A B.C.-born pianist won the Leeds International Piano Competition in the United Kingdom — one of the most prestigious prizes in classical music.
After being selected by the jury, Izik-Dzurko called his victory an "indescribable honour."
"I think it will take a while for the moment to sink in," he said in an interview with competition hosts Petroc Trelawny and Alexandra Dariescu. He also expressed gratitude to his family and mentors for their support.
The Leeds International Piano Competition, co-founded in 1963 by renowned piano teacher Dame Fanny Waterman, is held every three years and is open to pianists under 30 from around the globe.
In addition to the Dame Fanny Waterman Gold Medal and the cash prize, Izik-Dzurko will receive a package that includes engagements with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, a debut at London's Wigmore Hall, and recital tours across the U.K. and internationally, as part of the Steinway Prize Winner Concerts Network and Global Music Network.
Izik-Dzurko is a graduate of the Juilliard School in New York and holds a master's degree from the University of British Columbia, where he studied under Corey Hamm. He currently studies with Jacob Leuschner at Germany's Detmold Hochschule für Musik and with Benedetto Lupo at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome.
Just this May, the Canadian pianist won the 2024 Montreal International Music Competition, taking home more than $150,000 in prizes.
In 2022, he claimed first prizes at both the Hilton Head International Piano Competition and the Maria Canals International Music Competition, as well as at the 20th Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition.
He was also named one of CBC's "30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30" in 2021.
The 2024 Competition: A New Era for the Leeds?
This year's Leeds International Piano Competition has been marked by a new set of rules aimed at tackling the perceived gender imbalance in classical music competitions. The competition has been making headlines with its new “gender-neutral” voting policy, which prioritizes female competitors in the event of a tie. The new policy has been praised by some for its attempt to promote equality in the field, but others have criticized it as being unfair to male competitors.
The competition's CEO, Fiona Sinclair, has defended the new policy, arguing that it is necessary to address the long-standing issue of male dominance in classical music. In a 2024 opinion piece for The Guardian, Sinclair wrote, "The Leeds’s own record shows that just two women have triumphed in the past 20 editions of the competition, only a third of our applications this year have come from women and only 18 per cent of the most recent top 40 international piano competitions have been won by women." She went on to argue that “the Leeds International Piano Competition has a responsibility to model a more equitable stage.”
The new policy has generated debate about the role of gender in classical music competitions, and it is likely to continue to be a topic of discussion in the years to come.
The Final Five
The final round of the competition saw five finalists compete for the top prize. In addition to Izik-Dzurko, the other finalists were:
- Junyan Chen, a rising star from London, UK.
- Khanh Nhi Luong, a talented pianist from Vietnam.
- Kai-Min Chang, a pianist from Taiwan.
- Julian Trevelyan, a British pianist who was given a last-minute entry to the competition after another contestant dropped out. Trevelyan was on his honeymoon in France when he received the email, and he had just two weeks to prepare for the finals. He was awarded fourth place.
Izik-Dzurko's victory is a testament to his talent and hard work, and it is sure to be a major boost to his already impressive career. The 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition has been a memorable one, and it will be interesting to see how the new rules affect future competitions.
A Look to the Future
The 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition has come to an end, but the music will continue to resonate for years to come. The new rules regarding gender equality are sure to be a topic of discussion for some time, but the competition's dedication to fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for musicians is a positive step for the future of classical music.
The winner, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, is a talented young pianist with a bright future ahead of him. He is sure to continue to make waves in the classical music world, and we can all look forward to hearing more from him in the years to come.
