Alim Beisembayev, the 23-year old pianist from Kazakhstan, is the winner of this year’s Leeds International Piano Competition. The competition awarded Beisembayev first prize during the competition’s final on 18 September, in which he competed against four other finalists. 

The final took place in Leeds Town Hall over two evenings – 17 and 18 September – and the five finalists each performed for the jury one concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrew Manze. Beisembayev’s winning performance was of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43. The winning final performance can be viewed here. 

Beisembayev receives a prize of £25,000 along with a range of performance opportunities such as a recital at London’s Southbank Centre, international concerts as part of the Steinway Prize Winner Concerts Network, and a recital as part of Leeds International Piano Series. Also included in Beisembayev’s prize is consultation with Director of Concert and Artists Services at Steinway & Sons in London, mentoring by members of the jury and the Leeds International Piano Competition team, and coaching in PR, media and social media relations. On the night, Beisembayev also won the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society Award and the medici.tv Audience Prize which is voted for by the viewing audience at home. 

Beisembayev began playing the piano at the age of five and went on to study at the Central Music School in Moscow and later at the Purcell School for Young Musicians in England where he was taught by Tessa Nicholson. He continued his studies with Nicholson when he began studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London where he received a scholarship. Currently, Beisembayev is completing his Master’s degree at the RCM with professors Vanessa Latarche and Dmitry Alexeev. He has won several awards including First Prize at the Junior Cliburn International Competition in the US, and Second Prize at the Vigo International Competition. He made his Wigmore Hall debut in 2018. 

Second place, offering a prize of £15,000, was awarded to Kaito Kobayashi of Japan who performed Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in E Major, Sz. 119. Ariel Lanyi of Israel was awarded third place and a prize of £10,000 for his performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83. 

All rounds of the competition can be watched online: https://leedspiano.medici.tv/