The winners of the 58th Paganini Prize in Genoa are:
1. Aozhe Zhang, China, 17 years old
2. Rino Yashimoto, Japan, 22
3. Hyun Seo Kim, South Korea, 15
The jury was chaired by the Italian violinist Uto Ughi.
The Orchestra of Carlo Felice was conducted by the German Philipp von Steinaecker.
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Italy isn’t known for its imports but Asians typically hold two roles in Italy: 1) Purchasers of luxury goods; 2) Sweatshop workers in the Italian countryside: Made in Italy (by Chinese)”.
Now: the music makers of Genoa. Tutti Bravi! Welcome.
Dear Western World: Your Woke Society has been good for the East in the Feast of Yeast.
Geraldo F.
Geraldo, you forgot the obligatory 45/47 praise for magnus vir. It’s OK, just sing the national anthem to us in your next post.
You’re lucky you live in a democracy that the “Western World” has championed that allow you to express racist sentiments without consequence. Be careful though, because if you enact your racist ideology in any capacity, you will be punished.
You need the photos to ascertain the sex of these people. The names convey nothing, especially if the first, middle and last names are in random order.
Your name means nothing to a speaker of Korean or Japanese. What’s your point?
Educate yourself and stop flaunting your racist ignorance because it’s not cute.
You forgot “homophobe”, “misogynist” and “climate change denier”.
This is very true. As a Westerner, the name Rino is presumed male and Rina is female.
And Andrea, who literally means ‘male’ (from the Greek ‘Andros’) is a male name in Italian but female in German.
So what?
Slippedisc seems rather fixated on matters of gender and race, often drafting headlines in such a manner that seems aimed at generating dissent and controversy. And it doesn’t take much to roil this hornets nest. Agitprop apparently sells.
I know that seeing artists from a different continent absolutely dominate European competitions may offend the sensibilities of some. People do like their Homegrown Heroes to shine in the spotlight, after all. But Asia seems to be the spot where audiences for classical music continue to grow. And a plethora of their young people seem to possess the needed interest, aptitude and discipline.
Though talent on our side of the globe may not be in short supply, the same degree of cultural enthusiasm just doesn’t seem to be there. If only it were. But for me, the national origin of who plays the melodies matters little. Just please, keep good classical music alive and keep it coming.
I can’t agree more; the pattern of posts on this blog reveals its owner to be a disgruntled older white male with a massive chip on his shoulder. Fortunately, the dated worldviews that drive his editorial decisions are laughably outdated and reflective of an accelerating decline into full irrelevance. I hope he’s enjoying what time he has left.
Understandable because the rabid woke brigade here is just soooo easy to trigger.
That may be, but the anti-woke far rights seems just as hair-triggered.
Fairly judged and adjudicated by their teacher jury member Dang Thai Son? Or Dang Thai Dad?
and other jury members Wai Tu Lo and Ho Li Phoc.
Some terrific playing from these exceptional players.I only judge their performance not their background.
We need to raise our level in the west
Notice no one from the London Colleges or Academy to be seen..
That means, practicing 4 to 5 hours per day since young childhood
“Asians”? I wonder if you will ever talk about “Caucasians” in the same capacity. So much obsession over race and nationality that is completely irrelevant to music.
Anyone surprised?
Amar: “Slippedisc seems rather fixated on matters of gender and race, often drafting headlines in such a manner that seems aimed at generating dissent and controversy.”
—–
I’m not sure exactly what the cultural and political nature of Norman and his blog is. Today’s ideology in general, however, can easily hold two opposing viewpoints all at the same time.
Woke is good, woke is bad. Or anti-woke is good, anti-woke is bad. Too rightwing, too leftwing.
I’m blah-blah, you’re blah-blah. Wash, rinse and repeat.
I notice that as each year goes by the superficial identities of a person become less and less important to me compared with his or her skills, talent, and attitude. Yet some people become indignant when superficial traits aren’t held in the higher (or highest) regard. Which seems like the essence of bigotry—or various so-called phobias.
I am actually wondering which of the past winners in Paganini competition have gained a major career. It seems NONE. It is an inconsequential competition. A truly talented player can get a conductor and an agent to promote them, without going to the competition circle.
Not true. Salvatore Accardo, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Gidon Kremer, Leonidas Kavakos, Isabelle Faust and Ilya Gringolts are past winners of the Paganini competition and all have had successful careers.