Tony Siqi Yun, an 18-year-old Canadian took First Prize - worth $150,000, with representation by Opus 3 in the US and Europe, and Armstrong Music and Arts in China – at the first-ever China International Music Competition, held in Beijing. He joined the Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin for a performance of Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, an interpretation that secured him his win. 

'Words cannot express how I feel to have been awarded the Gold Medal of the China International Music Competition. It has been an extraordinary time in Beijing, and I am so grateful to the jury and everyone here who have been such great colleagues,’ Tony Siqi Yun said after his win.

Yoheved Kaplinsky, Chairman of the jury and Artistic Director said that 'Tony exhibited professionalism, musicianship, poise and an incredible ability to integrate himself with the orchestra. He was the most sensitive in his interaction with the orchestra and conductor. It was incredibly close between all three as all of them were consistent to the end. What made me particularly happy was that they were all as good as they were different.'

Second Prize ($75,000) went to the 17-year-old Russian Alexander Malofeev (who, incidentally, is among the 24 pianists shortlisted for Tchaikovsky Competition next month) while Third Prize ($30,000) went to the 24-year-old American MacKenzie Melemed.

The finals were broadcast by medici.tv with earlier stages broadcast by Amadeus.TV and on Youku.com in China.

The China International Music Competition will be held every year and next year’s competition will be dedicated to the violin.