Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition
The Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition (also known simply as the Cooper International Competition) is a piano and violin competition held annually at the Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. It is sponsored by Thomas and Evon Cooper and is presented jointly by the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Orchestra.[1] The competition is for young musicians 13–18 years of age and awards more than $35,000 in prize money, with a first prize of $20,000. The competition gives three finalists the opportunity to play a complete concerto with the Cleveland Orchestra. The competition debuted in the summer of 2010 with a piano competition, followed by a violin competition in 2011, and the competition alternates annually between both instruments.[2] George Li won the first prize in the first piano competition[1] and Sirena Huang won first in the first violin competition.[3]
History
The competition originated as the Oberlin International Festival, first organized by Emeritus Professor Joseph Schwartz in 1985. In 1995, Professor Robert Shannon became the director and the first annual Oberlin International Piano Competition was launched. In 1999, Yeol Eum Son won 1st prize. By the time of its final edition, it gave the winners opportunities to perform with leading orchestras in China, such as the Shanghai Philharmonic.[4] In 2009, the competition was not held due to renovations of the concert hall. In 2010, a new competition named after sponsors Thomas and Evon Cooper replaced it. Since then, the competition holds its final rounds with the Cleveland Orchestra in Severance Hall.[5] In 2016, the competition doubled its prizes to a $20,000 first prize.[6]
Prize winners
Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition
Year | 1st prize | 2nd prize | 3rd prize | 4th prize | 5th prize | 6th prize |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 (piano) | ||||||
2011 (violin) | ||||||
2012 (piano) | not awarded | |||||
2013 (violin) | not awarded | |||||
2014 (piano) | ||||||
2015 (violin) | not awarded | |||||
2016 (piano) | ||||||
2017 (violin) | not awarded | |||||
2018 (piano) | ||||||
2019 (violin) |
Oberlin International Piano Competition
Year | 1st Prize | 2nd Prize | 3rd Prize | 4th Prize | 5th Prize | 6th Prize |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Gloria Chien | |||||
1996 | ||||||
1997 | ||||||
1998 | Hyo-Sun Lim | |||||
1999 | Yeol Eum Son | Marko Pavlovic | ||||
2000 | Ying Li | Tian Tian | Esther Park | |||
2001 | Darret Zusko | Eun Taek Kim
Ji Yeon Shin |
||||
2002 | Jung Lim Kim | Jeanette Fang | Martin Leung | |||
2003 | Rachel Naomi Kudo | Kevin Kordi | Ye Jin Lee | Sarah Oh | Kei Neidra | |
2004 | Wang Da | Sejoon Park | Sun-A Park | Kei Neidra
Hyo Kyun Shin |
Ying Cheng Yang | |
2005 | Ruoyu Huang | Sun-A Park | Fangzhou Feng | Hanmo Qian | Vicki Ning Wang | |
2006 | Rui (Ellen) Wang | |||||
2007 | Yuqing Meng | Minsoo Hong | Yunqing Zhou | Xiao Pei Xu | Chai Yu Jen | John Choi |
2008 | Junle Li | George Fu | Wanting Zhao | Eunjin Bang | Jae Young Kim | Dong June Kim |
References
- "NEC Preparatory School Pianist George Li, 14, Wins Inaugural Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition". NEC News. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
- "The 5th Annual Cooper International Competition for Piano Takes Place at Oberlin Conservatory". LorainCounty.com. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- "Cooper Competition". www.oberlin.edu. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
- "Behind the Scenes at the Piano Competition and Festival – The Source – Oberlin College". oncampus.oberlin.edu. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
- "AAF - News". www.alink-argerich.org. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
- "Cash Prizes Doubled for Oberlin's 2016 Cooper Competition July 16-22". 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2016-08-22.