Western Australian pianist Shuan Hern Lee has won first prize in the Scholarship for Young Talents up to 15 Years Old section at the San Marino International Piano Competition. The competition attracts pianists from all over the world and the 14-year-old from Dianella was selected to compete against seven other finalists for a prize of 3000 Euros. He performed works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Balakirev for a jury led by Israeli pianist Arie Vardi.

^{Shuan Hern Lee performing in San Marino}

Lee is no stranger to success, having already taken out prizes in the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition for Young Musicians in Russia and first prize at the Young Pianist of the North International Piano Competition among swathes of other awards around the world. He was interviewed by Limelight at age ten after winning first prize at the Piano Passion International Piano Competition in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Lee started learning piano with his father, Yoon Sen Lee, when he was two years old and made his debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall at age seven. He has performed as a soloist with orchestras across Europe as well as with the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra of Perth, the Perth Symphony Orchestra and the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra in Australia.

^{Shuan Hern Lee performing Tchaikovsky’s Méditation, Op. 72 No 5, at the Winners Concert in San Marino}

The prize in San Marino wasn’t Lee’s only success this year, the pianist becoming the youngest person to receive a Fellowship in Music diploma, the highest and most prestigious award offered by the Australian Music Examinations Board.