The 14 year-old Russian pianist Dmitry Shishkin took the first prize at the Fifth Frederic Chopin International Competition for young pianists that finished yesterday in Beijing. Chinese girl Van Itszya who won the second prize is 11 years old.
They were acknowledged the best among the representatives of nine countries, including also Canada, Japan, France, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Poland, and Ukraine. Three Russian boys and three Chinese girls were competing in the final tour.
"I think Chopin could not even imagine that a competition named after him would take place in Beijing. - said Svyatoslav Belza, chairman of the steering committee on the Russian part. - The music competition timed to the Year of Russia in China was a great success, with the participants very strong."
Source: www.itar-tass.com