Classical Piano's Newest Star Makes West Coast Debut As Steinway Society Presents Yunchan Lim, September 18

Yunchan Lim, who in June 2022 became the youngest pianist ever to win gold at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will be the featured performer in Steinway Society - The Bay Area's 28th Season opening concert. Lim will make his West Coast debut at Montgomery Theatre in San Jose at 2:30 pm on Sunday, September 18th. Just 18 years old, Lim has made a meteoric ascent in the international classical music world.

The live concert (which is sold out) will also be livestreamed online during the performance and will be viewable for 48 hours following the concert. Program notes and a recorded pre-concert lecture by classical music expert Dr. Gary Lemco will be available on the Steinway Society website.

Lim's Van Cliburn performances dazzled judges and audiences alike. Jury Chair Marin Alsop said, "Yunchan is that rare artist who brings profound musicality and prodigious technique naturally together." The depth of his artistry and connection to listeners also secured him the Audience Award and the Award for Best Performance of a New Work.

One critic noted in Seen and Heard International, "The applause that followed his performance of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 was endless: a star had emerged before our eyes."

In Lim's first-ever competition, the 2018 Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists, he won second prize and the Chopin Special Award. That same year, he was the youngest participant in the Cooper International Competition, where he won third prize and the audience prize. In 2019, at age 15, he was the youngest to win Korea's ISANGYUN Competition.

Lim has performed across South Korea-including with the Korean Orchestra Festival, Korea Symphony, and Suwon and Busan Philharmonic Orchestras, among others-as well as in Madrid. He also participated in the "2020 Young Musicians of Korea" recording organized by the Korean Broadcasting System and released that November.

A native of Siheung, Yunchan studies at the Korea National University of Arts under Minsoo Sohn.

Steinway Society - The Bay Area is a nonprofit organization based in Silicon Valley. Now in its 26th season, this dedicated group of musicians, pianists, teachers, and arts lovers promotes excellence in piano performance and music education. Each season, Steinway Society presents a series of classical piano concerts featuring international award-winning pianists, as well as an active school music program. For more information on season subscriptions, individual tickets, the artists, and Steinway Society, go to www.SteinwaySociety.com or contact (408) 300-5635.