Music

Video: Watch the 14-year-old winner of the John Field International Piano competition

Stan O’Beirne shared the competition’s top prize

Stan O’ Beirne (Grand Prix winner), Sheba Hisa Chen (2nd Prize, 7-9 years category), and Solomon Clive Chen (3rd Prize, 10-12 years category) at the John Field International Piano Competition

Fri Dec 15 2017 - 09:39

Stan O'Beirne, a 14-year-old piano student, is the joint winner of the inaugural John Field International Piano Competition, along with Gabija Maknaviciute, a 20-year-old musician from Lithuania. The competition took place recently at Dundalk's Táin Theatre in Co Louth.

O'Beirne, who studies at the Rathgar based Piano Academy, shared the top Grand Prix award, despite an international field of competitors, some in their early 20s. O'Beirne wins a cash prize and a concert performance with Barry Douglas and Camerata Ireland in the 2018/19 season.

The competition was set up by Moscow pianist Victor Ryabchikov and Russian Bridge, an organisation that aims to foster connections between Russia and Ireland, with support from Louth County Council. The competition is run in honour of John Field, who lived and worked in Russia as as performer and teacher. in tandem with his international career. Outside of Russia, Field most notably made an impact on Chopin,who heard his Nocturnes and famously went on to develop the form.

The full list of winners is

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Group A1 (under 10):

14-year-old Stan O’ Beirne from Terenure won the inaugural John Field International Piano Competition, held at Dundalk's Tain Theatre, on Friday 8th December. The pianist is under the tutelage of Archie Chen at the Piano Academy of Ireland.

Sheba Hisa Chen (Dublin, Piano Academy of Ireland) - second prize

Nicole Yingiy Li (Dublin) - second prize

Ke Xin He (Dublin) - third prize

Group A2 (10-12 years old):

Maria Nasypannaya (Dublin) - second prize

Dawid Walega (Co Meath) - second prize

Gabriele Zinkute (Lithuania) - second prize

Stepan Blagoderov (Russia) - third prize

Sylvan Mayer-Whitla (Cork) - third prize

Solomon Clive Chen (Dublin, Piano Academy of Ireland) - third prize

Group B (13-15 years old):

Stan O’Beirne (Dublin, Piano Academy of Ireland) - Grand Prix

Artur Bagirov (Russia) - first prize

Dida Condria (Dublin) - first prize

Defne Gultoprak (Dublin) - first prize

Nora Ronan (Dublin) - first prize

Anna Graham (UK) - second prize

Rowel Friers (UK) - third prize

Group C (16 years +):

Gabija Maknaviciute (Lithuania) - Grand Prix

Alexander Ermachek (Russia) - first prize

Valerija Kachurovskaya (Russia) - first prize

Ivan Aleshin (Russia) - second prize

County CouncilDundalkLouthPiano AcademyDouglas BarryStan O Beirne