With virile dexterity and self-confident demeanor, the 26-year-old Chinese won over the piano competition jury — and proved that he can deliver the quiet tones too.

Years ago, Kurt Masur told his countrymen not to neglect music education in Germany, because "Six million Chinese are coming."

The now-deceased German conductor's words were meant not as a threat but as a warning. Now they seem prophetic — but would have been more accurate had he included South Koreans and Japanese.

At the finale of the 8th International Telekom Beethoven Competition on December 14 in Bonn, all three of the prize winners were Asians. That outcome seemed plausible even at the start of the competition ten days before: Of the 23 contestants, 13 came from Asia: South Korea (7), China (3), Japan (2) and Taiwan (1).

Classical music in Asia

Should the future of classical music lie in Asia, it will be literally in good hands, to judge by this piano competition. Three utterly contrasting artistic personalities: Yuto Takezawa, 22, from Japan; Shihyun Lee, 28, from South Korea and the winner of first prize, Cunmo Yin. Together with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn under the direction of Dirk Kaftan, they gave renditions of piano concertos by Ludwig van Beethoven that could not have been more different.

https://www.dw.com/en/cunmo-yin-wins-the-telekom-beethoven-competition/a...