Tomoki Sakata (front) of Japan performs at the awarding ceremony of the 14th Ferenc Liszt International Piano Competition in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 11, 2016. Tomoki Sakata won the 14th Ferenc Liszt International Piano Competition in Budapest on Sunday. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi)
BUDAPEST, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tomoki Sakata (22) of Japan won the 14th Ferenc Liszt International Piano Competition in Budapest on Sunday.
The second prize went to Sergey Belyavskiy (23) of Russia. Leon Bernsdorf (23) of Germany placed third.
A special prize from the Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources was given to the lone Hungarian finalist, Krisztian Kocsis, who was unable to attend the award ceremony.
Peter Hoppal, state secretary responsible for culture, underlined the importance of supporting musical talent, saying the participants had proved their talent, endurance, industriousness and had demonstrated their personalities and sensitivity as well.
Sakata has been invited to perform with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Szeged Symphony Orchestra. Belyavskiy is expected to give a recital at the Hungarian State Opera House and a concert with the MAV Symphony Orchestra while Bernsdorf has been invited by the Miskolc Symphony Orchestra and the Duna Symphony Orchestra.
The Ferenc Liszt International Piano Competition marks the 205th anniversary of the birth and 130th anniversary of the death of composer and pianist Ferenc Liszt.
