Park ICM Announces Record 5 Winners of International Music Competitions

In the 2019-2020 academic year, Park University's International Center for Music had five students win top prizes in some the most prestigious international music competitions in the world.

This is a success ratio (21.7% or more than 1 in 5 ICM students) not enjoyed by any other music conservatory in the country. It is also the most award winners that Park University has celebrated in a single academic year since the ICM's inception in 2003.

Because of COVID-19, Park University was not able to publicly celebrate these award winners. But our loss is your gain as we are taking our celebration to the clouds. You can watch their performances in the comfort of your home and at your leisure. Help us celebrate our students' successes. Click ICM.PARK.EDU for information on all our award winners and to connect to their self-introductory and FREE performance videos.

WHO:

Meet Pianist Kenny Broberg, Bronze Medalist of the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition. Kenny was the only American to make the finals of the most prestigious piano competition in the world, held every four years in Moscow. A Minnesota native, Kenny came to Park International Center for Music to study with Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch in 2016 and is currently pursuing his Master's Degree.

Violinist Igor Khukhua won the Bronze Medal in the 2019 Elmar Oliveira Violin Competition in Florida. Originally from Siberia, Igor has studied with violin professor Ben Sayevich at Park International Center for Music since 2016. In 2020, Igor will begin his work toward an Artist's Diploma in Violin Performance.

Originally from Uzbekistan, Cellist Dilshod Narzillaev came to Park University to study with cello professor Daniel Veis in 2015. In 2019, Dilshod won Fourth Prize at the famed Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition in Zagreb, Croatia. Beginning in 2020, he will be studying under full scholarship with Laurence Lesser at The New England Conservatory of Music. But as Dilshod says himself, he will always be returning to Kansas City as it is his "second home."

Born in Novorossiysk, Russia in 1997, Pianist Simon Karakulidi earned the 2019 Gold Medal of The Wideman International Piano Competition in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 2019 alone, Simon won an amazing FOUR medals (three gold medals and one bronze medal) in international piano competitions. Having just completed his bachelor's degree at Park U, Simon is headed to Yale University School of Music to pursue his Master's Degree.

A highly decorated musician, Pianist Kyoshiro Hirama, originally from Osaka, Japan, Kyoshiro earned Fifth Prize in the Sendai International Music Competition, in Sendai, Japan in 2019. Having completed his bachelor's degree in 2020 at Park, he will return this fall to begin his Master's Candidacy, continuing his studies with Stanislav Ioudenitch.

For further details, please visit Park ICM. High res photos can be found here.

WHEN:

NOW! All videos are live at ICM.PARK.EDU.

WHERE:

Click ICM.PARK.EDU for information on all our award winners and to connect to their self-introductory and FREE performance videos. Open to the public.