News
Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition 2024: Shigeru Kawai SK-EX chosen as official piano for prestigious competition
The Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition 2024 took place in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, from July 26 to 28, with the selection of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano as the official instrument for the event.
One of the Kawai’s most esteemed piano technician, MPA (Master Piano Artisan) Nick Ichikawa, also played a pivotal role at the Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition. Nick Ichikawa meticulously adjusted the piano to harmonize with the hall's acoustics, showcasing exceptional skill in managing subtle instrument nuances under challenging environmental conditions.
The Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition 2024: Final Results
Solo Division 1 (ages 6-7)
| 1st Prize | Lily Wang |
| Weilai Qiao | |
| Audience Award | Lily Wang |
Solo Division 2 (ages 8-10)
| 1st Prize | Lucas He |
| 2nd Prize | Roy Kim |
| 3rd Prize | Camille Li |
| Audience Award | Max Lu |
Solo Division 3 (ages 11-13)
| 1st Prize | Ethan Zhao |
| 2nd Prize | Eric Li |
| 3rd Prize | Stephen Chen |
| Special Award (Carnegie Hall Recital) | Ethan Zhao |
| Audience Award | Ethan Zhao |
Solo Division 4 (ages 14-17)
| 1st Prize | Ryan Lu |
| 2nd Prize | Andy Yoon |
| 3rd Prize | Evelina A. Kleczek |
| Audience Award | Evelina A. Kleczek |
Concerto Division (ages 10-17)
| 1st Prize | Andrew Krasulski |
| 2nd Prize | Jessica Chen |
| Audience Award | Andrew Krasulski |
Amateur adult Division (ages 18＋)
| 1st Prize | John Cheng |
| 2nd Prize | Karen Cheng |
| Audience Award | Karen Cheng |
Comments from prize winners
■ What are your impressions of the SK-EX full concert grand piano?
- "I have played the SK-EX before at the Chicago Piano Competition, and its rich tone continues to impress me."
- "Playing the SK-EX for the first time, I found the pedaling and touch very easy to manage, allowing me to draw out various tones."
- "I was initially worried about playing the SK-EX for the first time, but it exceeded my expectations in ease of play."
- "The piano's resonance suited the hall well."
Comments from Jarl Hulbert, Founder and President of the Thomas F. Hulbert Music Institute
We're so glad that you had a good experience this year, and we were quite happy that we saw an increase in the number of international and out-of-state applicants. We're also extremely grateful to Kawai for the beautiful Shigeru used on stage. As you know, the judges (one of whom said she hadn't heard a Shigeru before) were extremely impressed with the Kawai.
(From left) Dr. Jarl Hulbert, Dr. Shirley Yoo, Bradford Gowen, Dr.Teodora Adzherova and Dr. Ming Ge
About the Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition
This is a piano competition founded by the Thomas F. Hulbert Music Institute. Announced first at the final round of the 2022 competition, the competition name was changed (beginning in 2023) to the Thomas F. Hulbert International Piano Competition to honor American composer, pianist, author, and pedagogue Thomas F. Hulbert (1922-1990). With the name of the competition changed, 2024 marks the first year of the change in the name of the Institute from the William Knabe Piano Institute to the Thomas F. Hulbert Music Institute.
Official website: https://www.hulbertinstitute.org/2024-competition
About the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano
Unveiled in 2001 as the flagship instrument of the Shigeru Kawai line, the SK-EX concert grand piano is hand-crafted in limited numbers following a unique ‘prototyping’ creation process. In order to achieve the supreme range of expression required in a concert piano, each instrument utilizes a variety of carefully selected materials, with premium aged spruce soundboards. Shigeru Kawai instruments adopt the advanced Millennium III keyboard action, featuring extended wooden keys and advanced ABS Carbon action parts, providing superior speed and responsiveness than conventional wooden action parts, allowing pianists to express a greater range of feeling and emotion in their performance.
Official website: https://www.shigerukawai.jp/en/
