Pianist Yuanfan Yang BBC Young Musician of the Year Finalist 2012 & 2010

Yuanfan winning the keyboard category 2010

Those of you who watched  the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition Final this year would have noticed a familiar face - Yuanfan Yang, twice finalist in the prestigious competition. He was up against category winners in other instrument classes such as woodwind, percussion and strings.

 Just how difficult is this competition, well to enter, you have to have achieved Grade 8 piano (equivalent level to a single movement in Beethoven's Moonlight sonata or Pathetique sonata), and applicants for this entire competition run in the hundreds.

First, take a look at his background and profile this emerging talent.
 
Profile of Yuanfan at the BBC Young Musician Piano Competition Final 2010

Here's Yuanfan performing Grieg's Piano Concerto at the 2012 Competition Final Here's Yuanfan performing
 Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15 in A minor, S. 244 Rákóczi-Marsch (Youtube) 
Early signs of talent: Playing back tunes on the piano age 6
Started piano lessons: Age 6
Finished Grade 8 Piano: Age 8 (mark Distinction, 130 marks out of 150)
Dip ABRSM (Performers diploma): Age 10
Currently studying (as of 2012): Chethams School of Music (studies piano under Murray McLachlan and composition with Dr. Jeremy Pike)


Some competitive highlights: 


2012
BBC Young Musician of the Year Finalist & Keyboard Category Winner
Junior Group Prize of Golden Key International Piano Composition Competition

2011
1st Prize and the Overall Award in the EPTA UK Composition Competition 2011

2010
EPTA UK Piano Competition (European Piano Teachers Association)
RNCM (Royal Northern College of Music) James Mottram International Piano Competition (under 19 category)
BBC Young Musician of the Year Finalist & Keyboard Category Winner

2009
Manchester International Piano Competition for Young Pianists (age 16 and under category)
Chetham’s Yamaha Piano Competition and the 2009 Ryszard Bakst Chopin Prize (junior division)

Yuanfan's Blog and Official Website