Japan’s Fujita comes 2nd in International Tchaikovsky Competition

June 28, 2019

Tokyo--Mao Fujita, a 20-year-old Japanese college student, has come second in the piano category of the 16th International Tchaikovsky Competition, one of the world's most prestigious music contests.

The result was announced Thursday in Russia, where the event is being held.

He is the first Japanese who has won a prize in the category since Ayako Uehara took the top prize in 2002.

"It was my first experience in Russia. I never thought I would receive so much applause and cheers. I want to improve further so people will listen (to my music) again," Fujita said through his agent.

Fujita, a native of Tokyo, is a third-year student at Tokyo College of Music. He won Switzerland's prestigious Clara Haskil International Piano Competition in 2017.

In the violin category, Mayumi Kanagawa, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen, came fourth. Kanagawa said she is proud to have reached the final and is looking forward to making new discoveries.

Kanagawa, born in Germany, came in second in the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition last year.

The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a gateway for young artists to success. In the past, Akiko Suwanai and Mayuko Kamio came top in the violin category, and soprano singer Mieko Sato in the voice category. Jiji Press