Zijian Wei, a 25-year-old pianist from China, emerged as the winner of the 2024 Cleveland International Piano Competition, beating out competitors from the United States, Italy, and China. The decision was made after each finalist performed with the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Music Center. Piano Cleveland president Yaron Kohlberg highlighted the prestigious nature of the competition, noting that the opportunity to perform with the Cleveland Orchestra is a career-making moment for many pianists.
The two-part finale of the competition featured salon performances followed by a concerto round, with Wei ultimately claiming the first prize of $75,000, a recording contract with Steinway & Sons, and concert bookings at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York and Tonhalle in Zürich, Switzerland. Kohlberg emphasized that winning the Mixon First Prize can propel a pianist’s career to a global level, citing his own experience as a 2007 competition prize winner.
Established in 1975, the Cleveland International Piano Competition has a history of launching the careers of talented pianists, with past winners including world-renowned musicians such as Sergei Babayan and Angela Hewitt. For more information, including the complete results of the 2024 competition, visit pianocleveland.org.
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Photo credit www.cleveland.com