Charles Richard-Hamelin, BMus’11, prize winner at the Chopin Piano Competition

Since graduating the Schulich School of Music in 2011, pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin has received a constant stream of accolades. Winner of the Prix d’Europe in 2011, second prize at the Montreal International Musical Competition and the third prize at the Seoul International Music Competition in South Korea in 2014, Richard-Hamelin’s latest distinction comes from the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Earlier this week, the 26 year-old pianist was awarded 2nd prize and the Zimerman Prize for best performance of a sonata, making him the first Canadian to receive a prize at the prestigious international competition in Warsaw.

The International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition takes place every five years and is considered one of the world's top competition for classical pianists. Past Chopin Competition winners include Maurizio Pollini, Krystian Zimerman and Martha Argerich.