MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Prime pianists from all over the world descended on Dallas, Texas, final week.

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KELLY: They have been competing within the Cliburn Worldwide Junior Piano Competitors, with greater than 20 youngsters performing classical sonatas and concertos from prime composers.

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KELLY: We spoke with the ultimate three members of the Junior Cliburn competitors as they had been headed into the ultimate spherical.

JAN SCHULMEISTER: So my title is Jan Schulmeister. I am 16 years previous, and I am from Czech Republic.

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JAN: It was nice enjoyment to make folks glad for music and to hook up with the viewers. And Rachmaninoff, I believe he meant this piece as track with out phrase.

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JAN: I’m so extraordinarily glad and honored that I acquired the chance to play in such an exquisite corridor for two,000 folks and intensely honored that I am within the finals.

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YIFAN WU: Sure. My title is Yifan Wu. I come from Shanghai, China, and I am 14 years previous.

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YIFAN: I’ve ready for the competitors for half a 12 months, and I apply seven hours per day as a result of, you realize, the Cliburn competitors is actually excessive stage. It is actually thrilling. The piano is the king of the instrument. I simply actually love piano (laughter).

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SEOKYOUNG HONG: Whats up. I’m Seokyoung Hong, and I am from South Korea. I am 15 years previous.

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SEOKYOUNG: And I actually just like the sound of piano and the truth that I can create the sound I would like. On this Cliburn competitors, I believe the extent of opponents had been actually, actually – they usually all play actually good. So I used to be type of scared, however perhaps I additionally acquired impressed by them. Usually, junior competitors doesn’t have this many rounds and this a lot repertoire requirement, and this was the competitors that I needed to play probably the most items.

KELLY: Every teen piano prodigy was accompanied by an orchestra within the closing spherical to additional check their talents.

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KELLY: And this 12 months’s winner, who you simply heard there, was 15-year-old Seokyoung Hong of South Korea. Congratulations to all of the junior Cliburn opponents.

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