This year's Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians came to an end at the Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theater in Shizimen last night (Sept 22) with winners mostly from Japan, China, Korea, or with Eastern roots demonstrating mastery.

Piano Group A first prize winners Wang Yinqi from China and Yu Zhang Wu from Pinehurst School of New Zealand played W A Mozart: Piano Sonata 13 in B-Flat major, KV 333 and F Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Rondo capriccioso in E major, Op14 respectively, showing enormous potentials of competence.

Simon Zhu [Photo by Zhu Xi / Zhuhai Daily]

Also on stage were Violin Group B first-prize winner Lina Nakano from Japan playing C Saint-Saens: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in a minor, Op 28 and Piano Group B first-prize winner Sofia Melkumova from Special Music School at the Rostov State Conservatory of Russia interpreting S Prokofiev: Visions fugitives, Op 22. Their stunning complement won immense applause.

The young artists, Simon Zhu, Violin Group C top winner playing Mozart’s Violin Concerto 5 in A major, KV 219, and Seika Ishida, Piano Group C winner, who played Mozart’s Piano Concerto 27 in B-flat major, KV 595, fascinated the audience with superb mastery of classic music and refreshing interpretations.

Vice Mayor Yan Wu made a closing speech and Ye Xiaogang, chairman of the Chinese Musicians' Association and vice president of the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM), hailed the success of the 3rd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians in his closing remarks.

Winners and band [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theater]

All the winners were invited to the stage for a salute from the Salzburg Chamber Soloists with a brand-new music piece specially rehearsed for them at the end of the closing concert.

Beyond the venue, Wei Danwen, piano doctoral supervisor of the Central Conservatory of Music, shared her insights into the Classism of Piano at the Zhuhai College of Jilin University on Sept 19. Ye Xiaogang joined other renowned musicians from home and abroad to discuss the integration and correlation of music and the city on Sept 22.