YUNCHAN LIM

THE YOUNG PIANIST WHO DECIDED TO LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND FOR MUSIC

Lim made an impact on the world of music last year, when he made history at the age of 18 by becoming the youngest winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition held in Texas. Lim's final performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 not only moved even the orchestra conductor, Marin Alsop, to tears, but also went viral on YouTube, with more than 12 million views, becoming the performance with the most views on the platform. Critics also praised his surprising performance, claiming that 'a star is born' (The New York Times). Yunchan was catapulted into the headlines and rose to fame even beyond the world of classical music, while he became a national hero in his home country, South Korea, overnight. Yunchan's rise in the world of classical music has been meteoric, and the leading stages around the world are courting him, like his anxiously-awaited début at Carnegie Hall and performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of Paris and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with musical director Vasily Petrenko. Both critics and audiences alike have fallen in love with his performances, from his captivating appearances on renowned stages like Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall and the Hollywood Bowl to his celebrated London début at Wigmore Hall. After releasing his first album post-competition--which features a live recording of the 'Emperor' Piano Concerto No. 5 by Beethoven with the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra, which went platinum in a matter of hours--Lim recently signed an exclusive recording deal with Decca. This summer, this young pianist, who has the world at his feet, will make his debut at the festival.