2024 Contestants
Zifan Ye
China
Age 23
Sponsored by Drs. John Richardson and Jan Puckett
Hosted by April & Eric Brahinsky
Pianist Zifan Ye was born in 2000 in Inner Mongolia and received his first piano lessons at the age of five. He commenced his professional studies three years later with Xi You at the Conservatory of Music in Beijing, followed by studies in Germany with Gerrit Zitterbart and Arie Vardi (currently) at the Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media. Praised as an “extraordinary pianist” by China’s most influential music magazine, Journal of the People’s Music, Zifan has performed more than 100 solo and orchestral recitals across Europe and Asia, collaborating with the Bergen Philharmonic, Valencia Symphony Orchestra, Kassel Uni Symphony Orchestra, Torun Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Central Conservatory of Music, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, and Sichuan Symphony Orchestra.
Zifan has also won prizes at international competitions, taking 3rd prize at the 17th Grieg International Piano Competition (2022), as the youngest prize winner; 4th prize and best finalist prize at the 21st Iturbi International Piano Competition (2021), also the youngest contestant and prize winner; as well as the 5th prize at the 19th Spanish Composers International Piano Competition (2018).
In prior years he has also won the Gundlach Musikpreis in Hannover; 1st prizes in the 23rd International Piano Competition “Pietro Argento”, the 8th International Piano Competition María Herrero, the French International Piano Competition; and 2nd prize in the “Golden Bell Award” in China, among many others.
Zifan currently resides in Germany and continues his activities in Europe and Asia. He was selected in 2019, and continues to serve as an ambassador and sponsored musician for the Deutsche Musikleben Stiftung.
https://www.ye-zifan.com/english
Facebook (@zifan.ye.7)
YouTube (@zifanye3992)
Repertoire
ROUND I
RACHMANINOV Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 36
PROKOFIEV Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 82
ROUND II
GAO PING Dance Fury – Homage to Piazzolla (2000)
ALBÉNIZ Navarra
BRAHMS Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5
ROUND III
JOSE LUIS TURINA Scherzo (1986)
AARON PRADO El Colibrí y la Cempasúchil (2023)
ROUND IV
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
Zifan Ye
China
Age 23
Sponsored by Drs. John Richardson and Jan Puckett
Hosted by April & Eric Brahinsky
Pianist Zifan Ye was born in 2000 in Inner Mongolia and received his first piano lessons at the age of five. He commenced his professional studies three years later with Xi You at the Conservatory of Music in Beijing, followed by studies in Germany with Gerrit Zitterbart and Arie Vardi (currently) at the Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media. Praised as an “extraordinary pianist” by China’s most influential music magazine, Journal of the People’s Music, Zifan has performed more than 100 solo and orchestral recitals across Europe and Asia, collaborating with the Bergen Philharmonic, Valencia Symphony Orchestra, Kassel Uni Symphony Orchestra, Torun Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Central Conservatory of Music, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, and Sichuan Symphony Orchestra.
Zifan has also won prizes at international competitions, taking 3rd prize at the 17th Grieg International Piano Competition (2022), as the youngest prize winner; 4th prize and best finalist prize at the 21st Iturbi International Piano Competition (2021), also the youngest contestant and prize winner; as well as the 5th prize at the 19th Spanish Composers International Piano Competition (2018).
In prior years he has also won the Gundlach Musikpreis in Hannover; 1st prizes in the 23rd International Piano Competition “Pietro Argento”, the 8th International Piano Competition María Herrero, the French International Piano Competition; and 2nd prize in the “Golden Bell Award” in China, among many others.
Zifan currently resides in Germany and continues his activities in Europe and Asia. He was selected in 2019, and continues to serve as an ambassador and sponsored musician for the Deutsche Musikleben Stiftung.
https://www.ye-zifan.com/english
Facebook (@zifan.ye.7)
YouTube (@zifanye3992)
Repertoire
ROUND I
RACHMANINOV Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 36
PROKOFIEV Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 82
ROUND II
GAO PING Dance Fury – Homage to Piazzolla (2000)
ALBÉNIZ Navarra
BRAHMS Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5
ROUND III
JOSE LUIS TURINA Scherzo (1986)
AARON PRADO El Colibrí y la Cempasúchil (2023)
ROUND IV
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
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