An international musical weekend showdown concluded with an unprecedented decision to name two pianists as winners of gold medals. On Sunday, Wang Yinuo and Mei Li were named Gold Medalists at the 67th Wideman International Piano Competition.
This year, the finalists were so exceptional and diverse, judges had a difficult time deciding just one person to name as the Gold Medalist, according to executive director Lester Wilson. Only once in the competition's 67 years have the judges decided to award two winners the top award.
"They're both fabulous pianists and both just so different—one was playing Prokofiev and one was playing Rachmaninoff. They were like night and day, but both were absolutely terrific pianists," Wilson said.