Lorenzo “Enzo” B. Medel won the top prize of the First Steinway Piano Competition held recently at the Lyric Piano Gallery. His teacher is Mauricia Borromeo, retired dean of the UP College of Music.
He bested three other contestants who vied for the coveted prize: Danica Mae D. Antazo, Chance Elan C. Israel and Kao Sugata.
As winner, Enzo will represent the country in the regional competition participated by winners in the Asian region from Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore, on July 27-29, at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore.
The grand-prize winner there will proceed to Hamburg, Germany, and participate in a concert with winners from the European nation as a participant in the biennial Steinway International Festival, sponsored by Steinway and Sons, in September.
The second and third prize winners will get S$1,000 and S$500, respectively.
The jury in the Singapore tilt is composed of Bela Siki (US); Caio Pagano (US); and Eleanor Wong (Hong Kong).
Enzo rendered the first movement of Beethoven’s Sonata in F Minor, Op. 57 (“Appassionata”); Chopin’s Scherzo No.3 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 39; and Debussy’s “Feux d’ Artifice” (Fireworks).
The board of judges (Olivier Ochanine, conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra; concert pianists and cultural administrators, Carmen D. Padilla and Ingrid Sala Santamaria) unanimously chose him winner.
Lyric Piano and Organ Corp. CEO and president Alma Joy Cristobal said the corporation was one with Steinway and Sons in “identifying, encouraging and promoting young pianists in the formative stages in their careers.”
She informed the audience, which filled the gallery to capacity, that apart from shouldering the fare and accommodation of the winner, Lyric would host cocktails as a send-off before the winner’s departure to Singapore.
Enzo was given a cash prize of P5,000. The three finalists got each a gift certificate worth P1,500.