The final round of the 2011 Cleveland International Piano Competition culminated with Alexander Schimpf of Germany, 29, winning the $50,000 first prize.
Held on Friday and Saturday nights at Severance Hall in Cleveland, the final round of the competition was high on excitement. Schimpf was the last to take the stage, and distinguished himself with his brilliant performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, the only Classical-period selection of the round.
Marked by secure interaction with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Christopher Wilkins and complete mastery of the score’s technical and emotional dimensions, Schimpf’s performance was judged the finest of the four that were showcased, and placed him ahead of fellow finalists Alexey Chernov of Russia, 28, Eric Zuber of the U.S., 26, and Kyu Yeon Kim of Korea, 25.
As the grand champion of the competition, Schimpf’s prize package includes a recital at Carnegie Hall in New York and over 50 concert engagements, so it’s safe to say that while the adventure of the competition is over, Schimpf’s journey has only just begun.
