Pianist Gajuyeon (29), a graduate of Kumho Young Artist, won first place at the 65th Premio Ja?n International Piano Competition, which concluded on the 13th (local time) in Ja?n, Spain, the Kumho Cultural Foundation announced on the 15th.
Gajuyeon will receive a prize of 20,000 euros (approximately 29.47 million KRW). She will also have the opportunity to record an album under the Naxos label and go on a concert tour in Ja?n, ?beda, M?laga in Spain, and Bochum in Germany.
The Premio Ja?n International Piano Competition boasts the longest history among international music competitions held in Spain. It was founded in 1953 under the name "Premio Club Alpino," based on the organization "Club Alpino," established by pianist Joaquin Reyes Cabrera and architect Pablo Castillo Garcia-Negrete. In 1955, the name was changed to "Premio Ja?n International Piano Competition," elevating it to an international piano competition.
The competition is held annually for young pianists aged 31 and under. The final round consists of four performances: two solo recitals, a chamber music collaboration with the Bret?n String Quartet, and an orchestral performance with the M?laga Philharmonic Orchestra.
On the final day of the competition, Gajuyeon performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the M?laga Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Salvador Vazquez at the Infanta Leonor Theater, securing first place. This year, 72 participants from around the world advanced to the finals, and through the first and second rounds and the chamber music semifinals held from the 5th to the 11th, three finalists were selected.
Previous Korean winners include Ian Jung-eun (joint 3rd place in 1989), Hwang Seong-hoon (2nd place in 2001), Kumho Young Artist alumni Lee Joo-eun (2nd place in 2006), Kumho Young Artist alumni Yoo Jae-kyung (3rd place in 2010), Kumho Young Artist alumni Lee Mi-yeon (2nd place in 2012), Kumho Youngjae alumni Jung Da-seul (3rd place in 2015), Cha Su-jin (2nd place in 2016), Kumho Young Artist alumni Kim Hong-gi (1st place in 2018), Lee Jin-hyun (2nd place in 2018), Kumho Young Artist alumni Park Yeon-min (3rd place in 2022), and Kumho Youngjae alumni Park Jin-hyung (1st place in 2023).
Gajuyeon debuted in 2010 with the Kumho Youngjae Concert. She gained attention by winning prestigious competitions such as the 2020 Suri Music Competition Grand Prize (Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award), 2019 Korea Chopin Competition 1st place, Henle Competition Grand Prize, Seongjeong Music Competition Excellence Award, TBC Music Competition Special Award, New York International Piano Competition 1st place, and Troisdorf International Competition 1st place. After attending Yewon School and Yonsei University, she graduated with the highest unanimous score from the master's program at the Mozarteum University Salzburg in Austria and is currently pursuing a postgraduate professional performance course. She studied under Shin Min-ja, Heo Eun-joo, Yoo Young-wook, and Jacques Rouvier.
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