Overview

• The 18-day contest drew 28 pianists from 16 countries to Fort Worth’s Van Cliburn Concert Hall and Bass Performance Hall for four demanding rounds of performance
• Sham secured victory with performances of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2, becoming the first Hong Kong‐born pianist to win the Gold Medal
• Israeli-Russian pianist Vitaly Starikov earned the silver medal and American Evren Ozel took bronze while the other finalists received cash awards
• As part of his prize Sham will record a live album on Platoon Records and receive performance attire from Neiman Marcus in addition to concert tour support
• All rounds were livestreamed on YouTube, drawing millions of views and highlighting the competition’s global influence