Seventeen-year-old pianist Ryan Wang has emerged as the winner of the 2024 BBC Young Musician competition, announced tonight.
In the final held at Bristol Beacon, three talented musicians showcased their skills, each performing a concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, under the baton of conductor Ben Gernon. Alongside Wang was fellow pianist Jacky Zhang, a category finalist in the 2022 competition, and violinist Shlomi Shahaf.
Shahaf dazzled the audience with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, while both pianists opted for Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto—a historic first in the competition’s 46-year run where the same work was featured in the final.
The competition welcomes musicians aged 18 or under who reside or study in the UK. Shahaf, who was born in Israel and raised in Ukraine, is currently a student at the Purcell School.
Wang, originally from Canada, is pursuing A-levels at Eton College, Windsor, on a music scholarship. He began playing the piano at the age of four and made his solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall in New York when he was just five.
The judging panel, which included trumpet player Alison Balsom, pianist Alexis Ffrench, and multi-instrumentalist and DJ Hannah Catherine Jones, praised Wang as a “truly remarkable musician,” commending his flawless technique and exceptional artistry.
“He possesses an extremely rare ability to communicate something otherworldly and to embody the music. In the final, it was abundantly clear to all of us that he was creating a kind of magic,” remarked Balsom.
Wang expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am honoured and grateful for the support I have received. This competition experience has been amazing, and I feel so fortunate to have met such incredible musicians.” As the winner, he receives a trophy and a one-year management contract with the Young Classical Artists Trust.
Held biennially, the competition previously crowned percussionist Jordan Ashman as the 2022 winner. The 2020 competition, which was delayed until 2021 due to the pandemic, also saw a percussionist, Fang Zhang, take home the title.
This year’s format saw a change: instead of category finals, 12 musicians were chosen for a quarter-final round, with six advancing to the semi-finals and three selected for the final. Previous winners include notable names such as Natalie Clein, Mark Simpson, Nicola Benedetti, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason. The television coverage was presented by saxophonist Jess Gillam, a finalist in 2016.
Related Topics
- What is a MIDI Piano: Features & Applications
- What is Piano Forte?
- Exploring Salzburg’s Mozart Trail: From His Piano to His Favorite Café
