A 17-year-old fromKazakhstanwon the top $10,000 prize Sunday at the first-everCliburnInternational Junior Piano competition in Fort Worth.
AlimBeisembayevsays his parents watched the live stream of his 5 o’clock Sunday concerto performance even though it was 4 in the morning where they live. The teen moved to England five years ago to study piano and says the hard work paid off.
“It’s been extremely stressful, and had some surprises, but it was really a great pleasure to be here and to be able to get so far,” Beisembayev said.
Russian Arseni Mun, who’s 16, took second place, and Chinese native Youlan Ji, who’s also 16, got third prize. She studies piano in New York. When the contest began last week, she wasn’t clear on how she’d fit music into her future.
“I’m still not sure yet about a career,” Ji said, “but I think this definitely helps with my confidence.”
She and the others say they hope to get into the main Cliburn Competition when they’re older.
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