Hwang ’19 Wins First Prize at 32nd Annual International Young Artist Piano Competition

Pianist Bo-Kyung Hwang ’19 was awarded first prize in the Young Professional division at the 32nd Annual International Young Artist Piano Competition in Washington, D.C., on June 25. Her award included a $1,500 cash prize and the opportunity to perform on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage with other prize winners later this summer.

Hwang is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance (Piano) at Shenandoah Conservatory under the tutelage of Ieva Jokubaviciute, M.M.

Founded in 1986 by Li-Ly Chang, the International Young Artist Piano Competition (IYAPC) is for young artists of all nationalities between the ages of 5 and 18. In 2000, a young professional group was added for ages 19 to 28 in 2000 for the competition’s 15th anniversary. The organization expanded the age to 30 for the group in 2014. The purpose of the competition is to promote the music of Chinese composers and further cultural exchange between peoples of the East and West. This is the only competition of its kind for this age group.

Photo by Jason Lopez, Shenandoah University Office of Marketing and Communications