First Prize, 2015 Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition
Derek Chung is a freshman at Stanford University majoring in Music and Computer Science. He currently studies piano with Frederick Weldy and previously studied with Sueanne Metz. Derek’s accomplishments include the Grand Prize Winner at the Chicago International Music Competition, first place at the MTNA National Senior Piano Competition, Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, MostArts Festival Piano Competition, Future Stars International Competition, Luminarts Cultural Foundation for Classical Music, the American Fine Arts International Concerto Competition, and the Los Angeles Young Musician International Piano Competition where he was awarded the overall Best Romantic Performance. Most recently, Derek was selected as a recipient of the 2019 Blew-Culley-LaFollette Prize for piano performance and as a winner of the 2019 Stanford Concerto Competition. He will perform with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra in June. Derek has had the honor of performing in musical venues such as the historic Sala dei Notari in Perugia (Italy), Bing Concert Hall in Stanford, Benaroya Hall in Seattle, Bennett-Gordon Hall at Ravinia, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York. He has given public performances with the South Carolina Philharmonic, the MostArts Symphony Orchestra, WFMT’s “Introductions” show on channel 98.7, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the University of Alicante, live on Kansas Public Radio, and the Shining Stars Concert as part of the Music Festival of Perugia. Derek was also a member of chamber group Piano Trio Royale. They were two-time semifinalists at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and were featured on NPR’s From-the-Top program. Derek is a co-founder of 88Keys to Cure, a non-profit organization promoting classical music for the benefit of various causes. Since its establishment in 2016, 88Keys has supported numerous charities and retirement homes around Chicago, raising over $30,000. He is also involved in his school’s arts community, where he played piano for the musical theatre production ‘A Little Night Music’.
The Southeastern Piano Festival is grateful to the many generous individuals and businesses that help our festival become a reality. Steinway and Sons is the official performance piano of the festival. The Symphony League of the South Carolina Philharmonic sponsors the Arthur Fraser International Concerto Competition.
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