The jurors of the 12th Dranoff International 2 Piano Competition have awarded the Gold Prize ($25,000) to Duo Yamamoto. The winning duo team, sisters, Ayaka and Yuka Yamamoto, of Japan, performed Francis Poulenc’s Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra in D minor.
The Silver Prize ($15,000) has been awarded to Duo Yoo and Kim of South Korea, and the Bronze Prize ($10,000) went to Duo ImPuls of Germany. The three competing teams performed with conductor Sarah Hicks and the Dranoff Competition Orchestra at the Gusman Concert Hall on the campus of the University of Miami.
In addition to the three top prizes, three best performance prizes for selected repertoire were awarded to Duo ImPuls. They were for Gabriela Lena Frank’s Seis Cantos De Los Campos ($5,000,) Jerome Moross’s The Last Judgement ($5,000,) and Shelton Berg’s Mary and Martha Meditation ($2,500.) Each day the audience in attendance for the semifinals voted for their favorite teams. The Audience Prize ($1,000) also went to Duo ImPuls.
