Meet Leanne Jin, our 2021 Kruger Scholar

The judges for our 2021 Stefan Kruger Scholarship, Gerard Willems AM, Roger Benedict and 2MBS Fine Music Sydney Chairman, Michael Morton-Evans OAM, faced a difficult decision in picking this year’s scholarship recipient!  

The applications received were of the highest order and after much discussion, it was decided to award the scholarship to 21-year-old pianist Leanne Jin of Chatswood, who will use her prize money to commission a work from Chilean-born Australian composer, Dr Daniel Rojas, and then turn it into a DVD.

About Leanne

Leanne is currently completing her Bachelor of Music Performance (Honours) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music studying with Natalia Ricci.

Leanne has won a string of major competitions and awards in Australia and abroad over the past couple of years. She was the first-place winner of the prestigious Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition in 2019 and has also won numerous other prizes, including the Concerto Prize for her performance of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the award for Best Recital in Round 3 and Best Performance of a Prelude and Fugue. She was also the recipient of the Sydney Eisteddfod Kawai Piano Scholarship and later nominated by the Sydney Eisteddfod as an outstanding performer and stand-out Musician of their 2019 Festival for­­­ the 7 News Young Achiever QPRC Performing Arts Awards, Theme and Variations Foundation Award, winner of the Sydney Conservatorium Concerto Competition and the 2019 Fine Music Young Virtuoso Award Audience Choice prize.

She has been invited to perform in the Canberra International Music Festival, Bowral Autumn Music Festival, Phoenix Central Park, Fine Music Sydney Live on-air showcases and Carnegie Hall. 

Most recently, Leanne made a film in the Verbrugghen Hall featuring music of Schumann, Rachmaninoff, Falla and Debussy to be released on the Master Performers label.

About her Kruger Scholarship Project

Leanne applied for the 2021 Stefan Kruger Scholarship to help fund one of her dream projects, a showcase of Spanish and Latin American piano music. “My wonderful teacher Natalia Ricci, introduced me to the world of Spanish and Argentinian music and was the inspiration behind this project! I am also really excited to be given the opportunity to collaborate with the Master Performers Label, who I have worked with previously on my first DVD”.

Leanne’s recording will feature ‘music infused with folk melodies and lively dance rhythms from both countries as well as an exciting world premiere of a new commissioned work by Australian concert pianist and award-winning composer Daniel Rojas’.

Keep up with Leanne and her project on Facebook – facebook.com/leanne.jin3