Held every five years since 1927, the Chopin competition would normally have been held last year, but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s competition, held from October 2-23, drew 87 pianists from 18 nations across the globe. Broadcast live on YouTube and via a bespoke mobile app, the contest attracted record online interest. Some 70,000 people watched the result streamed online.

Another student of Son, JJ Bui, won 6th prize.

Son, who himself was the first Asian to win first prize and the gold medal at the same competition in 1980, expressed his pride on his students' achievements on Facebook. The Vietnamese pianist is now teaching at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the US./.

VNA