Curtis Institute of Music grad is named Van Cliburn finalist

Monday, June 6th 2005, 9:53 am

By: News On 6

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ A graduate of Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music has been named a finalist in the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Twenty-two-year-old Chu-Fang Huang is a native of China now living in South Philadelphia. For her performance she earned 10-thousand dollars, a U-S concert tour and career management for three years.

Chu-Fang was one of 12 semifinalists and 34 competitors chosen for the elite competition, which is held every four years.

A 25-year-old Russian, Alexander Kobrin, won the top prize, which carries a 20-thousand dollar cash award. Nineteen-year-old Korean Joyce Yang took second place. Yang won the Philadelphia Orchestra's Albert M. Greenfield Competition when she was 13.

Many Van Cliburn finalists have gone on to stellar piano careers. Huang currently studies at the Juilliard School in New York.