In 2022, at age 21, he became the first Ukrainian pianist and the youngest person to win Honens, aka Canada’s Grand Slam of international piano competitions, in the most cathartic year of recent history.But it almost did not happen.This is the Legend of Illia Ovcharenko.Join Amos Vang as he features the legendary path of Illia Ovcharenko’s piano career, Ukraine’s rich music traditions, Ukraine’s strong educational foundations in music and culture, Illia’s path to winning the Busoni International Piano Competition and the Honens International Piano Competition, and the impact that all of Illia’s cultural influences had on him.Illia’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCU7_grgiVXQeNV4C8aNG2EQ Illia's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illiaovcharenko_pianist/?hl=enTomorrow by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.auOther music composed by: Amos Vang-- CHAPTERS --0:00 – Introduction3:18 – What inspired Illia Ovcharenko to pursue piano?6:56 – What were Illia Ovcharenko’s early musical stylistic influences?10:13 – What were the greatest challenges that Illia Ovcharenko faced early on in his life?13:15 – What is the curriculum at the Kyiv Lysenko State Music Lyceum?16:52 – Unlike Canada, Ukraine builds a strong musical foundation into its educational programs, regardless of whether one chooses to pursue a musical career.18:36 – Ukraine has central music academies across the country. Canada has hockey academies across the country.20:33 – Practising…so important, but it can get monotonous…21:05 – This is what Illia Ovcharenko does BEFORE he starts practising.21:48 – Illia Ovcharenko’s practise strategy is very community-oriented, which is different from many pianists’ individualistic practising routine.25:19 – Music is supposed to be FUN! Life experience defines the musical performance.27:10 – Illia Ovcharenko made his performing debut at 12 years old!29:01 – Arie Vardi is Illia’s teacher, mentor, and inspiration.37:10 – What was Illia Ovcharenko’s preparation experiences for the 2021 Busoni International Piano Competition?42:12 – What inspired Illia Ovcharenko to HONE IN ON HONENS?!45:36 – Illia Ovcharenko ALMOST DID NOT COMPETE IN HONENS!!!!!47:33 – Illia Ovcharenko went from almost not making the competition to WINNING HONENS, in the most CATHARTIC YEAR OF 2022!!!!!53:16 – Amos Vang and Illia Ovcharenko discuss Illia’s Honens performance of Liszt’s Sonata in B minor.59:03 – Amos Vang describes his experience performing Liszt’s Dante Sonata.1:00:28 – How do Illia’s performative work and educational work with Honens influence each other?1:03:13 – What is musicality to Illia Ovcharenko?1:06:49 – What is the Complete Artist to Illia Ovcharenko?1:10:52 – How do new audiences watch and enjoy piano competitions such as Honens?1:15:23 – Amos Vang calls Honens the “Canadian Grand Slam of International Piano Competitions”!!!!!1:16:44 – What are the greatest misconceptions that Illia Ovcharenko has seen about classical music?1:20:05 – Did O Canada copy Mozart?

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In 1984, he was the first Canadian to win the LeedsInternational Piano Competition. That same year, he performed for Queen Elizabeth II.

8 years later, he judged the inaugural edition of the Honens International Piano Competition, Canada’s Grand Slam of international piano competitions.

Meet Jon Kimura Parker (known as “Jackie” to friends new and old), an award-winning pianist who also serves as the Artistic Director of Honens.

In this episode, Jackie and Amos discuss Jackie’s trailblazing career throughout Juilliard, throughout the 1984 Leeds Competition, Britain’s Grand Slam of international piano competitions, and beyond.

2025 is also a special year, as the newest edition of the Honens International Piano Competition will take place in October. Jackie explains the philosophy of the “Complete Artist” at Honens, as well as the innovations that have come out of such a philosophy in judging, in competition organisation, and in music education.

Jackie’s website: https://www.jonkimuraparker.com/

Honens’ website: https://www.honens.com/

Tomorrow by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.auOther music composed by: Amos Vang

- CHAPTERS -

0:00 – Introduction

3:28 – HONE IN ON HONENS!

3:43 – What inspired Jon Kimura Parker to pursue piano?

6:31 – What were the most profound lessons that Jon KimuraParker learned from each of his piano teachers?

17:19 – When did Jon Kimura Parker feel that he was readyfor Leeds?

21:08 – How did Jon Kimura Parker prepare for Leeds?

24:12 – Many musicians still work regularly with coacheseven after going professional. Pianists, on the other hand, do not really do this.

25:29 – A pianist’s mindset tends to be very independent andeven isolated.

29:01 – Jon Kimura Parker describes every single round ofthe Leeds International Piano Competition!

33:41 – Jon Kimura Parker actually had a MEMORY SLIP at Leeds!

35:15 – Jon Kimura Parker performed the Barber Sonata atLeeds, with a BROKEN SOSTENUTO PEDAL!

38:35 – Jon Kimura Parker performed the Brahms PianoConcerto No. 1 at the finals of Leeds.

41:13 – Jon Kimura Parker won 1st prize, but something HILARIOUS happened!

44:10 – Queen Elizabeth II commissioned Jon Kimura Parker toperform for her. This was her reaction.

47:08 – Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were genuinelykind, caring people.

49:16 – Amos performed Liszt’s Dante Sonata in thepast. This is how he handled the difficult technical parts.

50:23 – Liszt, Beethoven, and Romantic era composers hadSIGNIFICANTLY lighter pianos. Modern pianos are very heavy.

53:17 – Heavier pianos actually give good experience forpianists by training up the stability of their technique.

55:23 – Jon Kimura Parker appeared on a children’s TV show,“Under the Umbrella Tree”.

1:02:16 – Amos Vang uses sports analogies and terminologiesto explain classical music competitions and festivals.

1:03:33 – Jon Kimura Parker has the difficult job of deciding who wins Honens.

1:04:05 – What is musicality to Jon Kimura Parker?

1:07:39 – Who is Esther Honens? This is her legend.

1:13:46 – A day in the life of Honens Artistic Director JonKimura Parker

1:17:02 – In 2018, one of the jury members cancelled!

1:20:00 – Curation of Honens content during the pandemic

1:22:34 – Managing Nicolas Namoradze’s and Illia Ovcharenko’s careers during the pandemic

1:24:14 – What is the Complete Artist to Jon Kimura Parker?

1:34:27 – Nicolas Namoradze got a degree in neuroscienceduring the pandemic.

1:36:09 – How does Honens define the CompleteArtist?

1:42:37 – Honens’s approach challenges many misconceptionsof classical music

1:43:04 – How can new audiences watch and enjoy Honens andother piano competitions?

1:44:50 – Jon Kimura Parker explains Honens’s judgingprocess in FULL DETAIL.

1:50:57 – Canada has the potential to become a majorclassical music centre on the world stage!

1:54:52 – What is Jon Kimura Parker’s advice to those whowant to pursue a career in classical music, especially piano?

At age 5,he made his professional piano performing debut at Carnegie Hall. Yes, 5 YEARS OLD.

At age 11, he performed for a Canadian prime minister.

At age 14, he won his first international piano competition.

By the age of 16, he won at least 5 internationalpiano competitions, and was the youngest winner of Le Prix Cortot in world history.

How old is he right now? 17 YEARS OLD!

Not only that, but he will represent Canada on his Road to Warsaw, at the Olympics of piano, the International ChopinCompetition in Warsaw, Poland on October 2025. Simultaneously, he will begin his academic pursuits at HarvardUniversity and New England Conservatory, still at 17 YEARS OLD.

Join Amos Vang as he features the living legend of Ryan Wang, virtuoso pianist and 2024 BBC Young Musician of theYear, on his meteoric rise from prodigy to seasoned performer. Ryan discusses his inspirations of becoming a pianist, his deep connection with musicality, his experiences at winningcompetitions such as the 2025 Canadian Chopin Competition, and the unbelievable potential that he holds as a pianist.

If you thought you knew legendary, wait till you tune into this story!

Ryan's Instagram - @ryanwangpianist

Ryan's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ryanwangpianist8416

Ryan's website: https://ryanwangpiano.com/

Tomorrow by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Other music composed by: Amos Vang, Fryderyk Chopin, andtheir respective composers

-- CHAPTERS --

0:00 – Introduction

5:37 – Reminiscing on the Canadian Chopin Competition

6:59 – What inspired Ryan Wang to pursue piano?

8:46 – Learning a musical instrument is very common in Asianfamilies.

9:43 – Ryan Wang’s first piano teachers shaped his musicaland even life skill foundations.

12:36 – What does Ryan Wang remember about his Carnegie Hall debut at 5 YEARS OLD?!

14:18 – How does Ryan prepare for piano competitions?

16:20 – Are the Chopin and Cliburn Competitions MOREDIFFICULT than the Olympics?!

20:24 – How does Ryan Wang adapt to different pianos andconcert venues?

24:05 – Ryan Wang did not actually know what the CanadianChopin Competition concert venue looked like!

26:08 – Ryan Wang performed alongside Bruce Liu and Yunchan Lim in 2023.

28:10 – What sparked Ryan's Road to Warsaw?

30:50 – Ryan Wang won the International YOUTH ChopinCompetition. What were the most important lessons that he learned from there?

32:05 – A pianist is at their best when they are performingtheir heart out.

32:52 – Ryan Wang takes us through his adventure at the2025 Canadian Chopin Competition.

34:33 – Amos Vang CRIED when seeing Ryan Wang’s performance of Chopin’s Concerto in E Minor at the 2025 Canadian Chopin Competition!

37:41 – Chopin’s Concerto in E Minor, especially the 2ndmovement, is beautiful. Here’s why.

38:54 – What is musicality to Ryan Wang?

40:07 – Who is Fryderyk Chopin to Ryan Wang?

42:17 – Musicians are humans, too. People tend to focus too much on the celebrity aspect of artists.

44:28 – What surprised Ryan Wang the most about Chopin?

49:59 – What are some fun, unconventional methods of pianopractice that Ryan Wang uses?

51:42 – How does Ryan Wang master the art of bel cantosinging in piano performance?

54:53 – Pausing in music has the same emphatic effect aspausing in speech, especially when it comes to lawyering or announcing sports.

55:49 – To what extent does Ryan Wang balance his ownmusical philosophy with the composer’s musical philosophy?

57:54 – How does Ryan Wang develop and evolve his musicalstyle? (Hint: there’s a bit of Descartes influence here!)

1:00:51 – What are the largest misconceptions that Ryan Wanghas personally seen about classical music?

1:11:15 – What are the most rewarding things that Ryan Wanghas experienced in his career?

1:13:03 – What is Ryan Wang’s mindset and game plan goinginto the main rounds of the 2025 International Chopin Competition?