023.

Pianist Kim Suyeon debuted in 2005 with the Kumho Young Artist Concert. She won first place at the 2014 Johann Nepomuk Hummel International Piano Competition, second place at the 2018 Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, third place at the 2018 Alaska International e-Piano Competition, and second place at the 2020 Mozart International Competition. She has performed at venues such as the Hercules Hall in Munich, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy in Budapest. Kim Suyeon studied under Kang Choongmo at the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts and has been studying with Pavel Gililov at the Mozarteum University Salzburg since 2013.