South Kent School’s Taek Gi Lee ‘15 of South Korea was the winner of the 10th Annual Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition in London, United Kingdom that concluded March 8.
There were 100 contestants of 30 different nationalities who applied for the competition. Their application and DVD recordings were reviewed by the panel of judges and 44 young pianists were selected to compete this week.
Once, they were at Hastings, each student played a 25 minute chosen concerto with a second pianist, each on their own piano. Lee was one of only seven to advance to the semifinals.
Taek Gi Lee ’15 with the six other semifinalists
South Kent’s MaryAnn Haverstock, who is at the Center for Innovation Director of Sustainability and a Math Teacher at South Kent, watched Taek Gi play a solo recital of Bach and Liszt and see him among three in the final.
In the final, Lee played Rachmaninov’s piano Concerto No. 3 with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra March 8.
“His performance was impeccable and he was awarded not only Judges’ First Prize for the official competition but Audience First Prize based on audience claps,” Haverstock said. “You should have heard the audience cheering for Taek Gi. It was a wonderful evening, and a great reward for his hard work and commitment!”
As the first prize winner, Lee receives the Hastings International Piano Concerto Trophy, the £5,000 10th Anniversary Prize, plus a concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The international jury included Chairman Wibaut, Dine Yoffe, Paul Roberts, Brian Wright, Peter Katin and Jonathan Marten. Dame Fanny Waterman was a special guest and honorary member of the Jury for the final competition. She also presented the prizes.
The entire South Kent community is overjoyed to hear about Lee’s achievement. “Taek Gi’s accomplishment is fabulous,” Head of School Andrew Vadnais said. “It is a reminder that, even on a world stage, when one finds his purpose and follows it with passion and directness, excellence always results. Taek Gi has made us all proud!”
Lee is taking classes and has performed at The Juilliard School, and is also part of South Kent’s Classical Music Program.
Taek Gi Lee performing at Juilliard