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Now aged 23, he has scooped the career-making
Leeds International Piano Competition, beating four other
finalists.
"I'm still coming down from cloud nine ... it really is a
wonderful feeling," Beisembayev told Reuters on Monday.
"I'm so, so, so happy, but (it was) also unexpected. I'm looking
forward to what will come next."
Held every three years, The Leeds had to change its process this
time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It held a virtual first round
in April with no live jury or audience and competitors
performing in different locations in front of a camera.
The final rounds were held in Leeds, northern England, and on
Friday Beisembayev performed Sergei Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a
Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 along with the Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra in front of a live audience.
"The final was just unforgettable and will probably stay with me
for the rest of my life because of just playing for an
audience," he said.
Beisembayev, who has most recently been studying for a master's
degree at the Royal College of Music in London, is the first
pianist from Kazakhstan to win The Leeds.
As winner, he gets the competition's Waterman Gold Medal, a
25,000 pounds ($34,120) cash prize as well as a package
including a management deal, a recording contract and a European
tour.
Beisembayev also scooped the audience prize, which is voted for
by the public, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society
Prize for performance of a 20th/21st century work.
"Alim was the very first pianist that I listened to in the
pre-selection round, which was just people submitting tapes. And
I remember listening to it and thinking, 'my goodness, if
they're all this good, how am I possibly going to choose?',"
Adam Gatehouse, The Leeds artistic director, said.
"So he stood out right from the beginning."
($1 = 0.7327 pounds)
(Reporting by Mindy Burrows; Additional reporting by
Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian;
Editing by Alison Williams)
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