It has not gone unnoticed that Canada has been dominating the world of classical piano. Yearly because the starting of this decade, a Canadian has received a serious worldwide piano competitors. Bruce Liu of Montreal made headlines in 2021 by being the primary Canadian to win First Prize within the prestigious XVIII Chopin Piano Competitors. ‘
That very same yr, at age 16, Calgarian Kevin Chen turned the youngest ever winner of the Franz Liszt Worldwide Piano Competitors. This was adopted by his First Prize wins within the Geneva Worldwide Music Competitors (2022) and the Arthur Rubinstein Piano Grasp Competitors (2023). In September this yr, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko from Salmon Arm, B.C., received the Leeds Worldwide Piano Competitors.
The newest Canadian to take the classical world by storm is 17-year-old Ryan Wang from Vancouver. He’s the winner of BBC Younger Musician 2024, the famend competitors that has launched the careers of celebrated artists like cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and violinist Nicola Benedetti.
Ryan isn’t any stranger to piano competitions. Earlier than his BBC win, he already has an extended listing of worldwide awards on his resume, together with the Prix Corto from the École Normale de Musique de Paris. Though he doesn’t come from a musical household, he confirmed an early curiosity within the instrument. He began piano classes on the age of 4, and inside a yr, he was performing his first solo recital at Carnegie Corridor. The lovely five-year-old additionally charmed the world when he appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres present. Since then, he has been performing recitals and with orchestras throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Ryan is presently in his final yr of secondary schooling at Eton Faculty within the UK, the place he’s on a music scholarship, and acquired his Artist Diploma from the École Normale de Musique de Paris in France in Might 2024. We spoke to Ryan about his journey and up to date BBC win.
Rising Up in a Musical World
Naturally, the label of prodigy has adopted Ryan all his life. However, due to his dad and mom who all the time put his childhood first, he has taken that with a grain of salt and by no means let it form him. “My dad and mom actually shielded me from an excessive amount of publicity, and I’m actually glad they did as a result of I believe youngster prodigies must develop and develop to turn out to be an artist.”
Not solely did he have an all-rounded childhood, Ryan feels he has not missed out on being a teen. He has many pursuits exterior of music like operating, snowboarding and enjoying basketball. Hanging out and bonding with individuals is essential to him, particularly as a result of enjoying the piano could be very solitary.
The world has been watching Ryan since he was 5 years previous. It’s apparent from the various YouTube movies of his early performances that he was a fearless youngster who simply beloved the eye and being on digicam. As he will get older, he has developed extra self-awareness, understanding that “persons are watching”. To assist along with his nerves, his technique is to, “give attention to the music and what I wish to say to the viewers.”
Apart from his lecturers, Ryan is impressed by many pianists. Somebody he particularly appears as much as is Singaporean American pianist Kate Liu, who received the Bronze Medal on the 2015 Chopin Piano Competitors. “I believe she has a really distinctive inventive voice. Her music is extremely touching. I watched her as soon as in particular person, and it was simply unbelievable what she does.”
The BBC Younger Musician Competitors
Ryan feels that competitions have helped him develop as an artist and as an individual. “I’ve needed to be taught so much about myself by way of doing competitions as a result of they actually push you to the restrict.”
Of all of the competitions Ryan has taken half in, the latest BBC Competitors was his most memorable. “The BBC Competitors is extremely revered within the UK. It’s the largest competitors on the planet for younger individuals.”
The 5 rounds of the competitors lasted about six months. He took miniatures of his recital applications and put them into brief applications for every spherical. For the ultimate spherical, he selected to play Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. “I put aside 2 weeks in my summer time holidays to be taught the Rach Two, to actually get to know the piece effectively.
“Rach Two is simply so stunning and has one of the best melodies. It simply matched what I needed to say, and I felt it captured my inventive voice. I really like romantic music. And Rachmaninoff actually simply spoke to me.”
Famend Trumpeter Alison Balsom, one of many BBC Competitors judges, praised Ryan for his “extraordinarily uncommon capability to speak one thing other-worldly — and embody the music,” which, together with “his flawless approach, he was in a position to reveal his soul with such honesty […] it’s exhilarating on any degree to listen to a teen specific this degree of artistry.”
His Musical Voice
When requested about how he approaches the music and connects along with his viewers, Ryan says he first thinks in regards to the aesthetics. He usually has robust, virtually cussed concepts about his interpretation of a bit. “I do know what I wish to do with the piece. I all the time comply with my instinct, my very own emotions,” he says.
“If you consider the way it impacts you, and the way it modifications your life, then it would come. It’s going to present by way of your music, and as soon as you discover that, that’s your inventive voice. When you already know what the music means to you, it would come by way of within the enjoying, and thru to the viewers as effectively. And I believe what makes somebody’s music touching or thrilling is that voice.
“On the finish of the day, music is about magnificence and sharing feelings. I believe musicians take note of very small particulars, and it’s very simple to get caught up in them. However in the event you have a look at the large image, it’s all about magnificence.
“You all the time have to check the rating, and it’s important to respect the composer. However ultimately, it comes from inside you. It’s about how you are feeling in your coronary heart and soul. When you don’t comply with that, your enjoying received’t be trustworthy.”
Ryan Wang performs Chopin Nocturne in B main op. 62 no. 1 on July 30 2024:
Subsequent Steps
Despite the fact that Ryan can be graduating from secondary faculty subsequent yr, he has not selected his subsequent strikes, though he appears to gravitate in the direction of staying in Europe. Proper now, his focus is on performing as a lot as he can.
He’s set to carry out in Toronto on January 5, on the Li Delun Music Basis’s New Yr’s Live performance, by which he’ll play Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Toronto Pageant Orchestra. Extra engagements within the UK and France are to comply with within the new yr. As well as, Ryan hopes to foray into performing in continents like South America and Africa that he has not but set foot in.
Ryan is very drawn to the music of Chopin. His debut album is a group of Chopin preludes that had been recorded reside from a efficiency in Bordeaux. Despite the fact that he’s tight-lipped about future recordings, he hinted that they’re within the plans. Except for Chopin, he additionally loves compositions by Schubert and Liszt, and is a fan of Baroque works from Handel and Scarlatti. He want to uncover and carry out extra music by Schubert and Brahms.
Ryan is actually an inspiration to many younger pianists. When requested about his recommendation to them, he replies, “I believe it’s very simple for younger gamers to be swayed by completely different opinions in music, as a result of music is so subjective. However in the event you really feel passionately about one thing, it is best to take heed to your personal voice, as a result of that’s how artists are made. Music is an artwork and artists ought to all the time be artistic. And, so long as you get pleasure from it, the viewers will get pleasure from it as effectively.”
- Ryan Wang will carry out on the Li Delun Music Basis’s New Yr’s Live performance on January 5, 2025, on the George Weston Recital Corridor, Meridian Arts Centre in Toronto. Get tickets and extra data [HERE].
Are you seeking to promote an occasion? Have a information tip? Must know one of the best occasions occurring this weekend? Ship us a be aware.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the every day arts information straight to your inbox.
Join the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — native classical music and opera information straight to your inbox HERE.
Denise Lai is a Physiotherapist and Faculty Professor. She is an alumnus of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and a rusty piano participant.
